Hi, I’m Richard. This is my devotional path.
Kirtan found me in 2015, a time when I was searching for something deeper a connection to God.
Something that could hold what I didn’t know how to express. I was scared and very unsure what kirtan was. Looking back now, what I was seeking was to reconnect… to soften… to remember god.
Over time, mantra became my medicine.
Through repetition, I found rhythm.
Through sound, I found silence.
And through devotional singing, I found a kind of belonging I hadn’t felt in years — to myself, to the sacred, to others.
What began as a personal refuge became a calling:
to hold spaces where others can feel that same quiet miracle.
Why I Chant
My practice is rooted in bhakti yoga — the path of love and devotion.
I sing the names of the Divine because they remind me that I’m not alone.
Because they open my heart when I’ve closed it.
Because they bring me back to breath when my mind spins away.
I chant to stay connected — to tenderness, to presence, to something greater than myself.
I’m not here to teach from a pedestal. I’m here to sing from the ground I’ve walked — shaped by grief, healing, devotion, and the courage to begin again.
What It’s Like (What to Expect)
What is “Kirtan"?”
One of the best descriptions I’ve heard came from Krishna Das, he said something like this .. “I sing something, and you sing back what you think I said at some time or another.”
One person sings a line. The group responds by repeating it.
That’s it.
Kirtan comes from the tradition of Bhakti Yoga, often described as the yoga of devotion. Bhakti emphasizes relationship—expressed through sound, attention, and feeling.
Sometimes you sing.
Sometimes you listen.
Sometimes the sound carries you, and sometimes it doesn’t.
The chants are usually in Sanskrit and are made up of names or phrases associated with the divine. You don’t need to understand the language intellectually for the practice to work. Many people find that meaning shows up gradually—through repetition, tone, and resonance rather than explanation.
The only thing I ask is to keep an open-heart and let the sound and vibrations take you to where you need to be.
God doesn’t care what you look like or what you sound like, god only wants your love.
What Matters to Me
Creating spaces where people feel emotionally safe and spiritually welcome
Honoring the bhakti lineage with humility, devotion, and care
Using sound as a bridge between silence and expression
Leading with honesty and integrity
Remembering that love doesn’t require us to be flawless
What I Offer
I hold devotional chant gatherings online (soon) and in person — as shared practice.
I chant mantras and speak reflections to what it means to be human and holy at once.
It’s not just music — it’s prayer, presence, and practice.
It’s a space I needed, and now feel called to hold for others.
Want kirtan at your studio or space?
Email me: richard@happykirtan.com