Or… How a Chant Is Different than a Song
In acts of genuine expression, what goes on between the soul of man and the word of prayer is more than an act of employment, of using words as if they were tools. Here the soul and the word react upon each other; the word is a creative force. Words are not made of paper. Words of prayer are repositories of the spirit. It is only after we kindle a light in the words that we are able to behold the riches they contain. It is only after we arrive within a word that we become aware of the riches our own souls contain.
— A.J.Heschel, Man’s Quest for God
I begin with this quote from Rabbi Abraham Joshua Heschel because it strikes me as a beautiful description of the practice of Chanting. When we chant, we “kindle a light in the words” and use that light as a lantern on our journey through the inner landscape. A chant is different than a song. It is a meditative practice that encompasses and integrates our inner and outer dimensions. When I sing a song, I am communicating meaning and expressing beauty to the listener “out there.” But when I chant, I am also communicating with and awakening places inside me that need to hear and be touched by the chant. A song may entertain, but a chant is meant to transform. When you have learned the melody and rhythm of a chant, you’ve only touched the surface. Then you can begin to explore the inner dimensions of the chant. The practice of Chant is simple and accessible to everyone, yet it provides opportunities for a lifetime of fascinating exploration and refinement. Through our use of chant as a spiritual practice, we explore the pathways of Divine flow; we are learn about ourselves; we connect with each other; we open ourselves to the wisdom of our ancestors; and we heal and nurture ourselves and the world.
There are three phases that transform chant from simple singing into a contemplative, ecstatic meditation practice:
- First you must establish the ground of a chant.
- Secondly, as the chant is happening, you must cultivate an awareness of the components of the chant – variables that affect consciousness.
- The third aspect of the chant is learning to enter the silence that follows. This is when the transformative power of the chant does its work. It is as if we are building a Mishkan, a holy sanctuary with the sound, intention, meaning, and fine attention to detail. Then in the silence afterwards we must learn to enter the Mishkan and experience the Divine Presence that we have invited in with the chant.
The Ground of a Chant
- Perceiving the spiritual need or challenge
- Rising to meet that challenge
- Perceiving the potential
- Inviting co-creation of group energy
- Creating expectancy and the sacred container
The Ground of a Chant begins with an understanding of why you are chanting. What is the need of the group? Or, if you are chanting alone, what is your own need? What is the spiritual challenge that we are facing at this moment? When that challenge is clearly perceived and articulated, then we can find the power and inspiration to rise to the challenge. The leader of a chant must learn to perceive the potential of the group that she’s working with, create a strong and safe container for practice, and communicate an enthusiastic expectation of what’s possible. Each participant must surrender themselves in service to the group and to the sacred purpose of the chant. Before you open your mouth to chant, it’s important to formulate a clear intention and direct your heart towards that purpose.
Components of a Chant
- Meaning of the Sacred Phrase
- Breath
- Intention
- Sound (vowel and consonant)
- Melodic story and harmonic intervals
- Tone and rhythm
- Visualization (imposed or discovered)
- Context from which the sacred phrase is drawn
- Balance of Will and Surrender
- Vertical and horizontal axis
- Stereoscopic consciousness
The chant begins with a piece of text. The sacred phrase, drawn from liturgy or scripture becomes a doorway. We enter through that doorway by using each of the components of the chant as variables that have an effect on our state of consciousness. By becoming aware of those effects, we can use these components with more and more awareness and skill. By bringing attention to the rhythm of breath, to the sounds of the words, to the many layers of intention that evolve with the chant… we transform a simple melody into an opportunity for transformation and healing.
As we chant, we learn to monitor and balance our strength of Will to fully engage with the practice, with our ability to Surrender to its power. We establish within us a vertical axis — the energy that grounds us and connects us to our highest guidance. We establish a horizontal axis — openness of heart that connects us with everyone in our chanting circle and with all the concentric circles of souls engaged in prayer. And we cultivate stereoscopic consciousness, which is the ability to be completely focussed simultaneously on our own deepest center-point AND on the energy of the group as we build the Mishkan of the chant together.
Entering the Silence
- Gentle breath into the heart
- Exploration of inner space
- Noticing shifts of consciousness
- Surrendering to God’s transforming presence
The last phase of the chant happens in the silence that follows. When the music stops, the power of the chant is really just beginning. This is the point when our finest attention is required. One of the ways to refine your attention is to focus on the breath and imagine you are breathing in the flavor and nurturance of the chant. Imagine that the breath is entering directly into the heart and touching the deepest place inside you. As the heart opens in response to the energy of the chant, it is possible to explore the inner landscape and as Rabbi Heschel describes, “…we become aware of the riches our own souls contain.” When the chant ends, there is a door that must be opened in the silence. In the practice of chant we learn to find that door and enter through it to discover the depths of our soul’s wisdom and the expansive spaciousness of our souls.
© Shefa Gold. All rights reserved.