Saturday, December 28th, 2013

Surrey, British Columbia

The Great Past

Some of the members of the youth who volunteered themselves in the drama project of this weekend, have this unstoppable passion for kirtan.  One of our girls in Vancouver organized a twelve hour, uninterrupted kirtan, a chanting session, which has become very commonplace in bhakti-yoga communities.

I had mentioned to Radharani, the coordinator, in order to accomplish a traditional edge in a multi-houred chanting kirtan, you have no pauses, no breaks whatsoever.  “When one chanting group
completes their slot the next group to shuffle in, acts as a continuum.  There is a flow that should not be broken.  It needs to be the smoothest transition.”

Secondly, I suggested that since tradition has some merit then have the chanters stick to the maha-mantra.  I learned of these ways from my Bangladeshi and Oriyan friends.  This is their approach for
generations and is the method of showcasing “the mantra” Hare Krishna Hare Krishna Krishna Krishna Hare Hare /Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare, nothing else.  They call this kirtan “Ashta Prahar” an eight hour times three chanting period. Chanting is purging.  It generates camaraderie.  It is an opportunity to present one’s talent but more importantly it is a place and time for collective hearts to offer themselves to the one who leaves sound as a way to transform.  I did indeed put in some walking after leading the final kirtan, at which time the grand finale group got off their butts to dance in the course of chanting.  If we are at all to value antiquity, especially in the line of Chaitanya, then we might look to old levitation techniques, where you rise on your feet, then sway back and forth, raise arms and hands at times.  Tradition has it that you surrender not just your voice and hands (as in playing an instrument) but to engage the entire body, the entire being.  Whatever is great that the past holds let it be sustained for future benefits.

May the Source be with you!

5 Km