Sound Yoga Therapy vs. Kīrtan: What’s the Difference?
A lot of folks assume I'm a performing kīrtan musician like so many others out there... however I'd like to be clear that while I love kīrtan and enjoy singing with people very much, my true and deepest love (and the thing I'm most experienced with) is being a sound yoga therapist leading a chant experience.
Kīrtan vs. Sound Yoga Therapy: 4 differences
There are many differences between performing kīrtan musicians and sound yoga therapists leading a chant experience here are four main distinctions.
What a Sound Yoga Therapist does:
- Prioritizes the participant's inner therapeutic experience
- Selects musical and mantra elements to enhance safety (or other specific elements of the inner experience)
- Empowers participants with skill education for their own long-term personal connection to the transformative power of sound
- Offers nondogmatic, universally accessible approach to the direct sensory connection to sound medicine
What a kirtan musician does:
- Prioritizes the musical quality of their performance & band
- Selects repertoire that is known well by the band, likely to be a "hit" and get the crowd revved up moving dancing etc.
- Empowers an inspiring musical/devotional/social experience at the concert itself (does not typically guide participants into the nuance of the mantra & nāda yoga skills as a takeaway for their long-term personal practice)
- Offers storytelling (myths & legends from the religious order of their personal affinity) to stimulate a shared narrative of belonging, and evoke imagined memories that may not be connected to the participant's direct sensory experience.
I LOVE a great kīrtan! And I deeply admire those who have made it their life's work to glorify the many names of the Divine! Don't get me wrong... Since I often asked to "sing something" or questioned about why I don't have a mantra musical album or why I don't have my own kīrtan band and to the festival tour circuit... I wanted to point out the differences between what I do as a C-IAYT (Sound) Yoga Therapist, and E-RYT500 Registered Yoga Teacher Trainer who created the world's first and only SOUND YOGA teacher training 10 years ago.
Can I lead a rockin' kīrtan under the right circumstances? Hell yes! Bring me the right musicians and let's go! I mostly reserve my devotional rāga singing and mantra chanting moments for my personal time, and have never recorded. Why capture one moment of union when I can be in a continuous flow? My true passion is empowering others!
I chose to focus on YOUR empowerment vs. my own musical expression. (I did record two songs in Japan, produced by my Japanese collaborator under her label Ayana Dake on Spotify! Or my heartofsound.in youtube channel!) But I haven’t taken the time or money to do a studio album yet. I’m in love with sharing the tools themselves, with people who love to chant. It’s all about you! 🤗 If you’re ready for a profound home immersion and self-study program designed for your maximum empowerment, this is for you!
FREE Yoga of Sound Chant Experience
Beginners are welcome in this yoga of sound chant experience free online class with internationally respected Sanskrit mantra teacher and musician Anandra George.
The LIVE class will be FREE. So if you want the FREE experience, and the chance to hang out afterwards and chat with our Heart of Sound community, be sure to attend LIVE!
Free sound wellness resources for you to enjoy: nāda yoga, Sanskrit mantra, sound healing yoga therapy, and kīrtan chant.
Perfect if your heart wants to sing but you're not sure where to start… or if you already LOVE chanting, kīrtan, or Sanskrit mantra and want to go deeper.
- Video Lessons
- Tips from Anandra to refine your practice
- Real sound medicine, not fluff
Whether you're curious, committed, or ready to become a sound yoga teacher… there's a free resource you'll benefit from diving into!
Discover the best sound yoga therapy, mantra meditation, and nada yoga here:
- Dive deep with the world's first and only online sound and mantra 200HR & 500HR Teacher Training
- More free sound baths and chant experiences of all different types are available at HeartofSound on YouTube / Sound Bath Playlist
- Get to know Anandra through her IG reels and media appearances.
- Interested? ☎️ Book a FREE 30 minute Discovery call! Let's explore together and find the perfect option
