Spirit of Kirtan Retreat

When: Friday 15 – Sunday 17 December, 2023
Where: Strathean Retreat Centre, 212 Old Hautere Rd. Te Horo

For more info or to sign up ...

Join us for the full weekend:
Friday 5:00 pm - Sunday 3:30 pm:
Cost: Cottage / Single room $375
Shared room $345
Van/Camping $325

Join just for one day:
Saturday only: $135
Sunday only: $95

Join us for a single session:
Spirit of Kirtan: Saturday 7:30 – 9:00 PM: $10
Kirtan Circles (friends sharing their kirtan) Sunday 1:30 – 3:30 PM: free for family & friends to join

Full weekend participation includes shared accommodation, all teaching sessions, 3 meals & morning and afternoon teas.
Friday evening: includes dinner at 6:30 PM
Saturday program: 7:00 AM – 9:00 PM includes 3 meals, morn/afternoon tea
Sunday program: 7:00 AM – 3:30 PM includes breakfast, morning tea & lunch

See the full program below.

Kirtan Uplifts the Spirit

The Spirit of Kirtan retreat is a special opportunity to come together and discover the power of song and rhythm, through the Indian tradition of Kirtan (call & response singing of ancient Sanskrit mantras and songs).

Kirtan is a direct and heart-felt way to access the source of our vitality and unleash the spirit of our original nature of freedom, joy and oneness. The resonance of the Sanskrit language is in tune with the subtle energies of the human nervous system and therefore, singing kirtan cultivates a natural and genuine meditative space, in which one’s entire body and mind is transformed.

You don’t have to sing in tune or have any musical experience to be enriched by the atmosphere of kirtan. All children sing and hum to themselves; it is a natural bubbling up from inside to express contentment. Therefore, kirtan is not sung as a performance, it is to be sung like a child singing with the joy of simply being alive.

Spirit of Kirtan Retreat Program

Friday December 15
5:00 pm - Meet & Greet
6:30 pm - Dinner
7:30 pm - Chanting and meditation with Shikhaa & Mayank.

9:00 pm - End

Saturday December 16
7:00 am - Morning meditation with mantra with Shikhaa
8:00 am - Breakfast
9:00 am - Chanting & meditation with Shikhaa
10:15 am - Morning tea
10:45 am - Drumming, percussion & rhythm with Mayank
11:45 am - Kirtan circles (gathering in small groups to work on a kirtan)
1:00 pm - Lunch
2:00 pm - Kirtan circles (continued)
3:30 pm - Qi Gong with Mayank

4:30 pm - afternoon tea
5:00 pm - Mantra meditation with Shikhaa
6:30 pm - Dinner
7:30 pm - Spirit of Kirtan (call & response chanting with Shikhaa & Mayank)

9:00 pm - End

Sunday December 17
7:00 am - Havan - A fire tradition chanting Gyatri mantra (weather permitting)
8:00 am - Breakfast
9:30 am - Chanting & meditation with Shikhaa
10:00 am - Morning tea

10:30 am - Kirtan circles

11:30 am - Qi Gong with Mayank

12:30 pm - Lunch
1:30 pm - Sharing our kirtan circles (friends & family welcome to join)
3:30 pm - End