Snatam Kaur personifies the meaning of her name: universal, nucleus, and friend to all. These themes have expressed themselves in a variety of ways throughout her life, and are particularly present in her music.
Snatam Kaur Khalsa born 1972 in Trinidad, Colorado), is an American singer and songwriter. She performs the Indian devotional music, kirtan and tours around the world as a peace activist. She lives in Española, New Mexico. Like all female Sikhs, she shares the name "Kaur", meaning "princess".
Her family moved to California when Snatam was two, living in Long Beach and Sacramento. When Snatam was six, the family went to India where her mother studied Kirtan. Snatam lived on a ranch near Bolinas, California until 8th grade and then moved to Mill Valley in 1986. During her childhood, she played kirtan with her mother in Sikh temples and at Sikh religious ceremonies. She attended Tamalpais High School in Mill Valley. While at Tam High, she played violin in the school orchestra and began songwriting. Bob Weir of the Grateful Dead coached her and her classmates before they performed her song Saving the Earth at an Earth Day concert in San Francisco on April 22, 1990.
Snatam was also active in social and environmental causes while in high school, serving as president of the social action club known as, "Students for Justice," in her Senior year. The club started a campus recycling program and organized environmental awareness programs. The club also led the effort to change the school mascot and sports team names from the Indians to the Red Tailed Hawk in 1989 and 1990 due to a speech given at the school by Sacheen Littlefeather.
After graduating from Tam, Snatam attended Mills College in Oakland, California, receiving a bachelors degree in biochemistry. She then returned to India, to study Kirtan under her mother's teacher, Bhai Hari Singh. In 1997, Kaur began a career as a food technologist with Peace Cereals in Eugene, Oregon.
In 2000, Spirit Voyage Records founder GuruGanesha Singh welcomed the young artist to his label, and signed on as her manager and guitarist. Working with a sterling ensemble of talented musicians and the brilliant New Age music producer Thomas Barquee, Snatam has generated one critically acclaimed album after another, including the bestselling CDs Prem, Shanti, Grace, Anand, and Liberation's Door. “It seems to take nine months to make a new CD. It’s a creative and spiritual process. I bow my head and ask God, ‘What do you want to deliver?’ And the energy always comes through.” “Music is essential in my personal practice. It’s the core spiritual practice of Sikhs. Sacred music transports me to the experience of peace every time I sing and play. It’s my prayer that everyone who listens will experience that too. “My music is an offering to people of all faiths. Many of the words are in Gurumukhi, the sacred language of the Sikhs. This language was designed to provide healing just by listening to it or reciting it. “I play the harmonium, guitar and violin, but my main instrument is my voice. It’s the “A man came up to us after a concert and asked when we were coming back,” Snatam remembers. “I said I’m coming back in a year, and that made him really sad. He didn’t think he could wait that long to feel so good again! “Yoga is the tool you can use on a daily basis so you don’t have to be dependent on our concert our anyone else’s.”
Snatam offers tools for maintaining a balanced and loving internal state with her “Creating Inner Peace through Kundalini Yoga and Meditation” workshops. These classes provide instruction in the technology of Kundalini as taught by Yogi Bhajan. Chanting is an essential part of the Kundalini Yoga practice. “There’s an actual yogic and scientific effect that happens when you sit with a straight spine and chant,” Snatam says. “The energy rises through the spinal cord to the top of the head and there the tenth gate opens, which is the connection with the Infinite. “ By chanting at home, and practicing Kundalini Yoga, anyone can stay tapped into the bliss they experience at Snatam’s concerts all year long.
Sikh influenceThe essence of being a Sikh is that one lives one’s life according to the teachings of the Sikh Gurus, devoting time to meditating on God and the scriptures, chanting, and living life in a way that benefits other people and the world. Sikhism emphasizes the truth that everyone is equal in God’s eyes whatever their social status, religious beliefs, or gender. Sikhs do not believe that any one religion has a monopoly on the truth and do not regard their traditions and practices as the only way to God.
Sikhism is a dynamic world religion that began in India in the mid-fifteenth century with the enlightened master Guru Nanak (1469-1539 C.E.). Guru Nanak was followed by nine Gurus, each of whom brought a unique gift to the planet. From the message of universal acceptance of all human beings that Guru Nanak brought, to the great warrior spirit of the tenth Guru, Guru Gobind Singh, Sikhs were given a great example of how to live an exalted life; in a sense creating heaven on earth. Sikhs are householders, practice meditation on a daily basis, keep a vegetarian diet, keep their hair unshorn, and wear the Sikh clothing (most notably the turban).
Snatam’s own teacher was Yogi Bhajan(1929-2004). He was the most influential Sikh in American history, helping promote the Sikh tradition in the West. Upon his passing religious and political leaders recognized him and honored him. The Dalai Lama called him a saint, and the US Congress passed a resolution honoring him for his outstanding contribution not only to Sikhs but to people of all walks of life. Sikhs are known for their service to people of all walks of life through their free kitchen programs called “langar”. When the emperor of India came to seek the advice of the third Guru, Guru Amar Das, he was asked to eat the langar, and was given a place to sit that happened to be next to a beggar who was also partaking of the community meal. The emperor was actually inspired by the experience. Through the langar program, and the message of Guru Nanak “Ek Ong Kaar,” which means the One God is the Creator within all beings, Sikhism contributed greatly to breaking down the caste system in India.
Sikhism is based on the Shabad Guru. “Shabad is the sacred energy or recitation of sound, and Guru means the living teacher,” Snatam explains. “For Sikhs, our living Guru exists within the sacred words of our tradition. As part of our daily practice we take a sacred divine reading from the Siri Guru Granth Sahib, which is a collection of writings from enlightened teachers and sages in India. It includes the Sikh Gurus, but also incorporates saints from other traditions. These sacred poems were originally sung in specific notes, and have been passed down to us exactly as the words were originally recited by our Gurus. “The energy of these songs are alive and gives us healing and guidance. The living presence of the Guru through sound is our foundation. We really feel the Shabad Guru has blessed our lives, and when we sing it, it affects our physical body and our environment. The reason we practice it every day is so we can create within us that resonance of peace, and then go out into the world with that resonance still supporting our words, and still in our thoughts, and still creating the light around us.”
[edit] Personal lifeToday Snatam lives in Espanola, New Mexico with her husband Sopurkh Singh Khalsa and their baby daughter Jap Preet Kaur. “My husband was the answer to my prayers. One day at the Winter Solstice gathering I went to the Gurdwara (Sikh temple) to pray to God and Guru to find me a husband. I said to God just before opening the doors to the Gurdwara, ‘I can’t find anyone. I surrender this to you.’ When I walked over the threshold I saw that Sopurkh was the only other person sitting in the Gurudwara. He was meditating and looked absolutely peaceful and radiant.” They were married in January 2006.
“He’s a steady spiritual rock for me and my music. And now my daughter is the answer to the prayers I never knew that I had. She is full of love light and joy, and we are so blessed to have her presence in our lives and to be able to serve her in any way we can."
What does Snatam do when she’s not teaching or singing? “Every day I do yoga and meditation with my husband and daughter. That’s key for me. My spiritual practice doesn’t falter even when we're on tour. It’s a total time of connection and rejuvenation. “I’m continuing to study Indian classical music. I spend a lot of time on that. I also absolutely love to cook and explore new recipes. The first place we go when we get home from a tour is to the grocery store, so we can cook a meal! “We also love to be outside. We have a huge garden—we like to hike and to garden. Someone told me, ‘A great way to see the planet is to walk.’ We walk a lot! "We also have a lot of play dates with other children here in our community. It is really wonderful how many children there are for Jap Preet to play with. We are really blessed to live here in Espanola, New Mexico in the spiritual community affectionately called "Hacienda de Guru Ram Das."
“It seems that there will be more recording opportunities. So, I intend to always keep growing in the art of Gurubani Sikh music.”
way I communicate with my Creator.”
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