Chanting!

[zenzero]

Friends,

Most religions use *Chanting* as a meditation.
for whom?
how does it work?
benefits?

For whom?
Chanting is basically for people who are not able to STILL their minds directly by watching or being aware of the thoughts in his own mind.

How does it work?
The objective of meditation is to still the mind or the state where the mind is empty of all thoughts.
It works by first concentrating on the same word.
This way the thoughts remains focused on one word.
Thereafter the Stillness happens in the following fashion; after each time the word is spoken silently or audibly there is a gap between it and the next word. Slowly this gap increases and so is that thoughtless zone of the mind.

Is the word important?
No. The gap is important.
Try this speak Rama, Rama fast many times. After some time you will be saying MARA, MARA which means dying in Hindi.

Why is a name of the god taken?
So that the image that comes with the name for the individual helps him/her focus.

Benefits?
The benefits of meditation or being in the thoughtless state of the mind, are so many that all religions have been trying to pass that message in diifferent ways.
In one word the individual does not remain and becomes a part of the whole which does everything only the individual allows to become the medium which is what all enlightened people or prophets / saints have done.

The topic is open for discussion!

Love & rgds

 

[Engyo]

Hi Zenzero -

My tradition/school uses chanting as its primary meditation form for all practitioners, rather than just for certain folks as you mention above. The "how it works" is actually somewhat different for us as well. You didn't mention anything in your "how it works" about the fact that chanting aloud automatically regularizes breathing.

We have a single mantra; this is significant to us based on the teachings of our founder.

I must agree on the whole with your statement regarding the benefits of chanting meditation.

 

[bhuvana-mohan dasa]

i think the names used are important.......chanting "Adolf Hitler" certainly creates a more sinister vibration in the consciousness than chanting the Names of God.

ys,
bmd.

 

[methylatedghosts]

i think the names used are important.......chanting "Adolf Hitler" certainly creates a more sinister vibration in the consciousness than chanting the Names of God.

ys,
bmd.

I think that depends entirely on the intent behind it.

Forget not that Adolf Hitler, while a symbol of the horrors of humankind, is also a symbol for humankind to unify and stand up against the things we disagree with.

 

[GURSIKH]

satnam to all ,


ah , chanting makes one humble ,blessed , it has great power .

plz plz plz check the chanting by Snatam kaur ji , she is so so so blessed , i don't have words
YouTube - Snatam Kaur "Gratitude"


love

 

[zenzero]

Friend BMD,

[QUOTE]i think the names used are important.......chanting "Adolf Hitler" certainly creates a more sinister vibration in the consciousness than chanting the Names of God.

ys,
bmd.
______[/QUOTE]

That is the issue that those whose minds are still in the THINKING mode, cannot understand what is a STILL mind.

Only when the mind is STill oes knowledge gets transmitted and so Nahakasyap remins the first for whom Gautama the buddha siad: what can be transmitted without words have been transitted to Mahakasyap.
The SILENCE or the STILL mind is of only value.
Rest are all vibrations which craetes dissurabances to any transmission of pure knowledge.
One has to allow the mind to be silent / still to know / understand what is getting transmitted.
Adolf Hitler or satan or zenzero are all labels and one is so attached to labels that their minds tend to take them as real as do not allow the silence / stillness which is what is necessary to merge with that whole.
Love & rgds
Love & rgds

 

[zenzero]

Friend Engyo,

You didn't mention anything in your "how it works" about the fact that chanting aloud automatically regularizes breathing.

Yes, that too and so have stated:

he benefits of meditation or being in the thoughtless state of the mind, are so many that all religions have been trying to pass that message in diifferent ways.

Benefits are from alpha to omega which only individuals have to experience to know / understand.
Love & rgds

 

[BruceDLimber]

Hi!

Many (tho' not all) Baha'is chant, and indeed, the Baha'i scriptures describe music as a ladder for the soul!

Best,

Bruce

 

[zenzero]

Friend Bruce,

music as a ladder for the soul!

Yes, all ladders are to be used only to reach a level after that the ladder has no use.
Love & rgds

 

[BruceDLimber]

Please note that no limit to it was expressed or implied!

Peace,

Bruce

 

[zenzero]

Friend BruceDLimber,

Please note that no limit to it was expressed or implied!

Limitelessness has no limits!

Love & rgds

 

[GURSIKH]

Many (tho' not all) Baha'is chant, and indeed, the Baha'i scriptures describe music as a ladder for the soul!

Best,

Bruce

hello ,
Bruce , its nice to know that Bhai scripture say so , you know Sikh Scriptue " Guru G ranth Sahib is indexed acc to various raagaas , a raaga is basic musical note in Indian classical music and on the top of each verse /hymn the raaga in which it should be sung is mentioned .


sat nam

 

[BruceDLimber]

Hi, Gursikh!

Speaking of Indian classical music, one of the best-known Baha'i songs was composed by Ravi Shankar (for the dedication of the New Delhi Baha'i temple, aka the "lotus temple")!

Best regards,

Bruce

 

[GURSIKH]

Hi, Gursikh!

Speaking of Indian classical music, one of the best-known Baha'i songs was composed by Ravi Shankar (for the dedication of the New Delhi Baha'i temple, aka the "lotus temple")!

Best regards,

Bruce

Pandit Ravi shankar master musician , you should share that Bhai song , last time i visited Delhi i missed lotus temple , i heard its very peaceful , may visit next time .



here is a my favorite Sikh song , for its meaning you can go to second page of comments
its meaning ,

ਆਖਣਿ ਜੋਰੁ ਚੁਪੈ ਨਹ ਜੋਰੁ ॥
No power to speak, no power to keep silent.

ਜੋਰੁ ਨ ਮੰਗਣਿ ਦੇਣਿ ਨ ਜੋਰੁ ॥
No power to beg, no power to give.

ਜੋਰੁ ਨ ਜੀਵਣਿ ਮਰਣਿ ਨਹ ਜੋਰੁ ॥
No power to live, no power to die.

ਜੋਰੁ ਨ ਰਾਜਿ ਮਾਲਿ ਮਨਿ ਸੋਰੁ ॥
No power to rule, with wealth and occult mental powers.






ਜੋਰੁ ਨ ਸੁਰਤੀ ਗਿਆਨਿ ਵੀਚਾਰਿ ॥
No power to gain intuitive understanding, spiritual wisdom and meditation.

ਜੋਰੁ ਨ ਜੁਗਤੀ ਛੁਟੈ ਸੰਸਾਰੁ ॥
No power to find the way to escape from the world.

ਜਿਸੁ ਹਥਿ ਜੋਰੁ
He alone has the Power in His Hands. He watches over all.

ਨਾਨਕ ਉਤਮੁ ਨੀਚੁ ਨ ਕੋਇ ॥੩੩॥
O Nanak, no one is high or low. ||33||


hope you enjoy the music ,its divine YouTube - Snatam Kaur Live In Barcelona 2006


satnam

 

[emiliano]

I think that there is a power in chants, I like Gregorian chants and classical chorus and the name of God bring me peace, rest and hope, Chants really help concentration on what one wants to meditate on, God been the supreme good , then there is no substitute for His name in our chants.

 

[BruceDLimber]

Hi, Gursihk; thanks for the song!

I'd love to share the Baha'i song (composed by Shankar) I mentioned, but I'm afraid that's not feasible!

You see, the original is in Hindi, using lyrics from the Baha'i scriptural work called the Hidden Words.

But when it was translated to English, it turned out the meter of the words didn't fit the music at all, so the arranger substituted different verses from that work.

The English lyrics are wonderful, but I'm afraid they in no way reflect the original words!

Sometimes these things happen, I guess. . . .

Anyway, you can see the Hidden Words here:

Hidden Words

Enjoy!

Bruce

 

[zenzero]

Friends,

I think that there is a power in chants, I like Gregorian chants and classical chorus and the name of God bring me peace, rest and hope, Chants really help concentration on what one wants to meditate on, God been the supreme good , then there is no substitute for His name in our chants.

Most of my friends appears to have missed the point of the OP.
Meditation is not the same as concentration.
One concentrates for the thoughts [mind] to focus on one thought and meditation is all about a still mind which is free of thoughts.
As mentioned when one keeps chanting a stage comes when the mind becomes mechanical and keeps ths chanting going and in between each chant is the gap when the mind is free of any thoughts that is between the two chnats and that is where meditation happens.
This is the very reason had mentioned that Chanting is an indirect way to the meditative state.
Names are helpful for giving a positive direction to the mind as the mind is tuned to those images or else all gods are mind matter.
Love & rgds

 

[allanpopa]

I cannot but love Miserere Mei Deus ~ Allegri

Miserere mei, Deus, secundum magnam misericordiam tuam.
Have mercy on me, O God, in your goodness,

Et secundum multitudinem miserationum tuarum, dele iniquitatem mean.
In your great tenderness wipe away my faults;

Amplius lava me ab iniquitate mea: et a peccato meo munda me.
Wash me clean of my guilt, purify me from my sin.

Quoniam iniquitatem mean ego cognosco: et peccatum meum contra me est semper.
For I am well aware of my faults, I have my sin constantly in mind.

Tibi soli peccavi et malum, coram te feci: ut justificeris in sermonibus tuis, et vincas cum judicaris.
Having sinned against none other than you, having done what you regard as wrong. You are just when you pass sentence on me, blameless when you give judgment.

Ecce enim in iniquitatibus conceptus sum : et in peccatis concepit me mater mea.
You know I was born guilty, a sinner from the moment of conception.

Ecce enim veritatem dilexisti : incerta et occula sapientiae tuae manifestasti mihi.
Yet, since you love sincerity of heart, teach me the secrets of wisdom.

Asperges me hyssopo, et mundabor : lavabis me, et super nivem dealbabor.
Purify me with hyssop until I am clean; wash me until I am whiter than snow.

Auditui meo dabis gaudium et laetitiam, et exsultabunt ossa humiliata.
Instil some joy and gladness into me, let the bones you have crushed rejoice again.

Averte faciem tuam a peccatis meis : et omnes iniquitates meas dele.
Hide your face from my sins, wipe out all my guilt.

Cor mundum crea in me, Deus : et spiritum rectum innova in visceribus meis.
God, create a clean heart in me, put into me a new and constant spirit,

Ne projicias me a facie tua : et spiritum sanctum tuum ne auferas a me.
Do not banish me from your presence, do not deprive me of your holy spirit.

Redde mihi laetitiam salutaris tui : et spiritu principali confirma me.
Be my saviour again, renew my joy, keep my spirit steady and willing;

Docebo iniquos vias tuas : et impii ad te convertentur.
And I shall teach transgressors the way to you, and to you the sinners will return.

Libera me de sanguinibus, Deus, Deus salutis meae : et exsultabit lingua mea justitiam tuam.
Save me from death, God my saviour, and my tongue will acclaim your righteousness;

Domine, labia mea aperies : et os meum annuntiabit laudem tuam.
Lord, open my lips, and my mouoth will speak out your praise.

Quoniam si voluisses sacrificium, dedissem utique : holocaustis non dedectaberis.
Sacrifice gives you no pleasure, were I to offer holocaust, you would not have it.

Sacrificium Deo spiritus contribulatus : cor contritum et humiliatum, Deus, non despicies.
My sacrifice is this broken spirit, you will not scorn this crushed and broken heart.

Benigne fac, Domine, in bona voluntate tua Sion : ut ædificentur muri Jerusalem.
Show your favour graciously to Zion, rebuild the walls of Jerusalem.

Tunc acceptabis sacrificium justitiae, oblationes et holocausta: tunc imponent super altare tuum vitulos
Then there will be proper sacrifice to please you – holocaust and whole oblation – and young bulls to be offered on your altar.

Allan

 

[arthra]

I hadn't heard before of the chant referred to by Bruce above..

But here are some samples of chants from the Baha'i writings that will give you an idea:

YouTube - Tablet of Baha'u'llah - Maryam in Persian

YouTube - God is sufficient unto me

YouTube - O God أي ربي

 

[BruceDLimber]

You should have no trouble finding the "O My Servant" song, Art: it's on Voices of Baha in Concert, among other CDs.

Regards,

Bruce