The ‘official’ chant of Jodo Shinshu is Shoshinge which was written by Shinran Shonin 750 plus years ago. In part, the chant outlines the development of Jodo Shinshu over the course of several hundred years beginning with Shakyamuni Buddha.

On the few occasions we have chanted Shoshinge during a service, some members have complained that it is too long because it can take 20-30 minutes to do the whole piece and I used to be in complete agreement. Yet I have found from my own experience that becoming familiar with the chanting and the contents has dramatically changed my viewpoint. I find a meditative quality to doing the chant now. Chanting has many physical benefits and can deepen our spiritual journey by connecting with the inner and giving it a voice.  Not surprisingly, human cultures throughout the centuries and every part of the world have intuitively made this connection.

Please join me on Wednesday evenings and perhaps find your inner voice through this ancient tradition passed on from previous Shin generations. You don’t have to be ‘musical’, in fact I prefer if you aren’t because then I sound better!

It will be an easygoing mixture of chanting and brief discussions of the meaning of what we are chanting.

In August 2005, we celebrated the Jodo Shinshu sect's 100th anniversary in Canada.   Koshin Ohtani Gomonshu-sama and Lady Noriko Ohtani

traveled across Canada to commemorate this historic event.

15/03/11