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Music
Artist:
Nirinjan Kaur Khalsa
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Bio: Nirinjan Kaur Khalsa grew up with sacred music and Naad Yoga as a natural part of her life. This has been developed in study with classical Indian Master Ustaad Narinder Singh Sandhu in India. She is a Kundalini Yoga Teacher and graduate of Miri Piri Academy in Amritsar, India. She has a deep... more
Bio: Nirinjan Kaur Khalsa grew up with sacred music and Naad Yoga as a natural part of her life. This has been developed in study with classical Indian Master Ustaad Narinder Singh Sandhu in India. She is a Kundalini Yoga Teacher and graduate of Miri Piri Academy in Amritsar, India. She has a deep understanding of the Shabd Guru, and the sacred Naad, and this is reflected powerfully in her voice and her rendition of these ancient sacred mantras. hide
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Click play to listen to "Wah Yantee"
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Interview with Nirinjan Kaur Khalsa
YM: Sat Nam! Please tell us about how yoga came into your awareness and the role that it plays in your daily life.
NK: Well, I was born into a family who practiced, taught, and lived a committed yogic lifestyle since long before I was born. I grew up around yoga and sacred music, but it didn't really hit me until I was around 13 years old. You know how these things happen… all of a sudden I was just blessed to have a real experience of Kundalini Yoga. I took a teacher training course, and have been hooked ever since. It gives me more than I can put into words. I have gained so much from practicing it daily and it allows me to have a deeper experience of my whole life, including music.
YM: Which came first, Yoga or Music?
NK: That's a tough question! I have always loved music and singing, and have grown up surrounded by it. My mother sings sacred music also, and my dad is a producer. But they are also yoga teachers! I suppose, when it comes to my own personal experience (apart from being surrounded by it), I found yoga first. Once I started having a deeper awareness of my own body and consciousness, my love for singing sacred music grew naturally out of that.
YM: When did you discover your beautiful singing voice and how did you develop it?
NK: Like I've said, I've always loved singing. This is a pretty handy skill to have in a Sikh community, because there is constantly sacred music and chanting going on in classes, worship services, meditations….we Sikhs like to chant all the time! Musicians are always needed. Once people in my community discovered that I was becoming a musician, I was recruited to play all the time. Then, when I went to school in India in 2003, I studied briefly with Ustaad Narinder Singh Sandhu (a master of Classical Indian Music). He gave me so much. The world of Raag is so deep and vast. It's an amazing spiritual experience to even learn a little bit. If you asked me, I probably couldn't tell you exactly what I learned from him; only that my relationship to music changed, and my awareness expanded. I got so much from him just by osmosis… by sitting with him, listening.
YM: Please explain the importance of mantra in your music, and explain how music can be a form of devotion and service
NK: Mantra IS my music. The only goal that I have when I sing is to help uplift consciousness and heal people. If I feel divinity, and I sing that, then the people listening and chanting feel it too. When people feel divinity, they become healed. It doesn't matter what their issues are, if they feel love and sacredness in their heart, then that neutralizes the pain and confusion. They are healed from the inside out! It is my one prayer that through my music, a spark may be lit in people's hearts so that with the hand of divinity, they may be healed. Even just a little bit.
YM: Did you ever imagine you would sing professionally?
NK: Well, I've never really planned to do it specifically, but I love singing, so why not?
YM: What do you love?
NK: I love a lot of things! Too many to write down.
YM: Who is on your i-pod?
NK: I have a lot of people on my I-pod! I have mostly spiritual music though. I have a lot of classical indian music, including: The Chardhi Kalaa Jatha, Bhai Balbir Singh, Bhai Harjinder singh, Bhai Nirinjan Singh, Bhai Baljit Singh (Namdhari), Begum Parveen Sultana, Abida Parveen, Raj Academy, Various classical Indian instrumentalists including Hari Prasaad Chaurasia, Zakhir Hussain…etc…
And then I have a lot of more western artists such as: Guru Ganesha Singh, Mata Mandir Singh, Snatam Kaur, Guru Nam Singh, Sat Purkh Kaur, Krishna Das, Girish, Manish Vyas, Mirabai…etc.. I also really love Celtic music, including stuff by Connie Dover Mary Mclaughlin. I also love Loreena Mckennitt.
YM: How can each one of us help to raise consciousness on this earth?
NK: We are all connected, so each person that fills his or herself with love, and lives true to who they are with all their soul, absolutely makes a difference. All of us can remember at least one person in our life who inspired or helped us in some way. Just by being who they were and sharing with us. I believe that the stronger and more secure you are in yourself, the more peace you can create outside yourself. Everyone that meets you can feel that peace. When we have the intention to spread our love and peace to others, our own issues become smaller and smaller. Love yourself, love others, and soul by soul, peace will prevail. It already does : )
YM: What is coming up for you and your music?
NK: I am currently on an East coast tour with Guru Ganesha Singh. In the way of music, after that I'm not sure right now. I will make more albums, I know that much, but there isn't a specific plan right now. I'm open to whatever is in store for me… it's worked so far!
YM: Thank you so much for joining us! Where can we find out more about you?
YM: Sat Nam! Please tell us about how yoga came into your awareness and the role that it plays in your daily life.
NK: Well, I was born into a family who practiced, taught, and lived a committed yogic lifestyle since long before I was born. I grew up around yoga and sacred music, but it didn't really hit me until I was around 13 years old. You know how these things happen… all of a sudden I was just blessed to have a real experience of Kundalini Yoga. I took a teacher training course, and have been hooked ever since. It gives me more than I can put into words. I have gained so much from practicing it daily and it allows me to have a deeper experience of my whole life, including music.
YM: Which came first, Yoga or Music?
NK: That's a tough question! I have always loved music and singing, and have grown up surrounded by it. My mother sings sacred music also, and my dad is a producer. But they are also yoga teachers! I suppose, when it comes to my own personal experience (apart from being surrounded by it), I found yoga first. Once I started having a deeper awareness of my own body and consciousness, my love for singing sacred music grew naturally out of that.
YM: When did you discover your beautiful singing voice and how did you develop it?
NK: Like I've said, I've always loved singing. This is a pretty handy skill to have in a Sikh community, because there is constantly sacred music and chanting going on in classes, worship services, meditations….we Sikhs like to chant all the time! Musicians are always needed. Once people in my community discovered that I was becoming a musician, I was recruited to play all the time. Then, when I went to school in India in 2003, I studied briefly with Ustaad Narinder Singh Sandhu (a master of Classical Indian Music). He gave me so much. The world of Raag is so deep and vast. It's an amazing spiritual experience to even learn a little bit. If you asked me, I probably couldn't tell you exactly what I learned from him; only that my relationship to music changed, and my awareness expanded. I got so much from him just by osmosis… by sitting with him, listening.
YM: Please explain the importance of mantra in your music, and explain how music can be a form of devotion and service
NK: Mantra IS my music. The only goal that I have when I sing is to help uplift consciousness and heal people. If I feel divinity, and I sing that, then the people listening and chanting feel it too. When people feel divinity, they become healed. It doesn't matter what their issues are, if they feel love and sacredness in their heart, then that neutralizes the pain and confusion. They are healed from the inside out! It is my one prayer that through my music, a spark may be lit in people's hearts so that with the hand of divinity, they may be healed. Even just a little bit.
YM: Did you ever imagine you would sing professionally?
NK: Well, I've never really planned to do it specifically, but I love singing, so why not?
YM: What do you love?
NK: I love a lot of things! Too many to write down.
YM: Who is on your i-pod?
NK: I have a lot of people on my I-pod! I have mostly spiritual music though. I have a lot of classical indian music, including: The Chardhi Kalaa Jatha, Bhai Balbir Singh, Bhai Harjinder singh, Bhai Nirinjan Singh, Bhai Baljit Singh (Namdhari), Begum Parveen Sultana, Abida Parveen, Raj Academy, Various classical Indian instrumentalists including Hari Prasaad Chaurasia, Zakhir Hussain…etc…
And then I have a lot of more western artists such as: Guru Ganesha Singh, Mata Mandir Singh, Snatam Kaur, Guru Nam Singh, Sat Purkh Kaur, Krishna Das, Girish, Manish Vyas, Mirabai…etc.. I also really love Celtic music, including stuff by Connie Dover Mary Mclaughlin. I also love Loreena Mckennitt.
YM: How can each one of us help to raise consciousness on this earth?
NK: We are all connected, so each person that fills his or herself with love, and lives true to who they are with all their soul, absolutely makes a difference. All of us can remember at least one person in our life who inspired or helped us in some way. Just by being who they were and sharing with us. I believe that the stronger and more secure you are in yourself, the more peace you can create outside yourself. Everyone that meets you can feel that peace. When we have the intention to spread our love and peace to others, our own issues become smaller and smaller. Love yourself, love others, and soul by soul, peace will prevail. It already does : )
YM: What is coming up for you and your music?
NK: I am currently on an East coast tour with Guru Ganesha Singh. In the way of music, after that I'm not sure right now. I will make more albums, I know that much, but there isn't a specific plan right now. I'm open to whatever is in store for me… it's worked so far!
YM: Thank you so much for joining us! Where can we find out more about you?
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