During aarti at morning and evening, a disciple goes over to the temple bell, steps inside the frame, and rings the bell in time to the chant. People motioned several invitations for me to take a turn, but musically I am good at one thing at a time and preferred chanting out of tune to possibly ringing out of rhythm. Then, for some reason I can't remember, I took a turn. It was harder than it looked, but I focused my concentration on the priest and followed his rhythm, and then it was fun to ring it really fast during the last, speeded-up verse.
Later that day I saw the priest outside the temple, and with a big smile he told me in his best English that my bell ringing had made him very happy because he had been able to relax and follow the rhythm rather than try to lead it. Since then I've taken several turns, but I still find it a nerve-wracking experience. Just before my third bell-ringing stint, he came over and showed me he wanted me to ring harder, but if I try to look at the bell or at my hand I'm in trouble. Suddenly the bell starts swinging wildly, I miss a beat, the striker hits sideways and the sound falls flat...who knew there were so many variables to bell ringing! A visiting Indian disciple took a turn the other night and wasn't able to get the bell to behave, and in the middle of the aarti he left the bell frame and went back to his asan. This is definitely not a job for the faint hearted. And my right eardrum may never be the same. Still, I keep taking my turn and enjoying that final verse when I can let all my concentration expand into joy.
Later that day I saw the priest outside the temple, and with a big smile he told me in his best English that my bell ringing had made him very happy because he had been able to relax and follow the rhythm rather than try to lead it. Since then I've taken several turns, but I still find it a nerve-wracking experience. Just before my third bell-ringing stint, he came over and showed me he wanted me to ring harder, but if I try to look at the bell or at my hand I'm in trouble. Suddenly the bell starts swinging wildly, I miss a beat, the striker hits sideways and the sound falls flat...who knew there were so many variables to bell ringing! A visiting Indian disciple took a turn the other night and wasn't able to get the bell to behave, and in the middle of the aarti he left the bell frame and went back to his asan. This is definitely not a job for the faint hearted. And my right eardrum may never be the same. Still, I keep taking my turn and enjoying that final verse when I can let all my concentration expand into joy.
1 comment:
This makes me feel better about my experience. Years ago, one of my sister disciples gave me a pair of hand cymbals when Ma just happened to be staying at her house. I have a difficult time doing two things at once also, but I did my best to chime along as we chanted. I almost felt relieved when they went missing after dinner in Antioch. Thank you for sharing1 - Kashyap
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