MAKE A JOYFUL NOISE: KIRTAN

Bhakti Yoga.  Ever heard of it?  I've said before in this blog that Yoga is not just exercise.  Yes, asana (the poses) are the form of yoga best known in the west, but yoga is a way of life with many aspects and practices.  Bhakti Yoga is the practice of honoring the divine by chanting the names of the Hindu gods and goddesses in a practice of chant called "Kirtan".

Don't be put off by the whole Hindu thing...you don't have to convert or "believe" a certain way or give up your own religious practices to enjoy a Kirtan.  The practice is also one of meditation -- the repeated chants of the names of the Hindu deities are just a place to rest your mind as you breathe, vocalize, and resonate with the music (especially in a group).  I liken it to singing "alleluia" over and over on Easter morning, as we did in the Methodist church I attended as a kid.  It was joyful, uplifting, and meditative.  The gods and goddesses, so many of them, I think of as representing the various aspects of our human experience.

My first exposure to Kirtan was listening to a CD compilation a friend brought to my house.  Jai Uttal, Krishna Das, Deva Primal -- world-renowned Kirtan artists all and I was immediately completely awed and filled with joy at the music and voices, even if I couldn't understand a word of the Sanskrit they were chanting/singing.  The next day I got on-line to see if there were any local Kirtans....yes.  In Seattle a woman named Gina Sala led Kirtan once a month at a Yoga Studio on Capitol Hill.  My friends and I went a week later.

Gina is a phenom, a true delight, and just being in her presence at a Kirtan makes people happy.  Then she starts to sing and you know you are in the presence of a true talent.  She has studied with vocal masters in India and continues to spend time with her teachers there, even after devoting her adult life to Kirtan.   Same is true of many Kirtan musicians.   I've grown to know Gina well, having regularly attended her Kirtans over the years, taken workshops with her, and even signed up for a 9 month-long Sound School with her.  I do not play an instrument and cannot for the life of me remember all the details of all the many Hindu dieties, but I did grow in confidence in my ability to sing -- I haven't developed a better voice, I've just decided to let go of judgment and let it fly!

I've attended a number of residential workshops with Jai Uttal, another amazingly talented and classically trained Kirtan artist who often travels with a tabla (drum) player named Daniel Paul.  The two of them together at a retreat are a hoot!  And so amazingly devoted to their craft and teaching others.

I've gone to concerts featuring Krishna Das and Deva Premal.  Both are probably the most widely known Kirtan artists, packing huge venues wherever they go.  It's always a deep and joyful experience.

So, what to expect?  There is generally a "lead singer" who plays an instrument -- often a harmonium which is sort of a keyboard/squeeze box thing with a beautiful sound.  The leader sings a line of Sanskrit "lyric".   Then one or more others in the group sings the same line and the audience sings along with them.  It's call and response, over and over.  The band can be small -- maybe only two people, or huge -- many musicians on various instruments and numerous vocalists.  Typically there will be drums, a guitar, a harmonium, a flute, maybe a cello, a keyboard...any combination depending on the group and the venue.  At the end of each "song" (which can go on for a long, long time) is a period of silence.  NO APPLAUSE.  It is a time to sit in silence in respect for the practice and to feel the lingering resonance of the sound within.

Kirtan can be slow and deeply meditative, or loud and rockin', enticing some to get up and dance.  There is clapping and arm waving or sitting quietly in deep contemplation.  However the music moves you, is the "right" way to experience Kirtan.  Some of the Sanskrit is very easy and other times it is foreign to our western tongue and seems very complicated.  Just do your best.  Generally a lyric sheet is passed out and most of it is pretty phonetic.  Try to sing...it enhances the experience for both the Kirtan artist and the participants.  But if you get totally lost, put the lyric sheet down and just silently groove to the music, letting it soothe your soul.©

Namaste,  donnajurene