A New Leaf

The idea for this experiment came just weeks before Peter's 29th birthday. Birthdays always make Peter think about what he wants to do for the next year moreso than the typical New Years resolutions that are common in this country.  One of our yoga teachers and chanter, Margie Weaver, introduced us to the idea of 108 repetitions for a month.  Instead of a month, we decided to chant for an entire year - April 1st, 2011 to March 31st, 2012.

Peter and Allyson are not trained chanters so this will be learning process through our entire journey. Both of us are classically trained musicians with music degrees from Johns Hopkins University - Peabody Conservatory of Music.

Why 108?

The number 108 is sacred in many Eastern religions and traditions with connections to many yogic and dharma practices. This number is all around us and we don't even know it.  Below are some pop culture examples where 108 can be found:

• The pre-historic monument Stonehenge is 108 feet in diameter.
• In Homer's Odyssey, the number of suitors coveting Penelope, wife of Odysseus.
• The distance between the Earth and Moon is 108 times the diameter of the Moon (True, ratio using the mean values is about 110.5877 and between perigee and mean is at 108 exactly.)
• An official Major League Baseball baseball has 108 stitches.
• The number of Mbit/s of a non-standard extension of IEEE 802.11g wireless network using channel bonding.
• There are 108 cards in a deck of UNO cards.
• The number 108 is one of many numeric motifs in the American television program Lost, which includes quite a few references to Buddhism. For example, the sum of "the numbers" (4, 8, 15, 16, 23, and 42) is 108, and "the numbers" must be entered into a computer every 108 minutes.

The Process

Once per day, Allyson and Peter are going to embark on 108 repetitions of a chant.  We are not going to limit our chants to just Buddhist mantras, but will explore a new spirtual side via any chant in any language. We are not going to learn a new chant for each day as we believe that would just set up our journey for enventual failure.

The Chants Sampling

• Om Asota Maa Sadgamaya
• Om Namo Bhagavate
• Om Bhur Bhuvah Swah (Gayatri Mantra)
• Om Mani Padme Hum
• Om Klim Shrim Lakshmi
• Breathing In, Breathing Out
• Shima - Hopi chant of Love
• Bījākṣara (Seed Syllables)
  • Sreem - Lakshmi, the goddess of wealth
  • Ram
  • Vam
  • Lam - Genesh, the goddness of new beginnings and remover of obstacles

We're always interested in learning new "chants" that will add to our journey this year.  We welcome you to bring your own words or melody and that you will allow us to video a few repetitions so we can remember it down the road.