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Bhakti Bliss - Kīrtan Academy mit Punnu Wasu
Text from Punnu Wasus Website, link:  https://www.punnuwasu.com/events/europe/switzerland/kirtan-bhakti-bliss-academy

kirtan academy manual

What is Kirtan?

 

Kirtan is not merely music; it is the living legacy of devotion that blossomed during the 15th-century Bhakti yoga movement in India.

Envision this: A lead group, like spiritual torchbearers, invokes mesmerizing melodies and sacred mantras. In this enchanting call-and-response dance, the crowd becomes a vibrant river of claps and joyful dances, their rhythms intertwining and spiraling higher. It's not just music - it's a profound journey that stirs the heart and soul.

Yet, Kirtan is not confined to jubilant rhythms; it is a voyage into the depths of meditation. Amidst the music's passionate embrace, you'll discover moments of profound stillness and unadulterated bliss, where your soul finds sanctuary.

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Kirtan's purpose is transformation - it beckons singers to dissolve into the song, like individual drops merging seamlessly into the vast ocean of consciousness. The mantras, rich in meaning, are recitations of divine names and qualities, articulating elemental philosophical truths.

But the true essence of these mantras transcends mere words. It's discovered in the unity they invoke, the sense of well-being they nurture, and the timeless serenity they awaken. These mantras silence the restless mind, while the music liberates the captive heart. In Kirtan, ecstasy isn't just the destination - it's the very path we walk.

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So, what is Kirtan? It is a captivating odyssey of the soul, an invitation to unite with the divine, and a celebration of the boundless joy residing within us all.

Learn The Power of 
Kīrtan & Mantra

June 26 - July 1, 2026 Schweibenalp, Brienz
 

Are you a Kirtan lover and passionate about singing and chanting from the heart? Would you love to share this ancient & modern spiritual practice with the world?
 

This is a unique and transformational opportunity to study traditional and contemporary styles of playing and singing devotional mantras. Learn to express yourself through music referencing both Indian classical music and contemporary (Western) music, taught by Kirtan master Punnu Wasu and Kirtan singer Prasadini.

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Punnu and Prasadini bring a playful and empowering teaching style to this heart, soul, and voice-activating intensive training. Their profound knowledge and vast experience in Kirtan and Bhakti Yoga, combined with their music background and devoted approach to teaching, provide an incredibly inspirational musical experience.
 

This training is accessible to beginners with no previous musical training, people with intermediate experience and Kirtan leaders who want to refine their skills.

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yoga barn

Training Overview

   

  • Daily chant of the day

  • Vowel modification and vocal technique

  • Toning sessions for the voice through Classical Indian Sargams/Alankars, Alap and Ragas

  • Develop devotion through the voice

  • Sanskrit, Gurbani, Sufi & Contemporary chants

  • Chanting with small and large groups

  • Mastering the breath in order to have better voice control and sustain

  • Yoga and Bhakti philosophy & history of Kirtan

  • Basic arrangement, harmonium, tanpura and percussion techniques for new students

  • Advanced arrangement, harmonium, tanpura and percussion techniques for experienced students

  • Percussion workshop: Tabla, different drums and kartals (talas) rhythms

  • Proper pronunciation and meanings of mantras

  • Using mantra as a tool to deepen meditation

  • Performance coaching on chosen or suggested songs

  • Explore the possibilities of creating your own chant compositions

  • Develop effective skills for leading Kirtan community

  • In depth study of chants and integration with personal practice

  • Participants are divided into groups: Beginner, intermediate and advanced depending on their skills and interest​

Kirtan Academy Benefits

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Experience the benefits of ancient and modern sacred mantra repetition as applied to chanting and meditation. Enjoy the ecstasy and deep spiritual fulfillment of Bhakti Yoga practice. Learn the proper pronunciation and meanings of Sanskrit vedic chants from the Hindu tradition, Gurbani chants from the Sikh tradition, Sufi zikars and also English songs.

You will gain insight into Yoga philosophy, along with traditional Indian deity stories and practices, and learn to explain them in accessible modern language. Study the instruments used for Kirtan and explore the possibilities of adapting the mantras to your own original musical compositions.

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