Ever felt low and depressed. Maybe it’s the cold weather, maybe it’s the lack of sunshine, maybe its just life stuff. Speaking for myself, being a child of the tropics, winters can really wear down even my typically cheerful and positive outlook on life.
What do you do then? What happens If this low feeling hits you at night like it does sometimes to me. And doesn’t allow me to go to sleep.
My answer is kirtan. Every night I go to sleep listening to the chants of a kirtan that is a particular favourite of mine. Its not because I sang it, but because of the way it lights up my chakras. Leaving no room for despair, no room for depressive thoughts, or no room for sadness.
Chakra is Sanskrit for wheel or cycle. There are 7 chakras in the yogic system. These are like spiral energy centers through which energy flows through. They govern the wellbeing of different aspects of our physical, emotional and spiritual well being. Having a chakra out of whack essentially means some part of you isn’t functioning optimally and needs loving care and attention. You can seek it out through external media like a trip to the doctor’s office and get some drugs, which typically tend to mask symptoms, but don’t always get to the cause. Or you can resort to yoga poses to get your chakras alive and going again. In Apsara yoga classes, our aim is to make you come alive.
However if you are not in the mood to spring into a yoga pose, there’s an easier way out.
Listening to the sounds of kirtan is an awesome way to reconnect with yourself and re-energize yourself. I remember singing during off times at my yoga teacher training course. And every single time, without fail my fellow student would burst into tears and dash out of the room. After a point, I was concerned. Was my music that awful? No, assured my teacher, he’s got to be extremely grateful to you. Your music is rousing in him ancient memories, hurt, buried away and with the sounds that you are creating, his chakras are getting re-awakened and he is healing. Don’t stop, she said, keep on. And sure enough my fellow student came back to the studio and asked if I could keep on singing.
Here then is a chant that I listen to every night to just feel alive and I have no problem going to sleep after. Take a listen. Its live music, not studio recording, so there might be a place or two where the audio capturing isn’t the best. But its still amazing. Listen, just listen and let the waves of the music wash over you, bringing you healing and making you come alive by lighting up your energy centers.
–charuyoga–
charuyoga 