Chanting: Discovering Spirit in Sound
Chant. Chant alone and find your spiritual center. Chant with others and find community. Chant and radiate peace. Chant and open yourself to God. Can chant do all this? The authors insist that it can. Chant is not merely incantation fostering self-hypnosis but an effective tool of spiritual growth. Every religion has a chant tradition rooted in its doctrine and worship. Gass, a scholar of religious music and the founder of Spring Hill Music, and Brehony, a Jungian psychotherapist, lead us on an exploration of the forms of chant used in several religious traditions and discuss their physical and psychological effects. Eclectic and ecumenical, their approach encourages one to experiment widely, all the while recognizing and respecting the tensions and competition among religious beliefs. Readable and informative, Chanting will reward both casual readers and those seeking a more in-depth understanding of this aspect of religious music. Recommended for both public and academic libraries.James F. DeRoche, Alexandria, VACopyright 1999 Reed Business Information, Inc.