Kīrtana

Singing together must be one of the oldest communal activities humans have ever engaged
in, and seems to be part of every single culture. It was the Bhagavad-Gītā that put Bhakti
Yoga on the map about 2000 years ago, and this practice has been steadily gaining in
popularity in recent years.
People who attend modern yoga classes are often on their own mat, doing their isolated
practice. Singing bhajans is an opportunity to connect and become part of something bigger,
to free up your voice and heart. Bhajans utilise our emotional energy, and are often
combined with mythological story-telling, which highlights the Indian culture out of which
yoga arose.
These songs and folk tales seek to inspire us to find the qualities of the heroes and heroines
within ourselves. Yogīs cherished, sang and told tales of courage, compassion, wisdom and
inner balance. The Indians have come up with a very creative and riveting collection of
legends that entertain as much as they speak to our higher self.
The lyrics of the songs are simple and repetitive and therefore easy to pick up. A skilful
bhajan or kirtan leader is inclusive, knows how to build the energy in a room, and through
singing and playing with deep feeling, can facilitate an experience that is truly heart-opening
for all present.