My morning practice begins in sacred sound.
Singing the Heart Sutra at sunrise for the past three years has ignited a deep reverence for the power of sacred sound currents. Not being a morning person, new to meditation and shy to sing, the practice could only be described as awkward at first. Even singing for a few minutes felt so uncomfortable, so strange.
What will the neighbours think?
What will my family think?
Now I could sing for hours. Now the morning heart sutra is the anchor of my day. I know this because the days I fail to rise with the sun feel off-balance, my heart is searching, something is missing.
Now welcoming the sun’s ascent, singing with the land, is the sweetest gift I could give myself.
Over time, my voice has amplified from an embarrassed squeak to fuller tones. Concepts like “sounding good” are irrelevant. So liberating for someone who often heard, “You can’t sing.”
Fortunately, the land never judges. Families of ducks sail by undisturbed, sometimes they even paddle over from far away. Is it to bask in this ancient sound current? How do their hearts respond? Motorists chug by–what they think, I don’t know, and surprisingly, I no longer care (in an ego way that is). I do care and hope the feeling of calm, peace and joy touches their day too.
Now voices beyond mine join in. I sing in the Eastern gateway, along the shores of Gitchee Gamii, beautiful Lake Superior. Here a community of Sacred Sweetgrass grows ~ a community I have spent many, many hours with. We share a bond; we are in sacred relation with each other. One morning as I sang the Heart Sutra, Sweetgrass chimed in with her song of compassion, bringing a softer quality to the version I knew.
How lovely to know Sweetgrass was listening!
How lovely to sing in a new day together!
Each morning song is richly textured with light, sound, and blessings in ways that never fail to touch my soul, my mind, my body. I am renewed. Stitched whole again by Sound.
Inspired by this morning practice, a podcast is now birthing. Thank you to my beautiful daughter Caitlin for this suggestion!
Please join me via Sunrise with Willow podcast.
