The Power of Satsang

Satsang

The power of community has been recognized by all religious tradtions since the dawn of religion itself. Every spiritual tradition has foundational group activities (though of course there is also a strong emphasis on individual practice). These have emerged in a virtually endless variety, from the shared inspirational silence of Quaker meetings, to the immense fevor and spectacle of Islam’s Hajj - the pilgrimage to Mecca. 

This recognition of the importance of shared experience also extends to Yoga, through what’s termed Satsang. Satsang means "the company of truth," derived from the Sanskrit words sat (truth or reality) and sanga (company, association, or community). That means, to the best of our abilities, we seek to express and experience the ‘truth.’ That’s a wonderful idea and it affirms the power of community to transform us. 

Satsang is a broader term than kirtan alone, as it typically includes study of religious texts, along with talks, which is then followed by devotional chanting (kirtan). So kirtan forms an essential part of what is known as satsang, but typically with kirtan in the West, there’s a stronger emphasis on music, without the study of texts accompanied by talks. 

However, perhaps at times it’s more inspirational and powerful to simply participate in the musical event that’s kirtan. For kirtan strives to speak to the heart rather than the mind. While lectures and study of ancient texts are also very helpful, they necessarily activate your mind. Kirtan bypasses this mental activity, calming your mind and opening your heart. And that’s a wonderful shared space of community.