Celebrate Peace [Original recording]

Snatam Kaur Khalsa | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (September 1, 2005)
• Original Release Date: September 1, 2005
• Number of Discs: 1
• Format: Original recording
• Label: Spirit Voyage Music
• ASIN: B000BTDM0U
• In-Print Editions: MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (12 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #35,095 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Editorial Reviews

About the Artist

Snatam Kaur was introduced to music and spiritual practice at an early age. Schooled in kirtan, meditation, and Gurmukhi, the Sanskrit-based language of Sikh scriptures from Northern India, the young Snatam Kaur began to develop the devotion and skills that have grown and blossomed into a compelling, profound talent. Snatam Kaur's parents brought her up in the Sikh tradition as taught by Yogi Bhajan. From an early age, she practiced yoga and meditation daily and her mother taught her Gurmukhi. "My mother taught me the alphabet on my way to school every morning," recalls Snatam. Her Sikh community augmented these lessons with instruction in kirtan (devotional chanting). "Through these experiences, I learned the pronunciation," she says, "but also I learned the passion for what I was singing because these gatherings were so spiritual." As a child, Snatam also had training in voice, violin, guitar, and percussion. She obtained a solid foundation in Western classical music while playing violin in an orchestra and giving solo performances. Her many opportunities to use and expand her musical talent in a spiritual setting emphasized for her the connection between her music and spirituality. "I learned about the importance of sound currents from Yogi Bhajan," she says, "but I also had the personal experience of how the energy of these sacred words can have a very real, positive effect." Snatam further explored the power of sound in India. After high school, her love for the Indian musical tradition and for children took her to Miri Piri Academy, a boarding school for children in India. She spent time taking care of the young children, teaching physical education, and providing music for the children's morning and evening chanting. When she returned to the United States, she attended Mills College in Oakland, California, where she obtained a degree in biochemistry, taught yoga classes, and shared her chants with Western audiences. But India called her back. After touring and performing Kirtan in northern India, Snatam settled in Amritsar where she studied music with the accomplished ragi (Indian master of Sikh-style kirtan) Bhai Hari Singh. This was a great honor for her, and particularly meaningful because Singh was the same teacher who had taught her mother when she was just a little girl. Snatam embraced everything that Singh taught her, from the technical aspects of the notes, to the ability to sing with presence and awareness. The lessons took place in Singh's home, where Snatam was welcomed by the entire family--daughters, sons, and grandchildren. While in Amritsar, Snatam lived next door to the Golden Temple, considered the world's holiest Sikh temple. Sacred music resonates from inside the temple from about 2:30 in the morning to midnight every day-sounds created by world-class masters of Sikh kirtan. This enabled Snatam to continually soak in the essence of the Sound Current. Upon returning to the US from India, Snatam began her career as a recording artist with a band called the Peace Family. She served as the band's lead singer and, with two skilled and accomplished musicians - Livtar Singh and GuruGanesha Singh, had her first opportunity to write songs. Two years later she began to develop her own sound and style and embarked on a very fruitful solo career.

Product Description

Snatam Kaur's heart-opening CD is a musical celebration of the spirit of peace featuring 3 beautiful new songs as well as transcendent mantras and musical invocations of peace from her previous albums. This CD is part of the Celebrate Peace program, which spreads a hopeful message and cultivates the practice of peace. We believe in the power of peace and we witness peace everyday, all around us. Peace begins with a choice, develops through practice, and spreads by example. We present Celebrate Peace to spread a hopeful message and to cultivate the practice of peace in daily life, through a national series of workshops and other educational programs, musical celebrations, and internet-based community. By celebrating peace, we acknowledge that it exists, call attention to it, unite around it, and inspire others to embrace it.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

13 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Worth it for the First Three Tracks Alone, March 6, 2007

By 

Bryan S. Coffman (Orlando, FL United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Celebrate Peace (Audio CD)

Part of this album is a compilation of songs from previous albums, but the first three cuts are original and are great all on their own. So if you don't own any of Snatam's music, this is a nice overview. But even if you do own some of her albums, get this one anyway just for the new tracks! My favorite is the first cut, "We are Peace." Lots of energy and a great one to sing along to. "People of Love" is also an easy one to sing along to--a great one for children, too. "Long Time Sun" takes its lyrics from Yogi Bhajan's "benediction" used at the end of every Kundalini practice. Even if you don't practice yoga, it's nice to just say this little song for yourself and the ones you love every day:

May the long time sun shine upon you

All love surround you

And the pure light within you guide your way on

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Amazing, June 7, 2007

By 

D. M. Barker (Western New York) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Celebrate Peace (Audio CD)

This is an amazing CD. Snatam Kaur has the voice of an angel. She is crystal clear and the music fills your heart and soul. The little one's in our family are mesmerized by this CD and with the other two we purchased by Snatam. Thank you and keep up the magnificent work.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars SHALOM SHALEM, December 30, 2007

By 

MYSTIC (CLEVELAND, OH USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Celebrate Peace (Audio CD)

This is my first Kaur CD. As a student of kabbalh, I am in need for a postive spiritual high that is away from religious suggestiveness. This CD has given me that satisfaction. As soon as I awake each morning I mediate on this CD to insert into my soul's consciousness the fortitude I need for my coming day's journey. At 61 young, I grew up when rock 'n' roll melodies had tenderness to them. Kaur's melody in ONG NAMO gives me that reminiscent of my yesteryear's happiness in spirit, thought and deed. I have gone on to purchase her other spiritual enlighten CD's.

'Shalom Shalem' can be interpreted as "May the Creator's sacred peace within you be completed."
Snatam Kaur has reinforced that Cosmic stabality within me.