At many times in our history the repetition of
sacred phrases has been recognized as helpful to a meaningful prayer experience. In
my case I resisted a long time before trying any of this - some sort of fear kept me from
it, as though I would die or something like that. Instead once I plunged in, each
time the practice grew on me....like cultivating a taste for olives only much more special
and valuable (forgive me, any olives that are reading this).
Below are the steps I have found most useful, read them through a
few times before trying this for the first time....
l. Select a verse for
chanting, (perhaps from psalms), study and think about what the words mean to
you. (For example, before shabbat I often chant from Song of Songs "Kol dodi,
hinei zeh bah" which means The voice of my Beloved, here! it's coming!
This is a delightful way to increase anticipation and create a state of readiness
to welcome Shabbat into one's life.)
2. Settle yourself into a comfortable position with a copy of the chant
on the table or floor in front of you, (if it is not in your memory).
3. Take some time to gentle yourself; notice and follow your breathing.
4. Begin chanting the verse...either in a repetitive tone that is comfortable for
you or a melody designed by a chant master like Rabbi
Shefa Gold or one you develop for yourself.
5. Let yourself fill with the emotions evoked in you by the chant.
6. Gently set free any distracting or even interesting images or
thoughts that enter your awareness. (I imagine they are hot air balloons and let
them drift upward and out of sight in my consciousness....those less visual might imagine
them as a sound like the whistle of a train that fades out of sight.)
7. Keep chanting, use regular breathing that starts deep in the
abdomen. Boredom usually comes at some point, this is normal....push
through it, keep chanting until you are at one with the chant, it's pouring
through you is like the air you are breathing.
8. After perhaps five minutes or so, softly lower your chanting until
you end it, don't continue the chant in the silence, but instead
keep totally silent, breathing
regularly.
9. Notice the vessel you have created with your chanting. You
may be aware of being in a special place, certain colors or a sense of presence.....explore
for openings, passageways, sounds, voices, new awarenesses or just great peaceful
centeredness. Dwell in this place for as long as you can...it is a
gift you have cultivated for yourself.
10. Choose to emerge by noticing your breathing again, send a
blessing to God, HaMakom, The Source, for constructing us so
magnificently and sending us awareness and blessing.
11. Notice how long you took for this process....some of us will
gradually stretch our duration (as runners do), others will want to contract it some, so
as to refrain from excesses that impede doing mitzvot and other activities of daily
living.
Click here for a list of verses which make great
chants!
Let me know how all this works for you! Love and blessings,
Reb Goldie
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