Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: It is said, ‘Kaliyuga keval naam-adhara’, (Chanting the name of the Lord is the sole means of liberation in Kali Yuga).
As one goes on chanting the name of the Lord, gradually a stage comes when the chanting stops and one naturally slip into meditation. So one goes from Japa (chanting) to the state of Ajapa-Japa (chanting without the mental effort normally needed to repeat the mantra), and then into silence.
The very purpose of chanting is to lead you into meditation.
It is said, ‘Naam laet bhava sindhu sukhai’, (simply by repeated chanting of the Lord’s names, one can immerse oneself into the ocean of bliss). So simply by chanting the name of the Lord also, one can be at peace, and can go deep into meditation.
This is very effortless, and that is what is in the Sahaj Samadhi meditation as well.