This post is Grassroots, meaning a reader posted it directly. If you see an issue with it, contact an editor.
If you’d like to post a Grassroots post, click here!

1.1
April 30, 2019

Mantra & Kirtan: Sing Your Heart Out

It was powerful. Something inside was changing without understanding, with every other syllabus sang. Over and over. The repetitive sound was vibrating inside-out, gradually overpowering the mind buzzing from the effort to logically explain what was happening. One voice and one sound with everybody around me and all within me. Feeling fully present at that moment, when nothing else mattered but singing, breathing and watching joyful sensations flowing through the body. Such was my first encounter with mantra singing and Kirtan. And not only it has lasted until today but the intensity of the joyful experiences has expanded and strengthened the devotion to the Creator, to Life.

BHAKTI YOGA

Chanting or singing mantras and a form of call & response collective singing, Kirtan, have been a part of Yoga since inception when a Guru offered a unique Mantra to a student to support spiritual evolution. Bhakti Yoga, or the Yoga of devotion, is a gateway to the connection with the divine, regardless a religion. It gives the seekers all the benefits leading to deep meditation and stillness to expand the awareness beyond the body and mind.

MANTRA & NADA YOGA

Mantra or prayer is a sacred syllabus carrying certain qualities and vibrations. Through repeating words, sentences and verses, these qualities are invited and instilled into our awareness. Usually referring to deities, Gurus and saint beings, Mantras remind us of our own divinity within. Chanting, reciting and singing the prayers give a point of focus to our mind, so its constant buzz gradually subsides and one can feel fully present in a moment. Mantras are therefore highly calming and meditative. To rediscover the own meditative ability requires the calmness of the mind. Nada Yoga, the Yoga of sound, implements voice, sound and mantras to purify the energy, open the voice, support a vocal release of feelings and emotions and boost concentration to achieve deep meditation.

Even the science started studying mantras for their ability to change the brain waves and support a function of normally dormant areas. In other words, chanting may unveil our higher potential. And even if the words are not understood, trust that singing praises to the divine can have no other than a positive effect on your mind, finally allowed to rest in the mantras’ soothing arms.

KIRTAN UNITES US

And while mantras can be chanted alone as a part of individual practice, collective singing incredibly amplifies the effect. As the voices of many beings unite in one vibrating sound, strong energy is created where honesty, compassion, kindness and love prevail. Kirtan removes the walls, opens the hearts, brings us together while offering a safe space for self-expression, where the joy of each being expands into collective happiness. It is a phenomenon, which must only be experienced.

CHANTING PRACTICE

Chanting can be smoothly implemented in your daily routine, simply starting with the highest mantra OM. You do not need a fine-tuned voice to sing or chant, more than your voice matters your intention. To develop a discipline from the very beginning, 54 or 108 Mala beads are useful to support the flow. Find a peaceful place, sit in a comfortable position with a straight spine (sitting on a cushion helps), grab the Mala between the thumb and the middle finger and place the palms on your knees. With every repetition of a mantra, pull one bead down in a clockwise movement. When you reach the beginning of the Mala, your starting point, you can conclude the chanting or continue with as many cycles as you feel. There is a wide repertoire of chants and mantras, as Kirtan was brought from temples to festivals, theatres, concert halls and Yoga classes. Explore the Youtube and you will find heart opening musicians and bands transforming mantras into uplifting songs, which may become a part of your daily playlist. Look for a chanting circle, attend a Kirtan concert, ask your Yoga instructor to add this element to your class or to teach you some chants.

There are many ways to explore this ancient yet highly relevant practice, let your heart beat guide you in the right way. It may be one of the best discoveries of this lifetime. Om Gam Ganapataye Namaha, salutations to the remover of obstacles, which might not even exist on our path!

Discover more about Yoga & Kirtan by holding each other’s hand on this timeless journey of life, www.thetimelessjourney.com

Read 1 Comment and Reply
X

Read 1 comment and reply

Top Contributors Latest

Mayka  |  Contribution: 140