She is the legend behind the recording of the chanting of the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali, from which I am learning, however, just by one of those strange coincidences of the universe and the power of intention, I sat next someone at lunch the other day, who knows of James, who has studied with Jayashree, and who invites people for chanting.
Kirtan, is the practice of having a person sing the names of God (and other chants) while a group repeats, only thing I did not know is how dangerous it is.
You may disagree with me on the wording, and you are right, it probably isn't dangerous, it is just so for me. When those sounds begin to take over and the vibrations in the room show with such palpable clarity how "one" we all are, then the mind does not know what to do with it, at least my mind does not, she gets a short circuit.
On this, my very first kirtan I felt that the sounds went right through me, reached my emotional body and did with it what they wanted. I cried, felt embarrassed, remembered my father's recent death and almost collapsed from the pain. I also felt gratitude, happiness, and community.
When I asked James at the end of the session he explained that this practice has that peculiar quality to it, it reaches the subtle body much easily, it gets to the core of things, it works on the nerve endings from a different perspective. He might have used better words, but this is what I understood.
I asked James if it would be OK to share his information so that anyone who may be interested can contact him and he agreed. You can e-mail him at Jamesrboag@gmail.com and ask to be added to his mailing list as he is planning on travelling around the world.
I believe you were correct to share this.
ReplyDeleteBlessings.
I love your description, Claudia. I was surprised to find out that you haven't done kirtan before but I realize that ashtangis are not so much into it. At least that is my experience :) I studied and became certified in a style that has kirtan as a part of it and I have in fact become a kirtan wallah. I have been asked to do kirtans everywhere in my area for 3 years now mostly because of the exact reason you state in your post. People are yearning to feel their emotional body more purely and they come ~ more people than I ever expected would ever come. So glad you've had your first experience...don't let it be the last because as a yogi, it's important. Just my sincere thoughts...and because yoga can be expressed in so many ways along with our awesome asana practice. I currently practice Ashtanga and love it so much but my fellow shala mates are not so keen on kirtan. I still believe my practice has deepened a whole lot because of it :)
ReplyDeleteThank you Wild Magnolia! :-)
ReplyDeleteAnonymous, that is very interesting. I could understand why some shalas may have a resistance, perhaps we all have a resistance in the West (or some of us) because it reaches the emotional body so quickly, and one feels "out of control", isn't that right? I definitelly want to do it again and again, I am open to it, and I appreciate you sharing your story
Hi Claudia,
ReplyDeleteI came across kirtan accidentally (there was a 1 hour kirtan at the end of a memorial I attended at a yoga school here when Guruji died) and I absolutely love it.I go from time to time and have experienced laughter and tears, and some very strong changes and reactions. The kirtan leader at the class always explains to new-comers that as an ancient language sanskrit somehow resonates with the original body in a way that we don't even need to understand what we are chanting to be moved by it (she describes it better but this agrees with what James is saying). That's certainly been my experience, and there have been times when I stayed away because I was feeling vulnerable and thought I would have a meltdown. It's powerful stuff!
Enjoying the guide to Mysore post very much! Hoping to get there next year. So wish I was there right now!
ReplyDeleteAs for the kirtan stuff ~ here's a good assessment :)
“People sit together and sing the names of God with harmony and concord and with divine feeling.
This is kirtan. It elevates the mind quickly.
God is a mystery. Mind is a mystery. The world is a mystery. How kirtan transmutes human nature into divine nature, how it overhauls the old vicious mental habits, how it changes the mental substance, and how it brings the devotee face to face with God is also a mystery. Science and reason can hardly explain the modus operandi of kirtan.” ~ Swami Sivananda
Anon, lovely quote, it is a mystery indeed... thank you!
ReplyDelete@Daydreamingmel, thank you for sharing that, I am glad to see I am not alone. I believe I heard that too, about the Sanskrit resonating with the body, this time I actually "felt it" in my own body, bones, ligaments, amazing... thanks for your comment
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