The joy of chanting unfurls the inner world.

~from Courage and Contentment
by Gurumayi Chidvilasananda

At a certain point, ordinary words can no longer take us where we want to go.
Through chanting, we use music and sacred mantras
to enter into a dialogue with the divine.
Mantra is defined as the names of God; sacred words or divine sounds
 invested with the power to protect, purify and transform
the individual who repeats them.
When we receive a mantra from an enlightened Master,
it is filled with the power of that being’s attainment.

Chanting is a natural way to tune in to the frequency of love.
Chanting combines singing and music with mantras—
words and sounds that vibrate at the highest level of awareness.
The vibrations emanating from repeating the names of God
or chanting sacred Sanskrit texts have a tangible effect on our own inner being.
The sweetness of chanting stills the mind, dissolves worries, and opens the heart.
The saints describe chanting as a way of becoming saturated with God's love.

Chanting gives us direct access to the spiritual world.
It balances our subtle energy system, allowing for deeper meditation.
Chanting forms an integral part of the schedule at Siddha Yoga retreats, centers,
and ashrams.  Here at the Monterey Center every program includes chanting,
sometimes with recordings of Gurumayi and sometimes with live music.