Bath Sacred Chant
	A quiet space ­ to sing and listen to the spirit

What is Chant?

Chanting is the singing of a simple, repetitive song over an extended period. As you become used to the melody, it allows you to relax about the singing and 'let the song sing you' and to put your attention in the listening. This deep listening becomes contemplation, so when we chant we are involved in 'active contemplation' and we are in a state of being rather than doing. In effect, as we allow it, the chant sings us, rather than the other way round.

In singing this way we are seeking to move out of the normal, everyday 'calculating' mind, which constantly looks for difference and exists in an either/or duality and instead experience the 'contemplative' mind where we are part of the harmony, not separate at all. The silence at the end of the chant can be a powerful place to feel this.

Who we are

We are a small group, often around 6-8. This means that we can hear ourselves and each other. We are an ecumenical group, of all faiths and none ? all are welcome. Our chants are from all faith traditions and include some from Taize, Celtic, Yogananda, Gregorian, Jewish and Buddhist sources and we welcome new chants being brought along for us to try. Our current list is here.

What we do

We open up about 7:30 for a 8:00pm start.
We start with a mild warm up and then gather in a seated circle. Our nominated leader for the evening will have selected our chants and will start us off. We sing each chant for 3-5 minutes allowing us to sink deeper into the sound. After we draw the chant to a close we sit listening in silence for a minute or two ? the absence of sound can create as powerful a space as it's presence.

Towards the end of the evening we often have a period of free singing, where we just sing whatever notes we feel moved to. Some of us like to chant overtones, or harmonics. The listening quality of the group means that we usually find deep and unplanned harmonies in the sound.

You don't have to be able to sing well - the prime requirement is to listen, to yourself and the group.

We often get together afterwards for a chat at a local pub or a group member's house.

We know a Friday night will not suit everyone, and you may not be able to come regularly. We find that it's a good night for centering in a calm, reflective space after a busy week, allowing the weekend to start in a different way.

  2^nd and 4^th Fridays of the Month at 7.45pm

Quaker Meeting House, York Street, Bath
£3 per session