Chanting focusses the mind and helps one to go beyond pure thought. Surrendering to something greater than oneself through prayer or chanting helps to go beyond the ego: to step aside and let intelligent life take over. If you are looking for answers, offer your questions to the power of universal wisdom. The answer may not be immediately clear but by staying open to the possibility of receiving that answer when the time is right, you are handing over the responsibility to work out the solution. Your responsibility changes from a responsibility to find the answer to a responsibility to receive an answer to your question. Your focus changes: instead of working out a solution you are listening out for making a commitment to be ready to respond to the answer when it is presented to you.