Watch a video of AnnKathleen performing.
AnnKathleen leads a number of classes and spiritual sessions at CovenTree Books and Gifts in Santa Maria, from meditation to transformational mentoring. But one regular get-together there uses music to help attune her and others to mindfulness.
The meditation and devotional chant sessions she leads includes silent meditation followed by congregational chant, which is based on—but not limited to—the Kirtan singing, which comes from Hinduism.
“About 10 year ago I was introduced to Kirtan, which is traditional East Indian call and response devotional singing, and it totally transformed me,” she said. “I’ve been meditating since around ’92, ’93, but the music coupled with the mantras, I was just gone.”
In traditional Kirtan, one singer leads a chant and the group returns with a response. These mantras have been used for hundreds of years of spiritual practice, AnnKathleen explained.
But for AnnKathleen, Kirtan is just one part of her practice. She includes a variety of chants from spiritual traditions worldwide and in many languages, she explained.
“I really embrace all different kinds of cultures, that’s really my path,” she said. “I do chants in Hawaiian, I do chants in Sanskrit, I do chants in Arabic, English, and I do chants in Gurumukhi—which is the Kundalini chant—and I do Native American chants.
“So I really like to incorporate that world culture, because I think that’s how we are going to bridge that separation between cultures and religion,” she continued. “I really think that the more of us that can sing all of these chants from all of these traditions together, will really create an opportunity for us to cross those barriers together and really come together as a world community.”
The only instrument that accompanies the chanting is a harmonium, which AnnKathleen plays while chanting. The harmonium is a small acoustic organ operated by a hand pump. Without any electricity, the small instrument emanates a resonant, droning tone.
With one hand working the bellows, and the other on the keyboard, AnnKathleen keeps one note droning continuously with her thumb. The rest of her hand expands and contracts, with fingers bending and pressing the melody as it creeps up and down the keys in a trancelike motion. Solid harmonies ring out as she chants with a clear, singing voice over the warm tones.
“I believe there is a song that the universe sings,” she said, “and I think chanting is a way of telling the story of our connection with the divine.”
Anyone is welcome to join her at CovenTree for two Sundays each month (see info box) for a “love donation.” She also holds sessions at Branch Mill Farms in Arroyo Grande every Thursday, where visitors can join the meditation and chant session for $12.
Arts Editor Joe Payne can drone on much like a harmonium. Contact him at jpayne@santamariasun.com.
AnnKathleen shares the English chant “I Am” at CovenTree Books in Santa Maria.
VIDEO BY JOE PAYNE VIA NTMGVIDEO CHANNEL/YOUTUBE.COM
This article appears in Sep 22-29, 2016.
