The Power Of Chanting (Kirtan)
The other night, I went to a chanting session (Kirtan) for the first time. I had no idea what to expect - only that a group of us would be going through mantras together or something like that. The experience turned out to be so healing and more educational than I had imagined.
To set the stage: 'A mantra is a sacred utterance, a numinous sound, a syllable, word or group of words in Sanskrit believed to have psychological and/or spiritual powers.' Each mantra that we chanted had a story of a Hindu God(s) tied to it. One of my favorite mantras is Sita Ram Shri Ram Jai Jai Ram, which translates as "May Ram and Sita triumph". Ram symbolizes our inner fire, while Sita resides in the root chakra representing the earth element. Another one is Om Gum Ganapatzye Namaha, which translates as "I bow to the elephant-faced deity (Ganesha) who is capable of removing all obstacles - I pray for blessings and protection."
Most of you have probably chanted 'Om' at one point or another (there's always some of that in Yoga). Om is the original and most powerful mantra and is the primal sound of the Divine in its essential manifestation; God. It’s been said that everything in our Universe emits a sound frequency and that Om is literally a sound emitted from source itself that can be heard in the depths of meditation. Our guide told the story of a monk diving in the ocean and hearing Om ring through the stillness below the surface of the water.
I hadn't realized it, but I've actually been listening to mantras on my meditation playlist and saying that Ganesha chant for years! Something about the words and the rhythm is deeply soothing. I see it as a form of meditation; a way to tap into a collective consciousness that is on that frequency. The mantras are ancient, and when we chant we also tap into that ancient wisdom and ancestral healing.
Our guide led the fifteen of us through each mantra while she played the harmonium. She would sing a phrase and we would sing it back. Once we all got the melody down, the chanting became almost hypnotic and deeply connective. Just being with a group of people singing together and opening their hearts was very powerful. It also brought most of us out of our comfort zones and we all left feeling more confident and connected.
Maybe this will inspire you to do a little chanting tonight before bed.
You can click HERE to listen to one of my favorite chants on Spotify. Love you.
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