"Sacred Sound - The Power of Chant and Prayer" by Nichiryu Mark Herrick, explores the universal significance of sound in spiritual practices across diverse wisdom traditions. Herrick asserts that sacred sound acts as a living bridge connecting the formless to the manifest, emphasizing chanting as an ancient and enduring method of awakening. The essay highlights the complementary relationship between silent meditation and vocal chanting, suggesting their combined practice offers a more complete path to spiritual wholeness. Furthermore, it examines how sound functions as a generative expression of Ultimate Reality, referencing creation myths and philosophical concepts from various cultures, and illustrates how figures like J.R.R. Tolkien and John Coltrane also explored this profound connection in their respective works. The author also analyzes the numerological and phonetic parallels between the Hebrew "Amen" and the Buddhist "Namu," both serving as expressions of devotion and trust, concluding that ritual, including chanting, is a physical enactment of transformation rather than the essence of transformation itself.