Sound Healing with Sacred Chants and Kirtan

1710 Carleton Street,Berkeley CA 94703

04 February, 2023

Description

We will be singing from 6.00-8.00 pm, and afterwards there will be a community potluck! This is a family friendly event, and there is a separate playroom for kids should they need it. Kirtan combines music and mantra — words and sounds that vibrate at the highest level of awareness. It is an effortless and joyful way to meditate. You simply let the music and mantra do the work for you. Kirtan is a different kind of concert-going experience. It’s not so much a performance as it is a journey into the Self — through the practice of listening & singing. While singing along at a kirtan event, you can find your own voice and become one voice with those performing. For those who find seated meditation difficult, a singing meditation can be just the ticket. Music bypasses the thinking mind, the worried mind, and goes straight to that part of the brain where the emotions reside. The musical meditation of kirtan soothes the nervous system, just like a yoga class. Both are easy and fun. Kirtan calms the mind without struggling to concentrate. Because kirtan has its roots in India, many of the songs are sung in Sanskrit, the language of ancient India, the language of mantra. Most often, a singer (kirtan wallah) leads the chant call-and-response style. She or he sings out a line and the audience sings it back. At other times songs are sung in unison. Kirtan is a bit like singing around a yogic campfire – creating feelings of oneness and joy. As you sing with each other in a group, you may experience a deep connection with the musicians, the other group members and even yourself. This oneness and heart connection is one of the highest goals of yoga. When the music stops, the mind is silent and calm. You are now ready for deeper meditation.