Kirtan for Opening the Heart
When the kirtan opens up the heart, and we are singing divinity, truth and love, we can become as one with the divine manifestation of light. We can become as one with truth. We can become as one with all things divine, perfect and free!
What is Kirtan?
If the heart were open fully and we see the divine in everything, and we accept God as our truth, what is there left to see? If kirtan were opening our heart because we see the divine in everything when we sing, wouldn’t that be a worthy task to undertake? Kirtan is the divine, devotional chanting of God’s name. This usually involves the light of grace singing through us for as we chant we surrender fully into God’s grace. I haven’t seen my divinity only because I haven’t allowed God to take me. In devotional chanting or kirtan, we allow god to fully take our bodies and sing us into the light.
What is the purpose of Kirtan?
When we open our heart to God, all things are possible and all things are free. When we open our heart to the Divine, it isn’t easy to be anything but free. That is the essence of divinity, being alive and free. If it weren’t for kirtan, how would we be graced with this divine love every day. Obviously there are other ways, but the joy, the ecstasy, the grace that is cultivated through this act of devotionally expressing our love for God abounds in the singing of the Divine name.
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I’m Kai Shanti - a Spiritual Seeker and Teacher who helps others discover their own Divinity
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What happens at a Kirtan?
Always people are singing, laughing, joyfully expressing. Some may choose to dance. Some may choose to go into a meditative state. Sometimes the singer leads and the audience responds and it goes back and forth like this. Sometimes the singer and musicians play and sing and the audience joins right in. I like to do it this way because everyone joins in as we become one divine energy of grace. I want everyone to sing and be joyful with me when I sing. The more we open up this grace, the more it becomes this pure, graceful energy of love. It’s very special when people come together and chant the energy of love.
When I hold Kundalini Awakening Shaktipat programs, I usually open up the space with kirtan. This has profound effects for opening people’s energy to be more open to receiving the grace.
Here are a few excerpts from attendees of my programs:
“…we sang a devotional song for a long while, several words sung repeatedly & increased tempo over time. i sung hard from my navel, from the pit where sound begins. i opened my throat and felt my voice bouncing off the walls, threading with the harmonium, the mridangam, clapping & the other voices of those sitting on the floor all around me.”
“…As we sat around the room in a circle Kai and Rod started off the evening with a Chant that was unlike any I had heard before, It had such a great energy and I found myself in a really wonderful space…”
“…Kai's beautiful singing voice and mastery of the harmonium along with Rod's drumming talents and chanting by the group combine to create a divine setting for her work…”
What is the Power of Kirtan?
The power of devotional chanting/kirtan is the deep space we create through the power of sound. The sound of God’s name, the sound of light, the sound of truth, the sound of divinity, it’s an ecstatic state. Sound and words have meaning and form, vibrating at certain frequencies that allow us to be in light. God’s name is a vibrational frequency of light and the more we chant it, the more we become that light. The heart is a powerful generator of love, and light dwells in the frequency of love. So mechanistically even, we can say that if we allow ourselves to open up and feel the names of God in our heart, we will serve as a conduit for God’s Divine Light and Love. That is the Power of Love. Chanting the names of the Divine is Love. That’s all it is. Divine Love.
Where do I go for a Live Kirtan?
It isn’t hard to find a kirtan festival these days, luckily, as it has become quite popular in the yoga community. Also, look at your local yoga studios and see if they may be offering anything. Try searching the internet for kirtan festivals or yoga festivals and I’m sure you’ll find something good. Sign up for the mailing lists of some of the more popular kirtan artists and you’ll receive some good inside info on where to be.
I always offer kirtan before my live in person events and sometimes I show up at a festival myself. Check my events page to see what I am currently offering.
Conclusion
In this time of uncertainty in the world, we could all use some good juju to open our hearts and revel in the mystery of life. We haven’t been away from this style of music for too long because I believe that it dwells in the depth of our heart. We need to access it to remember our true divinity.
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Grace Is Within Us