Kirtan ("Kheer-tun") is a practice of Bhakti-Yoga and comes from India. Bhakti is a practice of devotion and open-hearted love for all beings.
Kirtan works with sound vibration and is usually sung in Sanskrit, the ancient language of India. Sanskrit is a root language (like Latin), and the base language of many modern languages in Asia and Europe. It is said that because of its ancient origins, Sanskrit holds higher vibrational energy than our modern-day languages.
Everyone is encouraged to join in during the Kirtan, making the practice a "co-formance" rather than a “performance” where the audience group becomes an essential part of the energy. During the "co-formance" a Kirtan walla, or chant leader, will sing out a line and the group sings it back. These lines are repeated until they become integrated into the chanter's consciousness. The chants usually rise in speed, building momentum and vibrational energy, and then the chant slows down. This combination has a powerful effect on the nervous system and helps to calm the body and mind.
