KIRTAN ~ call and response chanting of the divine names
Kirtan is often called the heartbeat of Bhakti Yoga because of its uplifting and expansive nature, and also because it's pretty darn fun. At its core, kirtan is a devotional (Bhakti) practice designed to bring us closer to our hearts, to Spirit, or to God. Simply being together and singing the divine names can have a purifying and healing effect.
Here is a wonderful description of kirtan written by Krishna Das.
"The words of these chants are called the divine names and they come from a place that's deeper than our hearts and our thoughts, deeper than the mind. And so as we sing them they turn us towards ourselves, into ourselves. They bring us in, and as we offer ourselves into the experience, the experience changes us. They come from the Hindu tradition, but it's not about being a Hindu or believing anything in advance. It's just about doing it, and experiencing. Nothing to join, you just sit down and sing."
So we just go to a kirtan, sit down and sing. That's it. Close your eyes, listen to the mantra, and sing it back. The worst thing that can happen is nothing, but odds are pretty good that you will feel more connected to your heart, to Spirit, and to those around you.
Ready to give it a try?