Chanting the Psalms: A Wisdom Psalm Circle
March 1 - December 31
Beginning March 1, 2024: Please join us daily for 30 minutes of chanting the psalms and meditation. All are welcome.
Event Details
When: Every day at 8:30am ET/7:30am CT/6:30am MT/5:30am PT
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Join Zoom: Link Here
Meeting ID: 810 8061 0840
Password: Chant
Cost: Free
About:
In her book, Chanting the Psalms, Cynthia Bourgeault points to the practice of chanting the psalms as an intentional and effective instrument to further our spiritual transformation. The powerful lineage behind this practice — Cynthia notes that all “your favorite” saints and mystics, including Jesus chanted these prayer/songs — echos our own spiritual longings and speaks to their effectiveness as a path of spiritual awakening. And more, when we raise our voices together in communal prayer, we anchor ourselves in the rich Christian tradition of the Rule of St. Benedict whose “ora et labora,” can be used to guide the rhythm of our days.
Although the psalms are certainly grounded in the Hebrew Scriptures and reflect a time and a language we sometimes find uncomfortable, they also convey the story of “all the feelings of which human nature is capable.” Working as a “divine therapy,” in Thomas Keating’s words, continued chanting the psalms cuts more and more deeply to the heart of our aims and yearnings, indeed into our hearts themselves, and the practice deeply nourishes and blesses us on that journey.
Chanting the psalms is a beautiful and deeply satisfying way to start the day. Using breath, tone, intention, and community as its bulwarks, chanting the psalms is something anyone can do, even if you think you cannot sing. Because of the limitations of the ZOOM platform, everyone but the Cantor is muted, allowing early morning voices to be a bit gravelly, or for those whose voices are ready to soar to do so by creating lovely harmony! As Cynthia also notes, chanting allows your true voice to speak, and as you hear it, you will find it is magnificent.
This practice is powerful when done as a group, and especially so when combined with meditation. We hope you will join us.
Event Flow:
In our morning practice, we will speak the psalm of the day chosen from a common lectionary, chant it two times led by one of our cantors, and then sink into meditation to allow the words to work their magic within us.
Listen to a Wisdom Psalm Circle introduction here.
Watch a Wisdom Psalm Circle below: