Chanting for healing from Hanuman

Jai Hanuman gyan gun sagar

Victory to thee, o Hanuman!

Ocean of Wisdom-All

Sankat se Hanuman chudavai

Man Karam Vachan dyan jo lavai

Those who remember Shri Hanuman in thought, words and deeds

with sincerity and faith, are rescued from all crises in life.

– Hanuman Chalisa extract

It is believed that chanting – a deliberate repetition of words or phrases – can have an immediate positive effect on the body and mind.

This evening, Hindu devotees will gather at the Divali Nagar and in mandirs across the country for the Epic Hanuman Chalisa ChanTTing 03.

This is the third spiritual gathering that revolves around the continuous chanting of the Hanuman Chalisa, a Hindu devotional song dedicated to Lord Hanuman. Its purpose: to honour the ability of Hanuman to gain victory over evil and to pray for the spiritual and physical elevation of our nation.

Pundit Ravi-Ji, one of the driving forces behind the Hanuman Chalisa event, says that in 2015, Epic Hanomaan Chaaleesaa attracted some 12,000 devotees and supporters at the Divali Nagar.

He anticipates that this year will see even more support as people come together from TT and across the diaspora to foster unity, peace and love through chanting. He describes the gathering as “a platform for spiritual upliftment, cultural celebration, and the promotion of shared values.”

Is it possible to achieve such goals through chanting? Many ancient religions certainly believed this to be the case. Native American Indians, Hindus, Muslims, Buddhists and Christians – all practise some form of repetition or vocalisation.

The key is in the intentionality behind the chanting. Meditation is often accompanied by the repetition of a word or phrase designed to reflect the desired state of the person.

So, "I can conquer my pain," or "I am not afraid." The repetition is referred to as the mantra, which in Sanskrit literally means “liberation, freedom or tool of the mind or consciousness."

These religious beliefs now have secular manifestations. We routinely describe a particular habit or idea as our mantra, for instance “healthy eating is now my mantra.” Fans at a concert chant the name of the main artist, in a sense, invoking the ability of the performer to empower the audience with their music. Protesters repeat slogans, chanting for impact and to ensure that their points are remembered.

Whether religious or secular, the ultimate effect is that energy is directed towards a specific outcome – being heard and achieving the desired results of the vocalisation.

Interestingly, there are several studies on the link between chanting and positive changes in the brain. The intentionality and focus of the repetition can lead to improved mood and reduced anxiety or fatigue. Chanting may even improve memory and boost cognitive function, or our ability to understand and analyse challenging concepts.

But can chanting help us to be more caring or even forgiving of each other?

Perhaps this is why the focus today is on Lord Hanuman. As a divinity, he is said to display the characteristics that are crucial for leadership and community building.

Although he is always depicted as strong and muscular, his power lies in his humility and devotion to duty. Hanuman embodies compassion, emotional intelligence and, importantly, love. For all of these reasons, Hanuman is gifted with the ability to triumph over negativity and evil. In many of the stories about Hanuman, we observe that often he is ignored or not treated well because of his monkey features. In each narrative, he is able to turn the situation to his advantage by being humble, strategic and focused on his goal.

These powerful lessons are certainly not easy to put into action in real life.

As a nation, although there is much to celebrate, there is a sense that we are battling tremendous challenges. The news of the deaths of so many babies was preceded by the beheading of a little girl, the discovery of a house of abuse and an overall decline in family life, mental health, and imbalance of gender relations.

Hanuman’s message is therefore also for those in leadership positions – to practise active listening, humility and better communication with the people of this nation.

This evening, devotees will raise their voices to Hanuman, chanting for healing. Representatives from the Ifa/Orisha and indigenous communities will be present as well.

Whatever your belief, let your voice be heard. Let peace surround our nation; this must be our collective meditation and mantra.

Dara E Healy is a performance artist and founder of the Indigenous Creative Arts Network – ICAN.