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We are surrounded by noise. Noise of people’s opinions, noise of arguments, disagreements, competition, conflict within ourselves, noise of our thoughts, desires and ambitions. Even when the environment is quiet, our minds are still noisy. What if I tell you there’s a way to drown this noise with ancient sounds, rhythm and belongingness? In a way that silences this chatter for a while, takes you to the depth of your consciousness and brings immense peace and joy… and is totally freeing.
The way is Satsang. The word Satsang in Sanskrit comes from Sat meaning truth, Sangha meaning company. But the experience of Satsang is beyond its literal description, which is hard to embody in language. It is to be simply felt.
As Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar, the much loved and renowned spiritual master, explains, “Satsang means the company of reality, being in touch with the truth. It is not just singing some complicated songs which you don’t understand. Music is only a part of it.”
Satsang means to simply soak in the ancient vibrations that have remained as sound energy in the consciousness for time immemorial. It is a shared stillness where boundaries dissolve.
Whether it involves devotional singing, wisdom, silence or simply shared joy, Satsang holds a subtle magic-it transports you to a world where happiness is palpable and you experience it as your very nature.
Gurudev says, “Satsang is a shelter from the harsh and changing influences on your life. It is the nest where you can come to, to rest.”
When you sit in Satsang, and you begin to sing and chant along to a particular rhythm, you feel something shifting inside you. When you sing, clap and chant with all your being, you are left with a strange stillness that runs very deep. It is pure bliss where you begin to disappear and just the timeless mantras ring in the atmosphere purifying the entire humanity. But it is not just about singing and dancing. Gurudev puts it simply, “Satsang is not just singing kirtans but pondering on the truths of life.”
And when people gather for Satsang, it begins to shift the global consciousness, much beyond just individuals feeling peaceful. Don’t believe it?
The logic is very simple. If just a handful of misled individuals can cause acts of terror that shake the entire globe, can’t a handful of peace loving people change the world consciousness with their sound of peace and healing? The only difference is, this change happens on the subtle levels of consciousness, beyond our physical senses. Satsang can powerfully bridge divisions, bring people together for a common cause and create a sense of belonging.
“When the mind is split into one hundred parts, there is misery. And the same minds when they all get together, become one unit. Then there is joy.”
Want to learn more? Our Signature Happiness Retreat teaches powerful breathing exercises, yoga, meditation, and wisdom for deep peace and joy.
This isn’t a modern discovery. It has always been known to those who lead from inner truth.
Mahatma Gandhi, though often remembered for his political leadership, deeply understood the spiritual dimension of leadership. Every evening during the Indian freedom movement, Gandhi would hold prarthana sabhas (gatherings for prayer and bhajans.)
Songs like Vaishnav Jan To and Raghupati Raghav Raja Ram weren’t just hymns. They were tools of unity. In villages fractured by fear, these bhajans became the heartbeat of courage and resilience. Gandhi used Satsang not just to invoke the divine, but to invoke human compassion, truth, and solidarity.
Today, the setting may be different. But the need is the same. We are more connected than ever and yet many feel more alone than ever. Satsang offers an antidote to this stifling loneliness. It draws us out of our screens and back into each other’s presence.
Traditions have always known the healing effect of song. Science is beginning to document it.
A 2021 study in the Journal of Religion and Health explored the psychological effects of kirtan which is a form of devotional chanting often practiced in Satsang. Participants who engaged regularly in kirtan reported reduced anxiety, increased emotional regulation, and a greater sense of connection to others.
Researchers from the University of Pennsylvania also found that chanting mantras or engaging in spiritual singing activates brain regions involved in joy, empathy, and focus. The body relaxes, cortisol levels drop, and the immune system regains strength.
But you don’t have to understand neuroscience to feel what your body already knows, that Satsang heals and makes you happy.
It’s Not Religious. It’s human.
A common misconception people have is that Satsang is religious. That you need to belong to a certain tradition or follow a belief system. But that isn’t the essence of Satsang at all.
As Gurudev reminds us, “If a company makes you perceive the problem as being bigger than it is, that is not Satsang. Satsang is where you can drop what people think about you and be authentic.” Gandhi’s spiritual gatherings witnessed participation by lakhs of Indians from all walks of life, all backgrounds and faiths. And that is the essence of Satsang that soaking in these compositions can bring one peace and solace, irrespective of what one’s belief system is. Satsang is about dropping all our identities for a while and just becoming one with the sound. Satsang is for everyone- the skeptics, seekers, the devout, the doubtful.
It is less about what you do and more about how you feel when you’re there.
You don’t have to know the lyrics. You don’t have to chant a certain way. Just being there is enough.
There’s a unique joy and liveliness in Satsang, that comes from a space of purity. Satsang is a space of authentic joy. Who are you when you have shed all the baggage of self image and hesitation? Who are you when you are not worrying, debating or dissecting mundanity? The answer that remains with you is Satsang. It is not the loud joy of entertainment or the temporary high of distraction. It’s a blissful joy that rises from somewhere deep; the joy of tears flowing, not from sorrow, but from relief; the joy of voices rising together, off-key maybe, but full of heart.
It’s a joy that lasts beyond the session. It lingers. It walks with you.
At the Art of Living Retreat Center, we’ve seen people walk into Satsang without knowing what to expect and walk out with something they didn’t even know they were missing. Some say it’s peace. Some say it’s clarity. Some just call it a homecoming.