WHAT IS KIRTAN?

Kirtan is simply chanting the names of God. A Sanskrit term, it means ‘divine praise’ and is an ancient spiritual practice. These devotional chants come from the Hindu tradition and the words are based around the various Sanskrit names of Hindu deities, such as Ram, Krishna, Durga, Hanuman, invoking the qualities they each embody. There are also occasional exclamations such as ‘Jai’ (‘praise’), honorifics such as ‘Shri’ (‘Lord’), and supplications like ‘Om Namaha Shivaya’ (‘I bow to the Self’). The format of kirtan is call and response: the kirtan leader sings a line and the group echoes it, accompanied by harmonium and tabla. Silence follows each kirtan, but it is charged with energy. The purpose of repeating these names is a simple one: to merge with the Divine, whether, for you, that means God, nature, the life force in every living thing, the universe, the higher self…

~ GOPI ~ THE Academy of Natural Health Kirtan Group

The Academy of Natural Health Kirtan group was a natural off-shoot of the Satsang group. Our first tentative attempts to sing (and play) together have grown and grown and blossomed over the past 3 years as our hearts have opened to this practice. And it continues to move us into new territory. It is very much about getting out of the way of ourselves, leading from the heart and letting the voice be free to do whatever it needs to do (however that sounds!). The energy of chanting stills the mind, gives a feeling of connection, and can be anything from intense to rapturous. The kirtan group is hosted by former principal (and former opera singer!) Katya Langmuur who plays the harmonium and leads the sessions. Our holy racket of singers and musicians now meets regularly to practice singing from the heart.
An Experience of Kirtan

“For me kirtan has been a surprising experience.  I hadn’t thought that something as simple as using my voice to chant could be so profound and powerful.  The experience has been rewarding and joyful, truly heartwarming and heart-opening as a place of sharing and connecting with others and the divine.  At times I find it a quiet, reflective practice, and at others, exuberant and playful!  At the same time it is never far from being a challenging practice - the experience of kirtan has asked me to question previously held beliefs about myself, song and using my voice.  Kirtan has asked me to sing like no-one is listening, and from that I have received an unexpected and liberating freedom.” Sorrel, Academy Kirtan Group

“Thank you for all the efforts you and your musical accomplices have made to bring people together in the sometimes estranged world that we can find ourselves in today. I felt uplifted and a sense of belonging after leaving... Have a lovely weekend even though the heavens may open to shed a few tears of joy.” Kirtan audience member 

Join Us!

If you are interested in joining the kirtan group to sing, play music, or dance, to help out at public kirtan evenings that we occasionally hold, or if you simply want to find out more, please contact Katya directly at katya@katyayani.co.uk 

Kirtan Photo Gallery

Click here to see photos from previous Kirtan evenings.

 

HOW TO CHANT
WITH OTHERS
Chanting with others creates a wonderful group energy. It is one of those things we learn by doing, but here are five practices that can help deepen your experience of chanting in groups.

Listen: Listening is the real secret. Instead of the tendency to hear mostly our own voice, really listen to the voices of your fellow chanters, for the sound that is the meeting place of all the individual sounds – the moment of blending where the many become one.

Let go: Strange how something as easy as not doing anything can seem so hard, but try to give yourself over to the chant so that the chant chants you. Let yourself be moulded, as the clay resigns itself to the hands of the sculptor.

Give it your all: Throw your body, your heart, and your soul into vocalising. Chant like you are lost in the wilderness and the only hope of rescue lies in the reverberating sound of your voice.

Stay awake: While chanting may take us into trancelike states, this practice is about waking up – out of the trance of everyday life. Use the structure of the chant, the words, the melody, the rhythm. The repeated form of the chant becomes the ground on which we stand, even as the heat of the kirtan builds to its fiery peak.

Just chant: Chanting has nothing to do with the notion of getting things right. No one cares. And we all get distracted. Just keep bringing your attention back to the chant. It’s a liberating opportunity to leave the world of self-judgement and critical mind behind.

 
Abridged and adapted from Chanting: Discovering Spirit in Sound by Robert Gass, Broadway Books, 2000.