Kirtan As a Mindfulness Practice
By, Waller Thompson, EdD, LPC, SEP, NARM
Kirtan is a type of call-and-response chanting that is actually a type of yoga without the exercise. It has similar benefits as a traditional yoga class or meditation practice where our thinking quiets down so that peace can settle in. Through the music and call-and-response chanting of Kirtan, the heart is opened, the mind is stilled and participants can start to feel connected to others around them.
How Kirtan Regulates the Nervous System
Mindfulness practices are often considered a key ingredient to healing from trauma, anxiety, depression, and other mental health challenges. However, when there has been overwhelm, traditional sitting meditation is often too difficult and can even be contraindicated for some. For people who find silent meditation difficult, Kirtan is one way to experience a quieting of an overactive mind while also feeling the positive effects of doing something together in community. In somatic psychology we know that one of the simplest ways to stimulate the vagus nerve– the calming part of our nervous system– is by singing. In fact, the vagus nerve is connected to our larynx (voicebox) and it literally vibrates when we make sounds. The more prosody or rhythm and lilting intonation of our speech, the greater the signals of safety that we send to others. When we sing or chant in a group, there is a positive feedback loop where we are demonstrating to those around us that we feel safe and relaxed and they are sending those signals back to us. In Polyvagal Theory, this process is referred to as Social Engagement and it is part of the Ventral Vagal Complex that supports health and wellbeing.
Do I have to be a good singer to participate?
Kirtan is about the intention of repeating the sounds that are heard. You don’t have to have any experience to participate or even be able to carry a tune! The more you pay attention to how the sound resonates through you and ripples out through the space, the more you can relax into the blissful enjoyment of being connected to yourself and to others around you.
What do we chant?
The ancient tradition of Kirtan began over 2000 years ago where yogis showed their devotion to the Hindu deities through chanting their names– Ram, Kali, Shiva, Krishna and Lakshmi. Sanskrit is the ceremonial language of Kirtan, and it is sometimes referred to as the language of the divine in that it is thought by many to create a vibration of peace throughout the universe as our voices allow expression to flow and emotions to be released. Perhaps this can be summed up in a 1982 quote from George Harrison, a member of the Beatles, who popularized Kirtan in the West:
“The response that comes from chanting is in the form of bliss, or spiritual happiness, which is a much higher taste than any happiness found here in the material world. That’s why I say that the more you do it, the more you don’t want to stop, because it feels so nice and peaceful”.
