Kundalini Yoga Glossary
Kirtan Kriya
A meditation combining the mantra Sa Ta Na Ma with a finger mudra, moving through spoken, whispered and silent voice.
Meaning
What Kirtan Kriya Means
Kirtan Kriya combines the mantra Sa Ta Na Ma with a finger mudra: on Saa, the thumbs touch the index fingers; on Taa, the middle fingers; on Naa, the ring fingers; on Maa, the little fingers.
Sa Ta Na Ma is described as the atomic, or Naad, form of the mantra Sat Naam. Panj, from Panj Shabd, means five, and expresses the five primal sounds of the universe. The mantra is said to describe the continuous cycle of life and creation, and to work as a catalyst for change.
In Practice
How It’s Used
The mantra is chanted in what's described as three languages of consciousness: aloud, in a normal or loud voice (the world), in a strong whisper (longing to belong), and mentally, in silence (Infinity), while the fingers keep pressing at a steady rhythm throughout.
A typical round moves through the voices in fixed proportions: 5 minutes aloud, 5 minutes whispering, 10 minutes silent, 5 minutes back to whispering, and 5 minutes aloud again, maintaining that same proportion even if the overall length changes. To close, inhale deeply, stretch the arms overhead, spread and shake out the fingers, and let the movement move through the whole body before exhaling.
