The Women’s Retreat
“There are gates in heaven that cannot be opened except by
melody and song“
from an 18th century description of the purpose of Eastern European Jewish Nigun singing
Saturday 13 June would have been the Women’s Retreat at St Katharine’s. We couldn’t go this year, and so Barbara Alden and Ayla led a group of 16 women on zoom in a beautiful meditative hour and half of of music, poetry and prayer. Barbara sang Jewish Nigun songs and a range of Native American chants. Sometimes we joined in, and sometimes we just listened. We reflected on this image as we sang “Halleluia”
The music was interspersed with images, poetry and prayer and Ayla led a short meditation on the Magnifcat from the Gospel of Luke and the Song of Hannah from the first book of the Samuel.
Some of the feedback…”a blessing”; “taking time out and being still”; “I hadn’t realised how much I needed this quiet time”; “the time flew by”; “lovely and peaceful”; “Hannah and Mary, two strong female voices bound by the arc of the universe”…