This is the original ChantLanta mission statement from 2010. It's still true:
It is with great joy and love that we put forth the intentions for the ChantLanta Sacred Music Festival. This multi-day spiritual event seeks to serve those in need, to share in community with neighbors both near and far, and to engage in heart-opening and transformative spiritual practice together. We also wish to affirm our commitment to the spiritual community, in order to create opportunities for all spiritual seekers to share in the practices of love and devotion.
Importantly, we want to help deserving charities raise money, yet keep the event inexpensive and accessible for everyone. ChantLanta accepts donations for both Atlanta-based and international charity partners, providing a means for attendees to give back to both the local and global communities as a form of seva (service).
Bhakti yoga, the tradition from which kirtan comes, may be thought of as the yoga of the heart or the yoga of divine love. It is often called the yoga of devotion. The Sanskrit root also translates as "to share in" or "to belong to," so bhakti yoga can also be described as a path of participation. Kirtan and ChantLanta both embody this concept perfectly. Call and response singing blurs the line between performers and spectators, uniting all in loving consciousness. We connect not only with each other and our immediate community, but the greater spiritual community: family, neighbors, teachers, students, and ultimately, our planet.
Throughout all the planning of these events, we focus on the importance of fostering interaction among the many spiritual communities around the southeastern US. You may hear some mantras more than once, yet you'll experience many ways to express the same sentiment. Likewise, as a larger community, we encompass a variety of perspectives, lifestyles, and practices, yet we also overlap more than we may notice. It is our hope and our intention that you have an abundance of opportunities to bring more love and light into our greater community, both today and onward.
