A new experience will be available at the IANDS conference this year.  Members of the Tucson, AZ group known as Global Chant will lead a session referred to as a chanting circle. Described by many participants as a deeply spiritual experience, the session is open to the public at no charge and is sure to be one of the highlights of this year’s conference.

Global Chant - Friday, August 31, 6:00 PM - 7:00 PM  (no charge, open to the public).

Global Chant (GC) is a growing network of chanting circles.  The GC mission is to use chanting as a vehicle for global transformation and healing.

GC is open to wisdom from all traditions without being linked to any one teaching or ideology. The GC sacred chant collection includes chants from Buddhist, Christian, Hindu, Jewish, Native American, Sikh, Sufi and other traditions. The first chapter of Global Chant started in 1996 in Tucson, Arizona and has grown to a weekly event averaging approximately 120 - 130 participants.

The simple format for Global Chant includes:

•  Intention-Setting. At the beginning of a session, as a group each member is invited to silently dedicate the love, blessings, and healing energy that is to be generated in the circle. Prior to the start of the session, circle members may place the names of specific individuals in our “blessing bowl” to help focus intention and direct healing energy.

•  Chanting. On average, we chant 5-8 sacred chants during each session. Words to the chants are provided to each member of the circle, some percussion instruments are available to those who wish to play them. The chants serve to generate healing energy and to open each member of the circle to the flow of that energy.

•  Healing Meditation. After the chanting is done, we spend about 10 minutes in silence. During that time, members send out the energy that has been generated in the circle.

•  Closing Prayers. We close the circle by affirming our intention that the energy we generate as a group serve the spiritual needs of all beings.