Bermudians will have the chance to experience the healing power of yoga chanting with the visit of a well known American chanting artist this weekend.A series of workshops and family chanting events and a vegetarian potluck supper is planned by the kirtan yoga community of Bermuda with chant artist David Newman of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. This will be his third visit to the Island.“Kirtan is group call and response chanting,” said David Newman. “It is a practice that has evolved over many thousands of years using a language called Sanskrit. The kirtan utilises a combination of Sanskrit syllables called ‘mantras'. Mantra means ‘to guide the mind'. Mantras are used to steady the mind and uplift the spirit.“In kirtan you sing these Sanskrit mantras in a call and response style. It has the effect of calming the mind. Kirtan is a type of mantra that comes out of an ancient yoga practice bhakti, this is yoga of the heart or yoga of love. Singing kirtan is a practice designed to open the heart and increase feelings of universal or unconditional love.”Mr Newman said as a child growing up, he was always interested in music. He played guitar and sang. He became interested in yoga in college and eventually left law school to open his own yoga instruction centre.“It was natural for me to gravitate towards kirtan, because of my simultaneous interest in yoga and music,” he said.He said unlike a lot of meditation, kirtan can be done with the whole family, even small children.“If you were doing silent meditation you probably wouldn't want to bring small children as they would be disruptive,” he said. “But kirtan is a great experience because children like to sing and dance and get into the experience which makes it more accessible.”He said kirtan works on a vibrational level and is considered very healing. Kirtan practicers say they feel refreshed, invigorated and uplifted after a kirtan session.“I have read studies about what was the quickest way to bring people into the meditative state where the body is relaxed and the mind feels peaceful,” he said. “Group chanting in the experiments brought people to that state most quickly. People feel centred and at ease afterward.”Mr Newman said he often feels more creative after a kirtan session. He said he often felt paradoxically charged and relaxed at the same time.“Kirtan has spread all over the world,” he said. “People are drawn towards it. It gives people an opportunity to experience music in a spiritual context. We have toured many times to Europe and Japan and all over and people really love it. In the United States it has really taken off. There are kirtan festivals and things like that.”He said he and other kirtan chanters recently came together to make a music video to promote Global Green USA a charity organised to help people clean up after the oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico in 2010. You can see him performing on Youtube.com under “Stay Strong Project”.On Saturday from 12 noon to 4pm there will be ‘Kirtan and The Bhakti Mandala: Healing through Chant'. In addition to uplifting and inspiring group chanting, Mr Newman will offer insight into the meaning and therapeutic applications of kirtan.This workshop is open to everyone. Tickets are $80. On Saturday evening Mr Newman and his wife Mira will be holding a concert at 8pm. Tickets are $40. On Sunday from 4pm to 5pm they will be holding a family kirtan and vegetarian potluck. Participants are asked to bring a vegetarian dish or snacks to share afterwards at the potluck supper. Tickets are $20 for adults and free for children. All events are at Spirit House, 65 Middle Road, Devonshire. For tickets call Shanell Vaughn on 236-7985 or e-mail sacredsoundwave[AT]gmail.com . For more information also see ‘Spiritual Bermuda' on Facebook.com and www.davidnewmanmusic.com