People complain about the speed of the Jewish prayer service. They say it's too fast for them to understand the words, but it's that very rush of words that works as a kind of anti-language. It wipes your mind clean of language and conceptual thought even though it's made out of language and conceptual thought. Daveners [reciters] who have had strokes that affect their ability to speak are still able to daven [recite liturgical prayers] because prayer is a nonverbal activity. Even though it uses language as a medium, it comes from the nonverbal center of the brain.

Alan Lew, Sherril Jaffe, One God Clapping