The Joy of Kirtan
We were interviewed by the Vermont Standard about our recent Kirtan event in Woodstock. I thought you might enjoy reading our responses to the reporter's questions.
What is Kirtan music and why is audience participation an important part of it?
Kirtan (“Kheer-tun”) is a practice of Yoga and comes from India. It is considered a Bhakti practice, one of devotion and open-hearted love towards all beings. These practices increase our self-discipline and self-awareness as we work to remove stiffness and stagnation from the body and mind and remember our inherent connection and unity.
Kirtan works with sound vibration and is usually sung in Sanskrit, the ancient language of India. Sanskrit is a root language (like Latin) and is the base language of languages in Asia and Europe. It is said that because of its ancient origins, Sanskrit holds higher vibrational energy than our modern-day languages.
Everyone is encouraged to join in during the Kirtan, making the practice a “co- formance” rather than a “performance” where the audience group becomes an essential part of the energy. During the “co-formance”, a Kirtan wallah, or chant leader, will sing out a line and the group sings it back. These lines are repeated until they become integrated into the chanter’s consciousness. The chants usually rise in speed, building momentum and vibrational energy, and then the chant slows down. This combination has a powerful effect on the nervous system and helps to calm the body and mind.
The focus on Peace and Harmony for all people is at the center of the anniversary celebration. What makes Kirtan fitting music regarding that focus? How can this form of music and its essential element help people hone in on that focus?
Sound has an amazing healing effect on the nervous system, mind, and heart. All types of energy and sound have one common factor: vibration. Science confirms that all matter vibrates. The definition of music is sound vibration in rhythm and time. When we chant, we raise and align our energy vibration to the vibration of the chant.
The words that we choose leave an impact on our psyche. Negative self-thoughts, and even seemingly harmless phrases like “I am not good at that” leave an equal negative effect on our minds and bodies. Kirtan aims to replace these thoughts with powerful and ancient words of peace, harmony, and unity. The chants are traditional names of the deities of ancient India. These deities, or Sanskrit names, represent forces in nature, and forces that we find within ourselves. They speak to our inherent goodness and to our shared experience of being alive. When we repeat, over and over and over again, as we do in Kirtan practice, they leave a strong impression in our minds and bodies.
From a personal standpoint, what do you as an individual and a musician hope to communicate amongst the participating audience with the performance of Kirtan?
I first and foremost consider myself a teacher and a guide, not a performer. I know my husband, Josh, also feels that way. Our mission with this work is to give people practices that help them to feel a sense of unity, peace, and connection. Our world is messy and difficult. I believe that these beautiful practices of ancient India that have been shared with us contain a healing potential that modern science is only just starting to uncover. If we can give people even just a few minutes of peace and harmony, then perhaps that can carry over into other parts of their lives, and they can share that with others.
Learn more about our practice of Kirtan and upcoming events.
From left to Right: Ko Dustin, Angie Follensbee-Hall, Joshua Hall, and Yvette OM at Aloha Yoga, Keene, NH.
Photo by Josephine Russell.
