Renewing Our Imaginations through the Practice of Chant

The practice of sacred chant exists in many forms across a wide range of spiritual traditions. Within the comparatively “wordy” cultures of Judaism and Christianity, chant invites us to slow down and to concentrate on a single word, phrase, or wordless melody. In that space of contemplation, new openings and insights often arise, helping us to recognize and articulate our hopes, our fears, and our spiritual longings.

Drawing on the innovative work of Rabbi Shefa Gold, this “deep dive” session will focus particularly on the task of re-imagining ourselves, our world, and the spiritual journeys we are called to take in these challenging times. Our shared practice will also invite us to ponder what conditions are needed for our imaginations to flourish and to identify what gets in the way of imagining boldly.

The chants we will learn include both English and Hebrew words, as well as niggunim (wordless melodies). No prior musical or language knowledge is necessary, just an adventurous spirit. (“Zoom chanting” also means that while you will hear the leader, no one will hear you, thus providing a perfect opportunity to try something new!) While much of our time together will be spent in engaging in the practice of chant itself, we will also make conversational space for sharing about our experiences, reflecting together on the effects of the practice, and imagining ways in which we might weave chant into our own patterns of spiritual practice.

Meet the Presenter