What is kirtan?

On Sat October 29th  Body Mind Circle will host a kirtan with Danielle (left) and Julia (right).  Some of you may not really know what kirtan is.  

To me, kirtan is like using the energy of vibration to open things up in our body.  There is the vibration of our vocal  cords as we sing simple repeating words called mantras. Since the vocal cords are in the throat, it opens the 5th Chakra and the heart Chakra lies just below, with the third eye just above. It often results in us feelings of peace and Harmony with those around us. In this room, in this town...in this state... in this planet.  Anyone who has sung in a choir can attest to that.

There is also a spiritual aspect to a kirtan. For some it might just be about the hypnotic effect of chanting that brings us into a meditative single pointed focus. For others, it may be more profound. 

This was written by Dani Coffield, the gal who will be leading our kirtan Oct 29. 

We experience the energy and vibrations of communal singing, connecting to the Divine and each other, opening our hearts and quieting our minds. Everyone participating contributes to the experience, emanating loving energy to the universe.

Kirtan is the sacred tradition of call-and-response chanting, brought to us from India. Kirtan is one of the principal activities of Bhakti Yoga (the path of devotion). The chants often come from the Hindu tradition, but people of all faiths and cultural backgrounds participate in kirtan - it is in essence a meditation,
repeating the various names of God, turning inward towards ourselves.

We experience the energy and vibrations of communal singing, connecting to the Divine (whatever that means to each person) and each other, opening our hearts and quieting our minds. Everyone participating contributes to the experience, emanating loving energy to the universe.