My Favorite Part

Way back in 2018 I was backpacking through Guatemala and discovered, in the mountains, a sacred practice called Kirtan.

Kirtan is the ancient sacred practice of singing to God. Practitioners weave their voices together to praise or worship the divine.

It’s odd that I found this practice in Guatemala because it is a devotional practice that originates from the Indian subcontinent. But in recent years, kirtan has gained popularity worldwide, with practitioners from various cultural backgrounds embracing this practice as a means of personal growth, spiritual exploration, and fostering a sense of community.

Kirtan events and festivals are organized in many countries, providing an opportunity for people to come together and participate in this uplifting practice. Kirtan can be practiced in Sanskrit but other languages may feature as well. The word Kirtan comes from the sanskrit “Kirtana” which means "praise" or "glorification."

My first experience with a sacred singing circle was at the Yoga Forest and that first experience was pure magick.

The experience brought together songs in Sanskrit, Spanish, English and more.

I sat in circle with around fifteen other souls and for three hours sang my heart out and cried the deepest tears I have ever cried in my life. These tears came from the deepest recesses of my being. I liberated years and years of material out of my field in that safe and sacred setting.

I couldn’t believe how powerful the practice was for me and I had never experienced anything like it before.

I’ve always been very sensitive, especially around music, but something happened in me during the surrender in that experience. It wasn’t the same me that left the gorgeous, glassed-out room overlooking the range of volcanic mountains (see photo above). I had been changed.

Before that experience I don’t think I’d heard of Bhakti yoga (the path of devotion and the heart) and I definitely didn’t know that singing was considered a sacred art in that tradition. I had always felt like I was accessing something sacred when I sang but had never really put words to that experience within myself.

It was after this holy and opening experience that I knew I wanted to become a yoga teacher.

I knew it was time for me to enroll in training and learn more about the lineages, art and sacred stillness yoga had to offer.

I returned home after six months of travel.

Guatemala was my last stop and I had been there for a month. When I arrived home I quickly found a job and immediately reached out to my local yoga school to get information on their next training. I was enrolled shortly after and my journey continued.

During yoga teacher training I furthered my spiritual commitment by shaving my head and diving into study.

I was continuing to cleanse myself of old ways of being so that my voice could awaken and carry further than it could before.

After training I began to experiment with singing some of the mantras I had learned by heart to folks when they were in Savasana.

One day I thought that I’d “bring the students back” from Savasana by singing to them instead of speaking to them.

I got amazing feedback on the choice and began to make singing a regular occurrence at the end of my classes. I also began to experiment with singing in the events I began doing around a year after I started teaching.

I had been teaching for about two years when I attended a workshop at a local yoga studio with the fabulous and famous singer Natalia Clavier (who frequently collaborated with my favorite band, Thievery corporation).

In the workshop we chose a comfortable restorative pose or a supported Savasana and then for about an hour Natalia sang over us. I was so inspired like I had been by the kirtan (only with less tears).

After the experience I got a chance to speak with Natalia who was so generous with her time and energy. I said that I had been attempting to do what she is doing beautifully and that I was inspired to continue.

Since that experience almost a year ago I have been singing my heart out in events and classes.

I have been holding soundbaths each month, I have acquired three crystal bowls (so far) and a tiny bell and I am delving into what sound healing has to offer in a bigger way.

My absolute favorite part of my job is when I get to sing.

Those moments feel holy to me. I am so grateful that I found the sacred singing circle practice of kirtan and that there are regular opportunities to chant mantra in my community.

In between kirtans you can find me chanting away over you at the end of our flow and restorative classes and creating soundscapes for you to float off to in special events.

I hope to be able to sing to you soon! Thank you so much for reading until the end.

Be well.

Original digital art: Seandhi (@seandhiseid)