the Brain and the Liturgy

that’s why Plato said musical training

is a more potent instrument than any

other because rhythm and melody find

their way into the inner soul Gregorian

chant like all music directly affects

the human body

however Gregorian chant lowers the blood

pressure lowers the heart rate decreases

the rate of breathing deepens our

breathing lowers our body temperature

and increases our immune function it

calms the entire body and mind Gregorian

chant is experienced in the right brain

therefore it has the power to pull us

out of the noisy left brain and into the

calm of the right brain and into a leap

of transcendence chanting and listening

to Gregorian chant is a right brain

activity because it doesn’t have a

repetitive beat and the melody is not

repetitive in contrast all other music

with rhythm and repetitive beat and

melody is experienced in the left brain

hymns appeal to us because of the

predictable rhythm and melody hymns have

a repetitive beat and are very appealing

to us however being a left brain

experience they do not Orientis to the

eternal hymns can distract us from the

deeper meaning of the liturgy as sacred

music rag or Ian chant has been given

first place for liturgical music

throughout all the history of the church

up and to including the Second Vatican

Vatican Council Gregorian chant is

uniquely perfect music for the liturgy