Prayers have been part of many religions and cultural practices since the beginning of time. Singing together as part of worship and community, can also be referred to as Kirtan, when made interfaith and intercultural. Chanting is one of the forms.

In Hawaii, they’re called ‘oli and pule, which are a way of chanting a story and praise their gods and godesses. The chanting sounds, are made by placing the vowels in the back of the mouth to invoke a vibration, that in turn is said to have healing properties by stimulating various parts of the mouth, which I was introduced to by Kumu Jared Kukaho’omalu Souza in 2005, and have continued practicing on occasion, such as E Ho Mai, a request to be granted wisdom from above (as chanted here).

In India, there are several mantras that are part of Yoga and Hinduism. Many are made to ask for blessings from the Hindu gods and goddesses. Here is the Gayatri mantra, that I learned in 2008 through the Indian teacher Shajesh Paparali, who found me in the online forum “The Daily Om”. The Gayatri is an invocation of the Divine Light for the highest good.

In Japan, their Buddhist traditions include a way of meditating and chanting Nam Myoho Renge Kyo, which is a joint wishing well, which I practiced in the south of Sweden with an international group in 2009 (as chanted here).

In Tibet, the Mahakala is chanted to invoke protection, which I have done in Stockholm some years ago, as part of the Buddhist centre here.

The question then is, what do Christians do? Are there old Christian chants too? I think the Catholic priests’ way of praising and praying in Latin at Mass, could be seen as. And the way we pray Our Father there.

Would you like to try chanting a mantra?