"Intone, O My servant, the verses of God that have been received by thee, as intoned by them who have drawn nigh unto Him, that the sweetness of thy melody may kindle thine own soul, and attract the hearts of all men. Whoso reciteth, in the privacy of his chamber, the verses revealed by God, the scattering angels of the Almighty shall scatter abroad the fragrance of the words uttered by his mouth, and shall cause the heart of every righteous man to throb. Though he may, at first, remain unaware of its effect, yet the virtue of the grace vouchsafed unto him must needs sooner or later exercise its influence upon his soul. Thus have the mysteries of the Revelation of God been decreed by virtue of the Will of Him Who is the Source of power and wisdom." --Bah�'u'll�h (Gleanings, page 295)
in-tone (in t�n') vt.-toned', -ton'-ing[ME entonen < OFr entoner < ML intonare:IN-
--Webster's New World Dictionary of American English, Third College Edition
Some people like to read their prayers directly from a book, others prefer to memorize and recite them from memory, but for me, one of the most rewarding things about becoming a Bah�'� has been learning how to intone my prayers. Intoning seems to combine several things at once: memorization, music, and language interpretation. And, I am trying to locate references which would show that intoning improves memory and understanding by either using more brain functions, or by creating a more balanced brain integration. I also feel that the technique of intoning is aided by gross motor movement, such as swaying your body in place or walking. This movement seems to promote a deeper level of memory, and I am interested in learning more about "cellular memory" in general.
Memorization: So many times in the writings we are told to memorize and/or chant our prayers. Some tablets even have special significance if they are chanted from memory (ie. Tablet of Ahmad). Memorization frees you from having to carry the written Word with you. You can pray any time or place you wish. You can recite, in its pure form, the Word of God whenever inspiration is needed. The process of memorization involves the visualization of metaphors and connections between words and phrases that you might not otherwise have noticed. For example, when I was memorizing a prayer for unity I realized that the prayer contained many "postal" images and this helped me remember the order of the verses.
Music: Intoning involves the creation of a melody, even if the meody is only one note repeated over and over. It also involves the creation of a rhythmic pattern. Each word and phrase of the selection will have it's own unique rhythms and memorizing the rhythms and words at the same time will assist you when you need to recall the text. If you forget a word the rhythm (and melody) will help you to recall it. If you forget the rhythm or melody, the next word will help you to recall, it's like a memory "back-up system." ("Supplicate to God, pray to Him and invoke Him at midnight and at dawn. Be humble and submissive to God and chant the verses of thanksgiving at morn and eve, for that He guided thee unto the Manifest Light and showed to thee the straight Path and destined to thee the station of nearness in His wonderful kingdom." --Bah�'u'll�h, Bah�'� World Faith, p. 359)
Language Interpretation: Each syllable, word and phrase is lengthened in the process of singing, giving us more time to ponder and reflect upon the many meanings they contain. As in when you were choosing a rhythm, you will need to decide which word of each phrase will need special emphasis. You will probably find, as I do, that sometimes on the 10th or 50th hearing of a sentence it will reveal a new meaning, or a word not previously emphasized will pop out as the new important one of a phrase. ("Every single letter proceeding out of the mouth of God is indeed a mother letter, and every word... a mother word...." --Bah�'u'll�h, Gleanings.)
Gross Motor Movement: Again, I recommend swaying or rocking in place, or walking when memorizing and intoning. This movement enhances the process.
Self-Gratification: There is a tremendous feeling of accomplishment when you have finished setting a prayer or excerpt of Holy Text. A creative power is unleashed which transforms us before, during, and after the process of intoning. We grow spiritually under the influence of the Word of God and access parts of our true nature which were hidden before.
Words into Action: The ultimate goal of any deepening process is to turn into action the words and ideas we have learned, to internalize more deeply into ourselves and our daily lives, the positive attributes extolled in the writings. Chanting the writings each morning and evening is a easy way to uplift, refresh, and remind ourselves of our purpose here on this earthly plane. I hope you will try intoning your favorite prayer today. ("Chant the Words of God and, pondering over their meaning, transform them into actions! I ask God to cause thee to attain a high station in the Kingdom of Life forever and ever." --'Abdu'l-Bah�, Tablets of 'Abdu'l-Bah� p. 85)
Back to top.
Back to Music is the Key
This page hosted by 
Get your own Free Home Page