Chanting, singing, and working with the “vibrational” aspects of sound (resonance with voices, bells, drums, gongs, bowls, etc.) are present in quite a few spiritual traditions around the world. In this modern age, many of us have lost touch with or not been exposed to ways that these practices can aid and work with the spiritual path.
Helping with warming and relaxing the body and breathing, sound can also be a powerful aid in developing samatha/tranquility and leading the mind away from words and distracting thought. Resonance and sound-vibration can be employed to detect, help clear and heal physical and energetic stagnation and obstructions as well.
Ways to practice with sound
- Resonance and chanting
- Begin chanting with a group of people or with an audio file for about 15 minutes or more. Let breathing find its best way naturally. Resonate and harmonize internally and with others.
- This type of practice warms and relaxes the body and breathing. By listening to and resonating with sounds, inner dialogue and distraction tend to fall away more quickly and the mind becomes increasingly beautiful, calm and clear.
- Try listening and chanting along with the following:
- Itipiso (short with written words) and longer version on Youtube
- Namo Guanshi Yin Pusa on Youtube
- Amituofo chants 2 and 5 on amitabha-gallery.org
- Ringing like a bell using ah/uhm
- Play with the pitch, and choice of “ah” or “uhm” to find what vibrates and resonates best at different elevations in the body. Some areas lend themselves better to the open vowel sound of ah/eh/ih/oh/uh while others work better with ahm/ehm/ihm/ohm/uhm.
- Start with repeating a high pitched “ah” or “uhm” sound, adjust the pitch up and down until you can feel it vibrating at the 3rd eye area in the head.
- …finding the sound and pitch that vibrates at the throat area.
- …finding the sound and pitch that vibrates at the heart area.
- …finding the sound and pitch that vibrates at the area around the navel/belly button.
- …finding the sound and pitch that vibrates at the area around the pelvic floor.
- Practice chanting each tone for ~ 5 minutes at a time, going from the top of the body to the bottom. If a specific spot feels obstructed, find the tone that works with it and practice vibrating and observing it. Intuitive learning and opening will take place over time.
- This may be done as a standalone practice, or as a prelude to formal meditation practice.
- Play with the pitch, and choice of “ah” or “uhm” to find what vibrates and resonates best at different elevations in the body. Some areas lend themselves better to the open vowel sound of ah/eh/ih/oh/uh while others work better with ahm/ehm/ihm/ohm/uhm.