Siddha Yoga Ashram in Oakland

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Chants

Chanting is a natural way to tune in to the frequency of love. Repeating the names of God and chanting sacred Sanskrit texts have a tangible effect on our own inner being. The sweetness of chanting stills the mind, dissolves worries, and opens the heart. The saints describe chanting as a way of becoming saturated with God's love.

We warmly invite everyone to join us for the following Siddha Yoga chants. Times may change to accommodate Special Events and Intensives.

The first Tuesday of the month chant will be Kundalini Stavah and Shiva Mahimnah Stotram. The Noon Chant on Thursday include the Kundalini Stavah and meditation.

Namasankirtana
In namasankirtana, a word or phrase praising God is chanted repeatedly, drawing the chanter deeper and deeper into connection with the inner Self. Chanting opens our hearts to the love and joy of the divine within us. Join us for a chanting satsang on Saturday evenings from 7:30 to 9:00 pm. Check the monthly calendar for further details.

Shri Guru Gita
"The Song of the Guru" is a beautiful hymn that honors the Guru and describes the Guru-disciple relationship. It is sung each morning in Siddha Yoga ashrams and centers around the world and in the homes of many Siddha Yoga students. Swami Muktananda referred to the Guru Gita as "the one indispensable text" of Siddha Yoga. This ancient text is an extraordinary depiction of the mystical, transforming nature of the Guru, the Guru-disciple relationship, and the relationship between the Self and one's own mind. The power of this text is twofold: it describes the Guru, a transcendent reality often considered beyond words; in addition, chanting these sacred words bestows the experience of the Guru's state of pure Consciousness. Through regularly chanting the Guru Gita, the wisdom contained within it becomes firmly established, bringing its blessings into our lives in myriad ways.

The Guru Gita is generally chanted from 6:30 to 8:00 am Monday through Saturday, and from 8:00 to 9:30 am on Sundays. Check the monthly calendar for changes to this schedule.

Kundalini Stavah Hymn to the Goddess Kundalini is a hymn found in the ancient Sanskrit text, the Rudra Yamala Tantra. It is sung in praise of the divine cosmic power known as Kundalini. Gurumayi Chidvilasananda has said, "Kundalini is the form of the sound itself. Therefore, one of the best ways to please her is to sing her names. To win her grace is to sing for her." Honoring the Kundalini Shakti by singing this hymn gives knowledge and joy, as well as an experience of the nature of that Shakti.

It is chanted on the first Tuesday of the month with the Shiva Mahimnah Stotram, in the Temple at 7:30 am, and at various satsangs.

The Rudram
One of the oldest hymns in the world, Shri Rudram celebrates one of the aspects of Shiva. This chant is dedicated to Lord Rudra, the one who brings happiness and removes pain. It is said that chanting it destroys all sins; removes obstacles, calamities, and afflictions; takes away the fear of death; and bestows purification of mind, prosperity, joy, and the bliss of liberation. This ancient and powerful Vedic hymn is said to confer blessings, strength, and happiness upon those who chant it or hear it.

The Rudram chanted on Sunday mornings from 6:15 to 7:00 am. Check the monthly calendar for changes to this schedule.

The Shiva Mahimnah Stotram
The Shiva Mahimnah Stotram or "Hymn to the Glory of Shiva" is a melodious chant praising the limitless attributes of God. It describes the Lord as Shiva, the supreme principle underlying all creation.

It is chanted on the first Tueday evening of each month from 7:30 to 8:30 pm following the chanting of the Kundalini Stavah.

Evening Arati and Shiva Arati
Arati is both a form of worship and a song of worship. Swami Muktananda composed the chant for the evening Arati in honor of his Guru by combining original verses with shlokas, or verses, from the Upanishads and Kashmir Shaivite texts. Opening with the exhilarating sounds of conches and drums, arati is a soul-stirring experience.
In the Siddha Yoga Ashram in Oakland, the Shiva Arati and Evening Arati take place daily, combining the waving of lights with a beautiful chant. Evening Arati: Daily from 6:00 to 6:30 pm.
Shiva Arati: Monday - Friday from 8:00 to 8:15 pm, Saturday from 9:10 to 9:25 pm.

Temple Chant
During 2006, the Kundalini Stavah will be chanted in the Bhagawan Nityananda Temple. Sundays, 7:30-7:40 am