A Name
I have stolen this name "Via Beatta" or Way of Blessing from a group that is no more. It was a women's chant group that sang Compline every Sunday evening. I was part of it for 3 1/2 years, and treasured the beauty of the sung Compline liturgy, the transcendent space in which we sang surrounded by hundreds of candles, and the discipline and sheer joy of singing.
We did more than just sing the liturgy, of course. We sang plainsong and Anglican chant, as well as hymns and anthems. We learned some music theory and voice production as we were invited to trade off on the solo parts. As we were a small group --usually eight or ten of us--we learned the art of blending our individual voices into a more pleasing ensemble. It was truly a rich spiritual practice that began each new week with a bit of peace and sense of well-being. Even now, ten years later, I miss it.
The group played a large role in my formation process--my spiritual quest around my calling as ordained clergy that resulted in a shift from one denomination to another. At first, I thought my singing would serve as my private spiritual discipline that would fill me for the work at hand. But over time, the higher liturgical tradition became more and more seductive, until I was compelled to seek the change that made little rational sense. A story for another time. Nevertheless, it has, indeed, been the way of blessing!
We did more than just sing the liturgy, of course. We sang plainsong and Anglican chant, as well as hymns and anthems. We learned some music theory and voice production as we were invited to trade off on the solo parts. As we were a small group --usually eight or ten of us--we learned the art of blending our individual voices into a more pleasing ensemble. It was truly a rich spiritual practice that began each new week with a bit of peace and sense of well-being. Even now, ten years later, I miss it.
The group played a large role in my formation process--my spiritual quest around my calling as ordained clergy that resulted in a shift from one denomination to another. At first, I thought my singing would serve as my private spiritual discipline that would fill me for the work at hand. But over time, the higher liturgical tradition became more and more seductive, until I was compelled to seek the change that made little rational sense. A story for another time. Nevertheless, it has, indeed, been the way of blessing!
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