NEVADA CITY, CA — The Kirtan Experience will come to the Miners Foundry on May 21st and 22nd at 6 pm in the Stone Hall, inviting the community into two days of sacred sound, meditation, music, and shared connection.
Presented by Spirit Soul, The Kirtan Experience is designed to welcome both longtime practitioners and newcomers. No prior experience, particular belief system, or musical background is required. Guests are invited to come as they are to the FREE event, whether they plan to sing, listen, meditate, dance, or simply absorb the sound.
For Spirit Soul organizer Chay, kirtan first became meaningful during a time when stillness felt difficult.
“I was 20 years old, traveling through California, and a friend invited me to a kirtan in Sacramento,” Chay shared. “I remember feeling at that time of my life that my mind would never turn off and it was driving me a little crazy. I was interested in meditation, but I always felt agitated or restless when I tried to sit still. I loved going to concerts, and dancing really helped me get out of my head. So when my friend told me there was a meditation I could do that involved singing and dancing, I was really curious.”
That first experience opened something Chay had been looking for.
“I remember dropping out of my mind and into my heart,” Chay said. “At that first kirtan, it happened for just a moment, but I felt a sense of freedom internally that I’d never had before. Now I look out at people and I can see them dropping in and just hanging out there for an hour or two. My first time, it took me a while to get there; I was pretty stuck in my mind. But we’ve really made an effort to create a space that allows people to immerse themselves in the experience as quickly as they want.”
The Kirtan Experience is built around that sense of welcome. For someone walking into the Miners Foundry with no idea what to expect, Bali said the first feeling should be one of ease.
“I hope the first thing they’ll notice is warm, welcoming faces and a space that feels inviting,” Bali said. “We’ve all experienced what it’s like to walk into a room and not be totally sure if you belong there. Our goal in creating these events is for everyone to feel like they can just be themselves. It’s a space to let your guard down, let your shoulders drop, close your eyes, and just let these spiritual sounds wash over you.”
While kirtan is rooted in sacred sound and ancient practice, Spirit Soul describes The Kirtan Experience as alive, communal, and created together by everyone in the room.
“The gift we are sharing has been passed down with great care for over 500 years in the lineage of Sri Krishna Chaitanya,” Bali said. “The yoga sound meditation we’re sharing is as spiritually potent and purifying today as it was centuries ago.”
Bali added, “As we’ve received this yoga sound and embraced it in our hearts, we’re passing it on through our own expression in a way that feels alive, human, and accessible. The Kirtan Experience is not a performance. It’s something created together by everyone in the room.”
That participation begins simply. Sanatan explained that guests are invited into the experience from the very beginning, without pressure or expectation.
“We start with a breathing meditation that we all do together, and it helps us settle and ground,” Sanatan said. “Then a leader will sing and everyone listens, and then everyone sings back. From that first moment, everyone is part of the experience. Even if you choose to simply sit and listen and immerse yourself in the sound, you’re participating by bringing your presence and awareness.”
For those who feel shy or self-conscious about singing, Chay emphasized that kirtan is meditation, not performance.
“There’s no pressure to sing at all,” Chay said. “You can simply sit, listen, and absorb. If you want to sing, you’ll be singing with a room full of people, so no one will be put on the spot. Because this is a meditation and not a performance, it doesn’t matter how your voice sounds or how you think it sounds. When we all lift our voices together and sing from our heart, it always sounds beautiful.”
The evening moves gradually between quiet, meditative moments and fuller waves of music, singing, and celebration.
“The word ‘wave’ describes it very well,” Sanatan said. “It can feel like being carried by something bigger than ourselves. From the music and visuals to the shared energy in the room, the whole evening is designed to feel immersive. It flows between meditative moments and uplifting, joyful peaks where the whole room comes alive together.”
For Spirit Soul, the purpose of bringing kirtan into community spaces is especially meaningful now.
“Our world is becoming increasingly hectic, and even though we’re hyperconnected through technology, many people feel increasingly isolated,” Sanatan said. “That points to a reality that the true connection that we need is heart to heart, on a deeper level than ordinary conversation. The Kirtan Experience allows us to have that connection on a level deeper than the mind. We don’t have to find the right words; the words are there, and as we sing them together, these transcendental sounds awaken an experience of connection and shared joy within.”
Spirit Soul has seen that shared joy follows people beyond the event itself. After a series of gatherings in Southern California last fall, Sanatan said the group was reminded why they continue taking The Kirtan Experience on the road.
“Every night you could feel the energy,” Sanatan said. “Honestly, when we were thinking back about a particular night when we saw the room change and people open up, we couldn’t think of just one—it happens every night, everywhere we go. We can’t think of one night when people didn’t come up to us afterwards with tears in their eyes and light on their faces. That’s what has inspired us to get back out there, taking The Kirtan Experience on the road to more towns and cities across the country.”
For Bali, the hope is that people leave carrying something lasting.
“We hope that people will carry that experience of connection within their heart,” Bali said. “Our goal is to rekindle joy, peace, and true inner freedom in a world deeply in need of healing. That healing comes from these transcendental sound vibrations.”
And for anyone who feels even a little curious, Chay offers a simple invitation.
“We invite you to notice that little curious voice in your heart and follow it,” Chay said. “Whether you’re arriving with a light heart or a heavy burden, you are welcome here. The Kirtan Experience brings people together across differences. You don’t need prior experience or particular beliefs. Just come as you are and let the transcendental sound carry you into another world.”
The Kirtan Experience takes place May 21st and 22nd at the Miners Foundry in Nevada City. The event is presented by Spirit Soul.