I have often wondered, if people are aware, that the resonance of our voices can not only bring us in union with our mind, soul and body, but also to everything else through its vibration. It seems to be a gift that all of us take for granted and most of us are not even aware that it exists. Sure we use our words to express ourselves in opinions or ideas. But we forget about the true vibration of sounds that also plays a big part in connecting us to everyone and everything else around us.
I first became aware of this when I was 19 and was visiting a Convent when I was on a mission trip with a friend who was Catholic. I had always loved to sing and had been in choirs and taken voice growing up. But it wasn't until this one experience that I truly realized that there was something else to it then just putting it all together.
I recall we were woken up early to go to a morning Mass and the Nuns sat on one side and the Priests on the other. It was so early, yet there we were sitting in the cold of the chapel and when they opened their mouths to sing there was something that words can't describe in their passion to praise God.
I remember my heart swelling up and not being able to see as the tears fell on my hymnal. A flow of energy burst though my body as love came crashing in though every pore. My head became light and my breath was caught in my throat as I tried to choke out the words. Then as I brought myself back together my voice blended in unison as the notes vibrated though my whole being. It was something I never forgot.
I bring this up because a year ago I was working with a teacher who was a Mediation Coach. I had been stressed out with the work I was doing associated with my job at the time and was looking for something to help. A good friend suggested I learn how to Meditate. The teacher came highly recommended so I contacted her and started to attend class.
Meditation as everyone knows is about being quite and finding your center or so I thought. It was somewhere in the middle of the classes that she decided to take us to the next level and that was using the voice to chant. OK, I thought, I watch TV and I have seen the Tibetan Monks chanting so this must be something like that. I will try anything to distress.....
She taught us about the seven centers in our body that respond to the vibration in our voice and with our focus on that area could connect us to opening up those places that were blocked with stress. This made since because I was already learning Qigong and I had a little knowledge of this concept. OK, I got it.
She gave us one word to match each center that we were to chant over and over until she cued us to the next one. Then she lead us into the chant. At first I was just trying to match her tone and get the chant right as I tried to focus on the area of the body she asked us to start with.
It was awkward and as we repeated the chant it finely started to flow. As it did I started to noticed a warm rush of energy moving though my body and it felt like it was spinning in the area that I was focusing on. It felt warm and soothing as I started to lose myself in the moment.
She switched to the next chant as the chant's vibration moved up the body to each center. It wasn't until we reached the very last one at the top of the head that I felt an explosion of energy and release. It was then that I began to cry like a baby as the tears flowed out of my eyes like a fountain. Embarrassed I tried to recover what dignity I had left but my body had other plans as it released all the tension that I had been hording.
The whole experience was powerful and I went home limp but recovered by the next few days with a renewed sense of passion for life again. At the time I was singing with my daughter in a little band at our church and as we were singing I noticed that I started to open up as we performed.
I noticed that I was not only more conscious of what was happening inside of me but also felt a connection to something much bigger than myself. I felt this union of being connected again with the great Creator Himself and all that he had created as the air pushed out from my belly and moved though to my heart. It was through my experience that I had learned to open up and let the breath of God pour into my whole being as I raised my voice.
It was just before the Christmas holidays that I met my new friend for lunch and she shared almost the exact experience. For me it was another conformation that again life has so much more to offer than what we see.
Peace be with you,
Ana
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