When did people stop singing together? America was founded on community song: from the church hymns sung together in early settlements in New England to the songs as stories told around the campfires in the Old West to the folks songs of Woody Guthrie. Now, with our increasingly isolating tv and computing lifestyles, we hardly join together in song. Thank goodness many religions keep community singing alive.

A new movement is percolating into American consciousness and practice—a movement that originated in ancient India. Kirtan singing involves the yoga-centered practice of a call and response song that repeats the names of the Hindu gods. The goal is to take on the archetypical strengths and values of these gods through the tonal vibration and emotional space created by the repetition.

As the story goes, kirtan singing used to be practiced on street corners in every city and throughout the small towns, one person setting up his tabla drum or harmonium and beginning to sing the names of the gods, people drifting in one by one and two by two to join the group, responding vocally to the call of the repetition, striving to bring the values of the gods inside, to bring themselves closer to the inner transformation that would allow them to bring those strengths to bear on their own lives.

At Oregon’s Breitenbush Hot Springs Retreat & Conference Center, April 8-11 2008, world-renowned musician and storyteller Jai Uttal conducted a three-day seminar that combined kirtan singing with narrative tales. Joined by his oftimes partner in songmaking, Daniel Paul, participants enjoyed leisurely storytelling gatherings–where Jai related anecdotes of the life of his guru Neem Karoli Baba, as well as legends of Indian gods—interspersed with sessions of joyous, lively, and participatory kirtan singing. Daniel contributed his own stories of travels to India and life in Hawaii. Together, they had a certain energy that relaxed the participants with their openness about their lives. Together, they enlivened us with joy and laughter as well.

One of the most extraordinary aspects of the April kirtan camp had to be the beautiful natural setting offered by the Breitenbush location. Water, rock and earth meld in this amazing geothermal treasure in Oregon. The combination of the spiritual, historical, musical and natural worlds enriched Jai’s already powerful songs and stories to an amazing degree.

The newly built hillside yoga temple at Westwind Farm Studio confers the same sorts of benefits. Situated on a southwest-facing slope overlooking the Tualatin Valley, the temple has glass walls that roll away to allow complete exposure to and communion with the natural world. In the coming months, we hope to take advantage of our beautiful and naturally spiritual setting to produce a series of instructional and enriching yoga and kirtan videos. Check back for updates and check out other videos about Jai Uttal at Yogacowgirls Youtube spot