Kirtan: The Myths and Magic Unplugged 
Kirtan is a great way to celebrate life! One of the Sanskrit translations even means to 'celebrate'; celebrate that which we love the most… Traditionally Kirtan is known as 'devotional' singing and response chanting but what many unfamiliar with the ancient practice do not realize, is that the very nature of Kirtan does not dictate the subject of the 'devotion'. Although Kirtan has its roots in Sanskrit, the names of Indian deities such as 'Shiva', 'Ganesh' or 'Ram' could easily be replaced with 'Allah', 'God' or 'Gaia'. What matters more is that the mantra's unite the energy of the singers, as one aspect of a great force which moves through all of us, ultimately resulting in a celebration of the joy of life. Kirtan can act as a bridge between our outer and inner selves and an expression of our desire to know and love the Divine within. If the word 'divine' is still a little hard for some of the more scientifically inclined or spiritually skeptical, be reassured that it is totally open to your interpretation: Divine covers everything from these more traditional images of a god to the energy which rushes through our bodies and enables us to feel connected to each other and the world around us. For many singing unfamiliar sounds and words without knowing the meaning can be a little daunting, but even if you have no idea of what you are chanting, the ancient power of the mantra is still occurring. Sanskrit is really the only ancient language that is organized according to the way which sound is articulated. It was created to facilitate the movement of pranic energy through vocal modes of potential, which we all have. Mantra recitation has been around for thousands of years, and the language has been so clearly delineated that as it has been passed down from generation to generation the pronunciation is almost exactly the same. This means that it is easy for those of us from a different linguistic and cultural background to benefit from the chanting and exploration of this very ancient and well-structured language. Just by participating in Kirtan, one is able to imbibe benefits of a meticulously and carefully built up system, creating prana (chi/life force) within the self and within the collective group. What is just as beautiful is that Kirtan can be dedicated to someone you love very deeply, or are concerned about, acting as a tool to focus the mind on sending positive thoughts and love to those who may need it. Simply the creation of a dedication can provide a sense of power and inner strength to participants. Even more liberating is that Kirtan is a 'practice' not a 'perfect' - there is no 'wrong' way to chant! Traditionally there are no harmonies. This means that anything goes; just open your mouth and sing from the heart, allowing the ancient sounds to lead you on a personal sensory journey, beyond the audible to the emotive. Based on an interview with Benjy and Heather who travel the world creating a beautiful melody of Bhakti yoga and mantra chanting, sharing their love and devotion to life with peoples of all colours and creed. There is a regular Kirtan program at the Yoga Barn every Sunday evening starting at 7pm. For more info on Kirtan, Mantra and Sanskrit check out:
www.shantalamusic.com
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