Hoarse voice from chanting

A place to discuss health and fitness, including healthy diets, etc.
Post Reply
abcdef
Posts: 7
Joined: Tue Jun 22, 2021 9:22 am

Hoarse voice from chanting

Post by abcdef »

Hi,
Since a few years I have a problem with chanting for more than maybe 30 minutes before I start getting a hoarse voice. After 3-4 days of doing a ngondro I start getting a raspy voice and usually have to stop completely. This is very limiting since it limits the amount of mantra recitations I can do.

Has anyone been in the same situation, and have any suggestions on solutions to this issue? I have been visiting doctors several times and had them inspect my vocal cords and they say they can see no issues with my throat or vocal cords.

:namaste:
naljor
Posts: 99
Joined: Tue May 27, 2014 6:13 pm

Re: Hoarse voice from chanting

Post by naljor »

In Indian yoga there is Shankha Mudra, this mudra strenghtens the voice.
Jesse
Posts: 2127
Joined: Wed May 08, 2013 6:54 am
Location: Virginia, USA

Re: Hoarse voice from chanting

Post by Jesse »

Just do the mantras in your head until your voice comes back, there isn't a fundamental difference imo.
Image
Thus shall ye think of all this fleeting world:
A star at dawn, a bubble in a stream;
A flash of lightning in a summer cloud,
A flickering lamp, a phantom, and a dream.
User avatar
Ayu
Global Moderator
Posts: 13256
Joined: Mon Oct 29, 2012 8:25 am
Location: Europe

Re: Hoarse voice from chanting

Post by Ayu »

Probably you shred your voice with any kind of wrong posture of the throat or body. A singing teacher could give you direct introduction very quickly.
Maybe you can find some advice at youtube - there are various quite good streams of singing coaches.

Without seeing you, I can only tell about the basic singing stance: always easy, light and open.
While the throat is open, there is calmness ("holy peace" as my singing teacher used to say) in the rest of the body. No tension, no pressure. Normally we shred our voice by singing too loudly. It's such a fun until the voice is gone.
But if you want to sing out loudly in a healthy way, you need a lot of practice in the right posture.
The issue is to find the acoustic spaces within your throat. Every tone and every vocal has a different space. :twothumbsup:

So, the easiest advice is: don't sing too loudly. On an abilitiy-scale of 1 - 10 volume of your voice, sing as loud as 5 only. I think, the Buddha's won't mind, if you refrain from doing harm to your voice.
User avatar
Ayu
Global Moderator
Posts: 13256
Joined: Mon Oct 29, 2012 8:25 am
Location: Europe

Re: Hoarse voice from chanting

Post by Ayu »

abcdef wrote: Mon Feb 21, 2022 6:12 pm Hi,
Since a few years I have a problem with chanting for more than maybe 30 minutes before I start getting a hoarse voice. After 3-4 days of doing a ngondro I start getting a raspy voice and usually have to stop completely. This is very limiting since it limits the amount of mantra recitations I can do.

Has anyone been in the same situation, and have any suggestions on solutions to this issue? I have been visiting doctors several times and had them inspect my vocal cords and they say they can see no issues with my throat or vocal cords.

:namaste:
Apart from voice technique it can be a spiritual thing as well. Maybe some tension is being processed - I'm no expert on this. It was just my personal estimation, when I went through Ngöndro and I experienced some physical issues then...
Jesse's advice is very smart then.
You don't need to stop your practice. Just continue mentally, if there is a physical obstacle. I experienced this ploy as very skillful and effective.
Miorita
Posts: 1069
Joined: Tue Jan 04, 2022 11:37 pm
Location: US

Re: Hoarse voice from chanting

Post by Miorita »

abcdef wrote: Mon Feb 21, 2022 6:12 pm Hi,
Since a few years I have a problem with chanting for more than maybe 30 minutes before I start getting a hoarse voice. After 3-4 days of doing a ngondro I start getting a raspy voice and usually have to stop completely. This is very limiting since it limits the amount of mantra recitations I can do.

Has anyone been in the same situation, and have any suggestions on solutions to this issue? I have been visiting doctors several times and had them inspect my vocal cords and they say they can see no issues with my throat or vocal cords.

:namaste:
Maybe your body constitution is not made to take a lot of chanting.
Speaking requires energy. It's not just some muscles working for you.
Some get a hoarse voice even when they don't speak for times. It's then about the body's energetics.

You imagine everything perfect. Well, it is and it isn't. The voice is your resource. Use it wisely!
Whisper if you have to!
Do warm up of your voice, gargle, check your teeth, fix them, rest your voice, brainstorm for ideas!

"You are smart", you can do it.

There's no divinity in me. Maybe a croc sometimes, but no divinity. That's your answer!

Miorita
Post Reply

Return to “Wellness, Diet and Fitness”