Kirtan vs chanting

[Guest guest]

Sat Nam, my question is when we are offering an

evening of chanting and it is "not" with live music

can it still be called a "Kirtan"?

Jiwan Shakti

Tampa, FL

 

 

 

 

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[Guest guest]

Sat Nam Jiwan Shakti,

 

Kirtan is devotional singing.....so if you're singing along with live music or

to a CD of sung mantras, that would be kirtan.

 

But if you're doing more of a monotone/less melodic in nature chant thing

without accompianment....then that would be chanting I would say!

 

All Light,

Sat Sangeet

 

 

 

 

Find your next car at Canada Autos

 

 

[Guest guest]

Sat Nam,

 

Not to be a "stick" about this but I think kirtan is actually the

singing of verses from sacred writings (Sikh scriptures such as the

Siri Guru Granth Sahib, for example), in a group, for the purpose of

worship by the group and upliftment of the individual ass part of that

group. Many East Asian religious traditions use kirtan as an integral

part of their worship service. The congregation is encouraged to

participate and be uplifted.

 

Chanting however is different. Chanting is usually done as part of a

disciplined practice directed towards self improvement in the mental,

physical or spiritual areas. As part of a yogic practice perhaps???

 

Both are quite close but also subtlely different. The chanting

involves mantras (exerpted from scriptures) repeated regularly and

rhythmically for personal upliftment. Kirtan is the singing of an

entire section with sometimes complex call and answer repetitions

between the leading singer/musician/ragi. For the purposes of

participation, chanting is usually, though not always and there are

many exceptions, the repetion of shorter phrases (mantras) that have a

self hypnotic quality, training the mind to focus naturally and

extensively upon the divinity of the soul. The same results can also

occur in the participation of kirtan, though it is within the more

formal setting of a worship service.

 

I would be happy to converse further on this wonderful subject if

anyone has any comments but I will end here in the interests of

simplicity.

 

Sat Nam

 

 

-- In Kundaliniyoga, Sat Sangeet <satsangeetkaur>

wrote:

> Sat Nam Jiwan Shakti,

>

> Kirtan is devotional singing.....so if you're singing along with

live music or to a CD of sung mantras, that would be kirtan.

>

> But if you're doing more of a monotone/less melodic in nature chant

thing without accompianment....then that would be chanting I would say!

>

> All Light,

> Sat Sangeet

>

>

>

>

> Find your next car at Canada Autos

>

>