Sounds That Heal

Sounds that Heal

23 Dec 2018

One morning in Patan, Nepal, I heard the soft clang of a bell in my sleep. As I listened to the clangs that came at random intervals, I realised they were coming from a nearby shrine or temple.

I woke up reverently, realising there were people already making morning prayers in the depth of a cold and dark winter while I slept.

In the 70s during my primary school days, it was the muezzin’s morning prayer call from a nearby mosque that roused me gently to get ready for school. To my chinese ears, the songlike supplication in the muezzin’s tone was very comforting.

Alarm clocks and electrical gadgets are reliable & efficient, but their mechanical beeps tend to cause some panic in me.

Whereas temple bells & muezzin calls are like telephone calls from the Divine, reminding me to first give thanks for this life, before letting the world rush in.

May the sounds that we make also bring healing to others and connect them to the Divine, the way the temple bells & muezzin calls have done for me.