Blessing Chant for the Dead & Ourselves

March 11, 2011 Kala Viv Williams
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PlanetaryChanges, Spirituality

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Sadly today many are suffering, my condolences to the people in Japan who are suffering after the massive earthquake, it’s is Mar. 11th, 2011.  It’s the largest earthquake in Japanese history and as it’s just happened the death count is unclear.

Around the world many are always suffering and dying. This is a chant can be used as a prayer for the dead; perhaps one can do prior it to meditation, prayer or after yoga practice for the well-being of all. Yet as I understand it, it is actually a hopeful and positive meaning.  It implies Englightenment, the “going beyond” is a Freedom.

Yogiraj Alan Finger then of Yoga Zone in NYC, led us in this chant after a disaster-I honestly can’t remember which one it was but it really hung over us that day in yoga class.  It was something big, perhaps the first World Trade Center attack, but it might have been something that as I remember had a bigger death toll.  This was years ago but the loveliness of joining our voices  and hearts together is strong in my memory.  It is from the Heart Sutra, a Buddhist text, believed to have been composed in 1st century CE, see links for full translation.  Anyway the short chant which is part of the longer sutra that we were led in chanting is:

GATE GATE PARA GATE PARASAM GATE BODHI SVAHA!

We pronounced it: Gah-tay, gah-tay/para gah-tay, para sam gah-tay/ bod-he swah HA 3x or more.
It was translated then as “gone, gone, gone completely beyond to the other shore,” it implies Enlightenment and Freedom.

Also see my post on Meditation Technique to Overcome Anxiety, which gives another chant that is really helpful.

Namaste,

Kala

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