I must admit that I am not very good at singing and the thought of doing it en masse would normally send me running a mile away. But I have never been able to let go so easily as when I have participated in a kirtan.
What I've discovered is that it really has nothing to do with singing but with the simplicity of letting go and being carried on a wave of energy.
In fact, it's a real buzz that leaves you glowing with heart-warming connectedness to All That Is.
Whilst there is a spiritual lineage of sacred chanting stemming from the Hindu tradition of Bhakti Yoga and in particular Sikhism, kirtans have a widespread appeal in today's world and more and more people are getting inspired to participate.
In some kirtans in the US there are up to 1000 people participating at a time.
What Exactly Is A Kirtan
It's a simple call and response event in which a small group of musicians play traditional Eastern instruments - such as tamboura and tabla, although more modern instruments such as guitar and flute are also sometimes incorporated - and chant the many sacred names of God - most often in Sanskrit but other languages can also be used.
But it's not about musical skill or perfection and it certainly isn't a concert or performance. In fact, kirtan is totally dependent on audience participation so that it's a group experience. The whole atmosphere is relaxed and loose, it doesn't matter if you make mistakes or are out of tune or if you don't know what any of the words mean.
The chants are simple and they are repeated faster and faster over a period of 15-20 minutes each. The singing starts gently and slowly and then it gets louder and louder until the crescendo builds up and there comes a point where it all stops … and you are left basking in the silence.
Whatever your bag of woes, however many thoughts you may have running around your head, kirtan is an easy route to meditation because it brings you to the centre of your Being.
It's a way of going beyond mind to the joy in your heart. There's a devotional vibration to the Sanskrit mantras that is transformative because it brings you into the moment. Ultimately, the devotion is to the divine presence that is within, to the unobstructed beauty of this moment. It's not about devotion to something external but to an internal experience of absolute at-oneness. And surely there is something tremendously healing about this in today's world of fragmentation?
There's also something incredibly powerful in expressing this devotion with others doing the same. The voice is a precise tool that has an impact on our reality. When we speak anxious or fearful words, over and over again, we affirm our limitations and create an internal reality of struggle.
In kirtan, the voice is used to create an affirmation of love, joy and peace. The actual words sung in traditional kirtan are known to be sacred sounds that resonate with the spiritual dimension.
When a group of voices sing these in unison the vibration sends ripples of energy into the depths of our own being and into the space around us. It's as if breath, sound and intention synchronize to create a drop of unconditional love in a sea of chaos … it aligns us to divine harmony. That's why we feel so connected to ourselves and to the greater whole after a bout of sacred chanting!
In some ways, the power of kirtan to unite a group of people is no different to a rock concert in which there's a potent collective field of energy albeit one that is more aligned to anger or rebellion than to love. It's also much like the intoxication of gospel singing or the transcendental chanting of Tibetan monks. But perhaps the unique quality of kirtan is its marriage of sacredness with joy and fun. It's truly an ecstatic experience that opens the heart!
Obviously the best way to experience kirtan is to find group in your area. But there's a lovely meditation given by Osho that you can do at home that serves the same purpose … it's so simple and yet extremely effective in taking you into a deep space of stillness.
All you have to do is sit in a quiet space and close your eyes. Now take a deep breath in through the nose and on the outbreath just hum softly, allowing the sound to emanate through your closed lips. Then take another inbreath and hum again on the outbreath.
There is really no right or wrong way to do this, you just keep on relaxing into the rhythm of breathing and humming for at least 15-20 minutes and you'll find that a circle of energy is created that gently aligns you with an inner harmony.
When you feel ready to stop the humming, simply sit in silence for at least a few minutes - or as long as you like - and bathe in the vibration of stillness. You have come home to your divine presence.
Here are some great Sacred Chant Masters to check out:
Ragani … a female singer and yoga teacher who works with a great team of musicians in a modern and traditional way.
Krishna Das … truly heart-felt chanting from this master of masters.
Jai Uttal ... tender and passionate, excellent and exhilarating!
Goma … a UK-based family of all ages, unpretentious and very sweet.
Deva Premal ... Well what can I say?! Unique and soulful, oozing with love.
Russill Paul ...a classical Indian musician of the highest standard and with a vast knowledge of sound healing - the most beautiful voice I have ever heard, totally transcendental yet deeply rooted in the Earth.