Chanting
It has been proven without any doubt that sounds affects the human psyche. While some sounds are soothing, others are unpleasant and scary. A chant is a spoken or sung melody that is usually short, rhythmic and repetitive. A chant is a collection of words that must be repeated over and over again. Its main aim is to either quiet the mind and body or to help in its memorization. It is very intriguing that several civilizations have maintained the use of chanting throughout history for everything from religious ceremony to healing to preparation for war.
Chanting has been around almost forever. It might have been one of the very first types of religious communication. In Ancient Greece, women shamans howled chants in an effort to create strong vibrations that would initiate them into an altered state of consciousness and create psychic energy. In Native America, chanting accompanied various activities like healing, hunting, battle cries, rites of initiation and funeral rites as well. Many religions of eastern origin like Hinduism and Buddhism lay a lot of stress on chanting. The chanting of the word “Om” or “Ohm” is synonymous with both these religions. The Buddhists believe that community chanting is a way of uniting the community in one voice. Chanting is considered as the expression of oneness and harmony of the community within the community. Those that follow Islam, use chanting as a method to memorize the Koran as well as a way to infuse oneself with religious spirit. Followers of Islam are known to chant the words, “Ya Allah, Allah hu Akhbar, Rahim” while the followers of Jainism are known to chant the Navkar mantra (Om Namo Arihantanam). Hindus chant various mantras the most common being Ohm. They believe that the chanting of the name of the Lord is the way to increase spiritual progress in the Kali Yuga (the age of quarrel and hypocrisy that began five thousand years ago and will continue for years to come). Hare Krishna, a sect of Evangelical Hindus, believes that chanting awakens the soul. They believe that praying and chanting can help supplant the material consciousness with awareness of God. Devotees perform sixteen rounds of sankirtanan, i.e., the chanting of “Hare Krishna” on a 108-bead rosary that is given to each member on initiation.
Chanting is a much easier technique to maintain than yoga or meditation, because when your mind wanders and you forget to chant, the sound echoes in your mind reminding you to continue. Thus chanting is a wonderful form of meditation. It improves your breathing technique. It deepens your breath, opens your vocal cords, increases the intake of oxygen by the blood, alkalizes your body, and relaxes your mind and body thus allowing you listen to your inner voice more clearly with renewed perspective. It is therapeutic and soothing. The ultimate aim of chanting is to attain a higher state of mind by connecting ones mind with the “Divine mind”. The chanting of mantras has the power to lift us out of our ordinary existences to higher planes of consciousness. They have the power to heal, the power to destroy. They can give one supernatural powers as well. They can liberate you. The simple Mantra Ohm packs a lot of punch. It has the power to harmonize the physical forces with the emotional forces and the intellectual forces. When this harmonizing takes place, one feels complete both mentally and physically.
The relevance of the chanting of mantras cannot be recognized through reckoning and mental intellect. It can only be experienced through devotion, and constant repetition, and more importantly through faith.
