The Prayer Thread is a collection of teachings and practical prompts to help as we learn to pray in community. This text was originally delivered on March 13, 2024 as a short teaching at our online weekly prayer sit.
Most of us were not brought up thinking of chant as a form of prayer. Yet, chant has been a central prayer practice in many religious traditions for many centuries, especially in monastic settings. As a spiritual tool, chant is an ancient gift! We might think of chant today as centering, continuing, and carving.
Chant is centering. It has a grounding effect. To use our voice, located in the throat area, is to stimulate the space between our head and heart. When we chant, our throats vibrate and stimulate the area in between head and heart, reminding us that we are whole beings and inviting us to center deeply in our whole selves. As we center deeply, we feel more and more grounded with each repetition of the words.
Chant is continuing. We lean into the benefits of chant as repetitious. Unlike hymns, chants use short sets of words over and over again. As we settle into the short set of words, we don’t have to use our attention to reflect on their meaning. Therefore, the comfort of the repeated phrase allows us to turn our attention to other parts of ourselves, such as our bodies and our hearts. We can ease into the repetition of chant and allow ourselves to rest and rejuvenate, opening up new spaces within.
Chant is carving. We can lean into chant as a practice that encourages us to deepen our awareness of God’s presence. When we ease into using more of our faculties, we are able to experience God more profoundly. As the chant soaks through our mind, sinks into our heart, and saturates our senses, we can be carved out more and more, so as to be more fully open to the presence of the Holy One.
Indeed, chant, just like breath, is a gift! So centering, so continuing, so carving! May we continue to honor the ancient lineage of practicing chant as a powerful spiritual tool.
