Chanting As A River

These chants were recorded during the Autumn of 2018, by the monastic sisters and brothers of Plum Village, France, during our annual three month “rains retreat.” The rains retreat is a time during which we commit to staying within the boundaries of the monastery, to nourish ourselves with the practice of meditation and to go deeper in our journey of healing and transformation. This is a tradition which has been maintained by monastic communities all over the world since the time of the Buddha.

The recordings were made in our small meditation halls, which are converted stone barns — part of the traditional French farm buildings that make up the three hamlets of Plum Village. Coming together to chant and record was for us primarily a practice of joy — a way to celebrate the simple miracle of being able to produce sound and to experience our deep interconnection through harmony.