Kirtan is a Sanskrit word meaning to ‘tell a story’ or ‘to pass down’. It is a musical form of narration with roots in the yogic tradition.

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Kirtan is a call and response style of singing set to music where a singer calls out a song or story to the audience or individual who calls back replying in song.

The word ‘chant’ originates from the Latin ‘to sing.’ Often repeating a melody of simple notes or tones sung collectively.

I provide Kirtan Singing and Chanting workshops, events, and teacher training to yoga teachers and individuals for health, harmony, and greater wellbeing. With services catering to young millennials and women, I offer an opportunity for clients to unplug from a technically-driven age and reconnect to their inner voice through the healing power of song. Kirtan chanting has been scientifically studied and shown to have vast health benefits for those who practice it (https://artfulheartyoga.com/benefits-of-kirtan-kriya-meditation-on-brain-health/).

Ranging from one on one private instruction to weekend workshops and performances, I aim to lead and provide access to this healing modality which is quickly gaining popularity in the U.K. Parallel to this leadership, I aim to train others in Kirtan teaching, allowing current yoga practitioners and teachers to expand their skill-set and enhance their qualifications. 

Science and Health Benefits

The rise of yoga celebrated the health benefits that the practice offers, for both body and mind. Some studies, for example, showed yoga to improve sleep in breast cancer survivors, other studies showed that practicing yoga minimized memory loss (https://www.yogajournal.com/lifestyle/count-yoga-38-ways-yoga-keeps-fit).

Akin to the health benefits attributed to yoga practice, new and continued research has shown how Kirtan chanting, too, encourages a healthy body and mind. Research conducted by Alfred Tomatis of the French Academy of Science and Medicine found that 'chanting sounds have a therapeutic effect on the body. It soothes all our bodily systems and activates the body’s natural healing process. It also plays a part in reversing heart disease.' A further study by Imperial College London lecturer Alan Watkins revealed that while chanting, our heart rate and blood pressure dips to its lowest in the day. The breadth of research into the psychological and physical effects of chanting practice is staggering; with a repeated emphasis on the positive effects that chanting induces.

One study conducted by The Alzheimer's Research and Prevention Foundation (ARPF) found the following to 'be consistent with the practice of Kirtan’:

○      Improved memory

○      Reduced stress

○      Increased Brain Blood Flow

○      Improved sleep

○      Less depression

○      Clarity of purpose

 

Far more than being just a fashionable fad for the millennial generation, Kirtan is a proven and recognized therapy for the body and mind.