Chants and Mantras
Chanting has been a vital part of religion and healing
sessions for thousands of years in almost every culture.
Frequently, chanting was combined with music, as with
the Gregorian chants of the early Christian churches and
monasteries. Today, the Gregorian chants are available
on CD. The Gregorian chant, although Christian in
origin, can transcend religious barriers and bring peace
and harmony to any listener. Chants are capable of
bridging the sacred and the secular, and thus help you to
attain an altered state of consciousness. This altered
state of consciousness brings both the chanter and the
listener closer to the Otherworld realms and healing
power.
Ancient deities of music were often associated with
healing as well. An example is the god Apollo, who was
a deity of both music and healing. The Greek god
Aesculapius was Apollo's son and considered to be a
great healer.
Words are simply a blend of vowels and consonants.
These vowels and consonants have long been considered
words that have a universal meaning. The sounds are a
bridge between languages and cultures. The priest-
magicians and healers of many ancient cultures, such as
the Egyptians, Babylonians, Hindus, Orientals, and
Greeks, studied the power and effect of certain sounds,
particularly when chanted with intent. They discovered
that, without directed intent, words and sounds would
accomplish nothing. Only toning or chanting with intent
will balance and heal.
The healers and magicians of the past knew that these
sounds had vast reservoirs of power for magick and
healing. At first, this knowledge was the sole property of
the temples. However, the priest-magicians and healers