So it is no surprise that one of the many gifts that the yogic tradition has brought the Western world is the simple but powerful act of singing together. In ashrams, yoga studios and living rooms around the world, people are gathering to sing Sanskrit mantras in the form of kirtan or satsang, as has been done in India for thousands of years.

This is not about performance or the perfection of the church choir; it is about every voice remembering that singing is as ancient and natural as language itself, and serves a collective purpose. Uttering a simple “Om” or “Alleluia” accesses a heightened spiritual connection and literally creates a positive vibration in the world. In India the restorative powers of mantras has been used in the clinical treatment of physical ailments. Denver-area kirtan organizer Brian Borg is drawn to this type of singing because it “opens my heart and reconnects me to a deeper sense of self...It teaches me compassion and connection.”

The interest in kirtan and satsang singing has grown from local gatherings to prestigious concert halls with international artists such as Deva Premal & Miten, Krishna Das, and Snatam Kaur. They lead audiences in the thousands to raise their collective voices in song. Regardless of the venue, the common thread is a desire to connect to something spiritual and lasting.

Deva Premal has made sharing the power of mantras her life’s work. She also encourages her audiences to form their own satsang singing groups. Says Deva, “We need to find low-tech ways to come together and participate in singing--not just listening. Often the simplest things—like singing--are the most effective. Anyone can invite some friends over, put on a CD of mantras and chant together. The idea is to use the chants to bring ourselves into meditation.”

If CD sales are any measure, the hundreds of thousands Deva Premal has sold are evidence that listeners across the globe are answering her call to harmonious action. Into Silence, a new collection of her most popular chants, should bring more voices to the choir.

The first step toward realizing the transformative joy of singing is to simply open our mouths—and hearts—and sing. It may seem awkward at first, but as Deva Premal says, “everybody with a voice can sing, and everyone with a breath in their body can experience their divinity.”

(For more information on finding a singing group in your area, visit www.devapremalmiten.com and click on the “Community” button or visit www.kirtanconnection.com. Deva Premal’s CD are available from www.whiteswanrecords.com)