WHAT IS KIRTAN?

Kirtan is an energizing and joyful group practice of singing simple Sanskrit ( and occasional Hebrew and English ) chants set to simple and beautiful melodies. Many of the chants are mantras. Mantra is typically defined as "beyond the mind."

These sound vibrations roll and vibrate through the seven psychic energy centers (chakras) of the body, and open them. They gently raise what yogis call 'kundalini' energy, the energy that allows us to energize and revitalize ourselves physically and spiritually. In doing so, we come into greater awareness of our divinity or connection to Source. The experience is that of living in the 'right brain' which perceives only living in the moment.

Chanting calms our minds, opens our hearts, boosts our inner knowing (intuition), and energizes our beings. As explained by quantum physics, all matter vibrates and sound vibrations penetrate every cell of the body. Even black holes in the Universe have been proven to emit a sound of B flat! From a standpoint of physical healing, chanting recharges the brain cells, lowers blood pressure, balances heart rhythm, and induces relaxation and elevated moods. Kirtan is for anyone, regardless of belief or quality of voice. Any voice is perfect for kirtan!

In America, kirtan was practiced mainly within ashrams until the 1990s when the now well-known American kirtan leaders Jai Uttal and Krishna Das propelled kirtan beyond the ashram settings into the world of public venues. Now accessible to all, kirtan is offered to the public across America and the world.

Kirtan originates from Bhakti Yoga, the path of the heart and the path of devotion to one's spiritual path. By chanting the various Sanskrit names like Sita, Ram, Krishna, Radhe, Ganesh, Shiva, etc., we can easily access the consciousness within ourselves associated with those names. It really doesn't matter what the words mean because the sound vibrations alone are a direct plug-in to the experience of Source, or God Consciousness, or whatever you choose to call it. For example, when I chant to Ram, my heart opens and I immediately zoom into that place within where I experience total love and peace. It is a place beyond my personality and the dramas of my life.

Moreover, one doesn't need to have any specific belief system to experience the benefits. There is a scientific phenomenon called morphogenesis which says that a word or mantra ( like Amen, Om, Shanti, Shiva, or Ram ) has a strong energy attached to it simply because it has been sung so many millions of times with a particular intention behind it on the part of the singer. For example, when we sing a Shiva chant, we instantly connect to the energy and power of all the millions ( billions? ) of times the word Shiva has been repeated mentally or vocally. And Shiva is all about claiming our awareness of living in divine truth, and disconnecting from self-doubt, self-loathing, delusion, addictiveness, unhealthy ego, and other negativities. So when I sing Shiva chants, I feel like I'm giving myself huge affirmations of self-love which then enables me to go out and serve others more effectively.

Although my kirtans are very musical, it is not a musical performance. It is fully participatory; I sing a line, you sing it back. I am simply sharing a spiritual practice. The repetition of the chant lines makes it possible to relax and let the chant 'sing you' after awhile, instead of you working to sing the chant. The repetition also allows you to be in your right brain where feelings, creativity, joy, and intuition reside. I totally love my left brain but at the same time know that the purpose of the left brain is to remember things like my zipcode, be responsible, and 'get it right'! Someone once said that people with left brain dominance are happy when they're asserting their 'correct' opinion about something, and people of right brain dominance are.... just happy.

DAVE'S INTERPRETATION OF KIRTAN

My intention is to co-create a space with you where we all can feel safe to be in our feelings, whatever they are. People often experience great joy and even ecstasy as the chants increase in tempo and intensity as the energy builds. Sometimes people experience suppressed tears, grief or anger. I ask you to simply witness your feelings, not try to change them. The willingness to be vulnerable is key to your experience. By the end of kirtan, the sad or even negative feelings usually transform into lightness, joy, and a sense of freedom from limitation. That's why I always ask people to bring and notice whatever moods they're in, not push them away. In that sense, it is truly a form of meditation.

Bring your anger, grief, silliness, jealousy, fear, joy, compulsions, addictions...it's all welcome. There's never a reason to say “I'm too depressed to go to kirtan.” See what happens. Kirtan can reduce the pull of negative habits and mind states. Swami Satchidananda once said to me “Don't ever quit smoking cigarettes. Just do meditation, hatha yoga, chanting, pranayama (breathing), and smoking will quit you!” And it worked for me. I only ask that people come to kirtan without influence from alcohol or recreational drugs as these dull the nadis, the fine lines of energy that connect the chakras. As I see it, the point of kirtan is to get free rather than to get high.

Every kirtan is different depending upon the kirtan leader's orientation. In my kirtans, I seek to claim my own inner authority or truth through direct experience of Source energy. I encourage you to experience this energy through the chanting and experience your deep inner authority. The word author in Latin means 'creator.' So 'inner authority' can be defined as the state of living in a creator role, taking responsibility for how you lead or create your life.

The chants can carry us to a place within us where in each moment, we feel totally adequate, worthy, and 'enough' just as we. In that moment, nothing more is needed. When we are 'inside' the chants, there are no 'if onlys'. 'If onlys' only diminish us; e.g., “If only I lived in Maui, then I'd be happy....” or “if only I were partnered, then I'd be happy” or “if only I weren't partnered, then I'd be happy” and on and on. You can use the chants to experience the place inside yourself that is totally in the moment, where there is no time, where there is no physical or emotional pain, and where you are whole and complete. And in this place, you also experience your own inner spiritual authority, the voice within that always knows how to be and what to do in everyday life.

But don't take my word! Come try kirtan and see if you will benefit from it.

Believe nothing because a wise person said it.
Believe nothing because it is generally held.
Believe nothing because it is written.
Believe nothing because it is said to be Divine.
Believe nothing because someone else believes it.
But believe only what you yourself judge to be true.
— Buddha

WHAT TO BRING TO KIRTAN

Many people sit on cushions which are typically provided at places that teach yoga, but it is a good idea to bring your own in case they're all in use or not available. I always make sure there are some chairs as well. After all, nobody became enlightened faster by sitting on the floor. Having a straight spine is helpful as the sound vibrations roll up and down the energy centers (chakras) of the body, but above all I ask you to feel comfortable, as if you're in the living room of a dear friend. Some people bring backjacks or other supports for comfort. Also, it is important to stay hydrated so please bring water. Please do not bring any food. An exception to this is prasad, an offering of a treat served to all at the end of kirtan. Please feel welcome to bring and serve an offering.

The melodies often have a way of making some people get up and dance or just move around or clap along. This is totally welcome and greatly encouraged! Also, children and infants are always welcome as long as they can be taken out of the room if they are too noisy. I hope to sing with you soon!