Kirtan is chanting and chanting (divine singing) has an ancient history that spans many cultures and most religions. Most faiths have embraced chanting in one form or another because the devotion expressed through this process is one of the paths to god and a vehicle to self-realization.

Most of the chants I sing are in the ancient yogic language of Sanskrit and are ways of singing the various names or aspects of God. Again, we see this expression in nearly all of the faiths, from the saints and angels in Catholicism, to the trinity and the mother in all of Christianity, to the Gods of Hinduism.

In fact, these different names of God are simply expressions of different forms of consciousness. Indeed, we experience these different forms of consciousness every day, in almost all situations. Sometimes we are compassionate, sometimes loving, and often kind. These are all ways of expressing our relationship with Source. Sometimes, however, we might be less than kind, or less than loving, and these moments provide opportunities to shift our consciousness back into the realm of the sacred.

Chanting takes all of these energies and transmutes them into expressions of divinity. The ancient yogis knew that the emotions were a direct path to God and that chanting was a special way to take all of the emotions and use them for sacred connections.

Sanskrit is a language that uses sound for spiritual awakening. Indeed, the intention behind the language is to express the different aspects of divine consciousness. Contemporary thinkers like Dr. Wayne Dyer talk about the “power of intention” and remind us that where we place our focus is often what manifests in life. The ancient yogis figured this out several thousand years ago and used a language that directed intention toward God.

One of the great beauties behind all of this is that it doesn’t matter what religion, faith, or philosophy the chanter comes from, as it is really the intention brought to the chant that creates the sacred connection. With this awareness, we can create a space for divinity to manifest and we can bathe in that connection.

Many of the chants I use are call and response. That means I sing a line of the chant, and then the participants respond by singing the same line back. This way, the tune, pronunciation, and rhythm are easy to follow. I also distribute chant sheets so that everyone can see and read the words as they sing. Again, the intention is to keep the chants and the experience as simple as possible so that the kirtan becomes a platform for realizing our own divinity.