Nikki Slade is a leading pioneer in the field of chanting, core voice and sound work in the UK for over 30 yrs. Nikki has inspired thousands of individuals to chant and has led chanting and voice workshops in a wide variety of settings including companies such as M&C Saatchi, Deutsche Bank and Cisco. She has been resident Kirtan leader at triyoga London for 20 years and has also taken her cutting-edge approach to working with the voice into Wandsworth men’s prison. She was the resident voice and sound facilitator at the Priory Hospital in North London for 20 years where she has, through her work, supported the recovery of people on the addiction treatment programme.
For the past 10 years she has been facilitating chanting and voice workshops at the half-way recovery house Start 2 Stop in central London. Nikki has worked extensively, privately with sound and voice work for leaders in their fields including Business leaders, Therapists, Yoga teachers, School teachers, Writers and Performing artists. She has released 4 successful mantra and chanting recordings including: Nectarine, Monsoon, Soundscape and the double album Epiphany.
She is also author of her popular book ‘The Healing Power of Chanting’. In recent years she has pioneered Kirtan in the mainstream areas of Glastonbury Festival and Latitude Festival and The World Yoga Festival. She has shared her work overseas in California, Singapore, NYC, Mexico City, Brussels and Melbourne. On 11.11.11 at Mind, Body, Spirit show she led a chant for the opening ceremony for over 2000 people and once again at the 12.12.12 Oneness ceremony at the London Hilton. Nikki is the founder of the first in the UK 200hr Learn To Lead Kirtan Foundation Training, accredited by The Yoga Alliance Professionals in 2016. She completed leading the 6th training her in the UK in November 2023
She has received excellent reviews for her 1-to-1 voice coaching in Vogue, Telegraph, Independent, Guardian and Daily Mail.
A study by Dr Alan Watkins, a senior lecturer in neuroscience at Imperial, revealed that chanting, heart rate and blood pressure dip to the lowest in the day.
“Slade calls it “open-heartedness”. She says chanting helps people feel connected to themselves and the world around them, something that, no thanks to technology, she believes the modern world lacks. “All the great yogis say that if you turn to the inside you will find the connection,” she explains.
As well as being relaxing, chanting also has physical benefits. A study by Dr Alan Watkins, a senior lecturer in neuroscience at Imperial, revealed that chanting, heart rate and blood pressure dip to the lowest in the day. It is also used to help treat chronic stress and addiction.”
Within months I had left my corporate career and my heart had opened up in a way that I could never have imagined possible. Nikki’s work is nothing short of transformational.
“What I wasn’t prepared for was the real impact of Nikki’s work. Within months I had left my corporate career and my heart had opened up in a way that I could never have imagined possible. Nikki’s work is nothing short of transformational. She crates the ultimate space for you to fully express ourself and get into touch with the real you”
By the end of an hour, during which I laughed and cried, it seemed perfectly natural to be moving to the music without inhibition. I left glowing and feeling energised. It was easier and more fun than yoga and, as a stress-buster, much more effective.
“To test the theory that everyone has a voice, I approached Nikki Slade who believes that we should all be singing or chanting for the good of our health. She predicts singing will become as popular as yoga and – having done a class with her – I think she could be on to something.
Following Slade’s strong, melodious voice and the rich hum of her harmonium, I found myself mixing Indian scales and Sanskrit chanting with pure, joyous improvisation. By the end of an hour, during which I laughed and cried, it seemed perfectly natural to be moving to the music without inhibition. I left glowing and feeling energised. It was easier and more fun than yoga and, as a stress-buster, much more effective.
Slade, a former actress and singer, hit on the creative and healing powers of the voice after singing her way back to health after a nervous breakdown. She now teaches individuals, groups and even corporations (including Orange and Deutsche Bank). “
Using voice work, movement and a very healing nature, Nikki Slade hits directly at your emotional core as she guides you through the empowering process.
Nikki’s work is recommended in Vogue. You’ll find her in the Secret Address Book, an extra magazine described as “an A to Z of all those need-to-know things”. This is what it says:
Yogoloji is now offering chanting classes which might just change your life in the space of an hour. Using voice work, movement and a very healing nature, Nikki Slade hits directly at your emotional core as she guides you through the empowering process.
“Singing is the language of the soul and the soul is where you can transcend the drudgery of the day.”
“Voice specialist Nikki Slade, whose clients include corporate firms, says everyone has a core sound. She uses ancient mantras and chants to help people connect with their “inner voice”.
“Singing is the language of the soul and the soul is where you can transcend the drudgery of the day.”
“What had, an hour before, seemed embarrassing and weird felt absolutely marvellous; a total emotional release.“
“As someone who is almost tone-deaf and lives in mortal fear of public speaking, I was not looking forward to the class. But with her serene demeanour and non-judgmental air, Nikki immediately put me at my ease.
She asked me to close my eyes and think of an ‘intention’ for my daily life. This could be anything from moving on from past loves to changing jobs or asking for more money. She then encouraged me to chant with her. Her wonderful, strong voice accompanied by the lyrical hum of the harmonium soon had me singing at the top of my voice. After a while I was also swaying to the music and swinging my arms around wildly to the beat.
“Nikki is adept at making the most uptight souls relax. Her sessions are overwhelmingly enjoyable…I left feeling calm, ridiculously positive and vowing to do more.”
“Nikki Slade, who runs chanting and voice-work classes for everyone from City bankers to addicts at The Priory, believes that the benefits of singing are linked to the primacy and power of the human voice.”
“Nikki Slade, who runs chanting and voice-work classes for everyone from City bankers to addicts at The Priory, believes that the benefits of singing are linked to the primacy and power of the human voice – and our basic instinct to use it. “People are naturally free and expressive,” she says, “but it’s something that has been lost on a day-to-day basis.”
“This is better than a course of massages, a weekly facial or a subscription to the gym.”
“I went complaining of not having enough fun and, after an hour of intelligent and sympathetic guidance (which in itself was enormous fun), I emerged feeling genuinely pampered and strong enough to begin the process of ousting my resident kill-joy. I’m definitely going back for more, to make sure that my gremlin doesn’t take up residence again. Group sessions (in Teddington or Tuffnell Park) last two hours and are likely to leave you feeling great, but also wanting more – knowing that you are giving space to emotional baggage that you’d be glad to get rid of…
“This is better that a course of massages, a weekly facial or a subscription to the gym.”
“Slade’s work is attracting support from NHS psychiatrists.”
“Although music therapy has long been used in the NHS to work through various problems with children and adults, it normally involves playing instruments. The value of using the voice for healing is a new idea. But now Slade’s work is attracting support from NHS psychiatrists, while Carsos has been invited to perform next summer at the culmination of a year-long festival of the mind and arts hosted by the Royal College of Psychiatrists (RCP).”
Der folgende artikel beschreibt eine reise zur Glückseligkeit & wie Kirtan für gesündere Beziehungen im Privat- und Berufsleben sorgt
Kirtan entstand zuerst in indien vor etwa 500 Jahren als spirituelle Praxis und ausdrucksform von dorfbewohnern auf dem land. Kirtan kann man aus dem Sanskrit als “Verehrung” übersetzen und wird manchmal mit dem längeren Namen “Sankirtan” bezeichnet, was “Verehrung in der Gemeinschaft” bedeutet. Diese sozialen Events hat-ten den Zweck einfache Leute mit ihrer höheren gött-lichen Macht zu verbinden. Kirtan ist heute für jeden genauso zugänglich wie es vor 500 Jahren der Fall war.
Das Chanten kann von Instrumenten begleitet werden wie zum Beispiel Harmonium(ein Art ‚halbes‘ Akkordeon), Tabla (Schlagtrommel), Tanpura (Lang-halslaute) oder Hackbrett. All diese Instrumente zusammen schaffen eine schwingende At-mosphäre und während sich der Rhythmus über mehrere Minuten zu seinem Höhepunkt aufbaut erfährt die ganze Chorgemein-schaft ein Gefühl von Innerem Glück.
weiterlessen…
As Glastonbury comes to a close, festivals now are all about returning to their spiritual roots. Alix O’Neill on why the millennial craze for chanting is the new clubbing.
As you read this, Glastonbury-goers will be raising themselves from their tents, fuzzy from too many ciders after watching Adele last night. But forget the hangover bacon butty — the twenty- something hedonist crowd will be heading instead to the West Holts field to do some kirtan, call-and-response chanting based on ancient Indian texts, to clear their heads.
Friday night in London, and it’s a similar story. At the fortnightly candlelit kirtan at Mantra Lounge in Covent Garden, among the 100-strong crowd swaying rhythmically to the brass cymbals and chants of Radha Govinda, are blissed-out millennials, kicking off the weekend with a spot of spiritual chanting and vegan cake. “At first, I was amazed at how this beautiful music could make me feel so good,” says Sophie Georgiou, a 24-year-old pharmacy assistant who has yet to miss a session. “I always feel refreshed afterwards.”
