Pagan Chants Purpose Use and Examples Click here

Pagan Chants Purpose, Use, and Examples Click here to open the playlist in youtube, if you’d like.

Purpose • Intention Focus • Chants can be used to get everyone focused on a single intention, or as a focal point to get everyone in space. • Building Energy • Chants can be used to build (or even bring down and release) energy toward your prescribed purpose. • Breathing Together • Chants also get everyone breathing at the same time. Breath/air can be used to accomplish a variety of purposes. • Other Purposes?

Use • Use chants anywhere in your ritual where you feel they fit. • Use chants that are appropriate for the topic. • For example, you might not want to use the Triple Goddess Chant for a masculine focused ritual. • You also likely would not want to use a Samhain chant to raise healing energy. • Use chants to raise energy or to meditate upon • Some chants are more appropriate for building energy and speed, others are more meditative (many are both!) • Use as your entire Circle Casting (We Are a Circle)

Use, Continued • Do I have to do chants unaccompanied? • Absolutely not! Add Drums, add a flute, add anything that makes sense to you that you have on hand. • Be sure the instrument fits your intention. A flute might summon Air, so if it’s a Fire-based ritual, consider that. • Can I use a recording? • This is a personal preference – some people use recordings in their practice, some people find that electronics disturb their surroundings in ritual space • You can also use a recording of something to set the right mood while people are ENTERING the circle • Do I have to use an “Old Chant”? • Nope. Again, this is a personal preference; however, you can use whatever works for you. Rewrite lyrics to a well-known song. Use a well-known chant. Use a song of your own creation.

Why does that sound different? • Circle Within a Circle • Listen to the two different versions of this chant • HOW does this sound different? • Listen to the melody, instrumentation, tempo (speed) • She’s Been Waiting • Same thing – listen to the melody, instrumentation, tempo, etc.

Why does that sound different? • Pagan Chanting is an oral tradition that is still alive and well. * • A lot of Pagan Chant music is not documented beyond someone scribbling down the words after they heard it and returning to their covens or friends with some version of it. • There are some books of chant written out with musical notation. • Songs for Earthlings • Circle of Song

Why do so many of them sound Monotone? • This is partially because of who writes the songs • This is also partially because of the audiences • The more “Accessible, ” the easier to teach • And remember. • Many groups will pitch VERY low.

Circles • We are a Circle Within a Circle • May the Circle Be Open • What other Circle chants (or songs) do you know? • Why might you use a Circle Chant?

Specific Events • Way to the Well (Imbolc / Brigid worship) • When We Are Gone (Samhain) • Full Moonlight Dance (Full Moon) • Dark of The Moon (New Moon) • We All Come from the Goddess/Hoof and Horn (Samhain or Harvest)

The Elements • The Earth, The Air, The Fire, The Water, Return • Earth My Body • This is another one with multiple applications • What does each version evoke in you? • We Are a Circle (yes, again)

General Use • She’s Been Waiting (Also Samhain, maybe? ) • Loy Yisa Goy (Hebrew or Hebrew and English) • Actually scripture from Isaiah 2: 4 and/or Micah 4: 3 • Earth Song (Turn the World Around) (Yep, Harry Belfonte) • We are the Flow – Find other lyrics! • Mother of Darkness – works with We All Come from the Goddess

Pop/Commercial songs? ! • I See Fire – Ed Sheeran • Nexus – Dan Fogelberg • Are you Ready to Fly? – Dune • Nearly everything by Loreena Mc. Kennitt • Sex magic? How about Take Me To Church? - Hozier • Even Christian Songs, where they fit: • • Be Thou My Vision (Devotional) May the Circle Be Unbroken Oceans (Where Feet May Fail) (Devotional) Go in Peace (Go in Kindness)

How to Use & Tips • Use music as participants enter to set mood • Call quarters, either the whole call or select parts • Set Circle • Create meditative space • Focus energy building • Create collective focus for everyone on the Work • Use as a personal daily focus outside of ritual. • Make a list of the songs your group knows so you have a set of “go-to” songs when you need something

Additional Resources • http: //www. thedance. com/wicca 101/songs. htm • https: //www. youtube. com/playlist? list=PLp. Iz. Tl. JQr h. Hu. YPn-Dk 9 STNHKy 9 l_s. ZLn 2 (workshop playlist) • http: //www. soulrebels. com/beth/chants. html (they have sheet music and midi files) • Songs for Earthlings: A Green Spirituality Songbook • The Voices of Earth: Pagan Songs and Chants • Circle of Song – Kate Marks

Can I write my own? • Yes! • Considerations: • • • Your topic Your audience Your space Your purpose The tools you have available

Writing Your Own: Text • Decide on your text. It’s generally okay to set other peoples’ text to music, but do make an attempt to find out if they’ve got a copyright on it. ALWAYS credit the person who wrote the text. • Poetic text isn’t necessary, but it’s easier to remember words that rhyme. • Avoid text that alliterates too much or that is difficult to repeat – no tongue twisters unless that’s what you’re going for. • You don’t have to have words, and you can use other languages, just consider your audience.

Writing Your Own: Audience • Is your audience (those participating in the ritual) comprised of professional and semi-professional singers? • Is your audience comprised of really enthusiastic people who are willing to try / learn anything? • Is your audience comprised of generally timid or apathetic people who are fine to mumble along with familiar songs only?

Writing Your Own: Space • If you know your space, that may help you decide if you want a song that stretches ranges or not. • If your space is very large, you’ll want to stay within about a 5 -6 note range in the middle of your range where you can project. • If your space is enclosed (in a building), you may have better acoustics, so it’s less necessary to keep the song in a projecting range. • If you’ll be amplified (with a mic or something), then you can feel freer to utilize the very low or very high parts of your range. Just don’t expect others to be able to.

Writing Your Own: Purpose • For what will you use your chant? • A chant at the start of a ritual to get people in the mood should reflect that mood you are looking for. • A chant that is meditative should be very short, and simple to sing. It can have harmony parts, but should be easy to sing and easy to repeat. (Make it interesting with drums or flutes, or movement, or some other method than the music itself). • A chant designed for raising energy should be accessible to sing, and should have some notes that go up, and come back down. • A chant designed for bringing a group closer should be semi-melodic, generally easy to sing, and should be easy to add other parts – harmonies, countermelodies, etc.

Writing Your Own: Tools • What tools do you have at your disposal? • Drums? • Flutes of any kind? • Guitars or other stringed instruments? • Will the song work without them? • Also, if you do not know how to write (or read) musical notation, make sure you’re able to make a recording. You can find all kinds of media for doing this online these days, or Garage Band on any Apple product.

Writing Your Own: Checklist • Is it Meaningful? • Does it accomplish its purpose? • Is it sing-able by many? • Have you given credit where credit is due? • Yes? Then you’re set! • Don’t be afraid to write and rewrite; don’t be afraid to record yourself and listen to it; it’s okay to make changes. Not all songs are written on the first try.