Byron Bay might be the home of yoga studios, but there are also lots of Kirtan and Meditation events happening each week. We’ll show you where to find them!
It’s not all about asanas. You can learn more about yoga wisdom, the ayurvedic diet or even come along to chanting through the wonderful harmony of kirtan.
Byron Bay Kirtan and Meditation Events
There are many alternative communities in the Byron Shire with some running unofficial and closed-door events. We’ve decided to shine light on the events which the general public is more than welcome to attend.
1. Shakti Yurt Temple
On most Friday evenings you’ll find chanting starting here at 7pm at Divine Nature Sanctuary. This might even include a Shakti Puja and sacred music as a devotional chant. Yes – both locals and tourists are welcome.
There is plenty of parking here and public transport options may exist. It might be good to contact them ahead of time on their Facebook page just to ensure the events are happening.
2. Krishna Village
Head over to New Govardan farm for regular chanting near Murwillumbah. This place certainly draws a crowd chanting the popular Hare Krishna mantra.
You will definitely need a car to visit here. Note the road leading in is unsealed though 2wd vehicles are more than capable of entering – just go slow.
3. House of Bliss, Hearts on Fire
Every month these guys run regular kirtan gatherings for the entire Byron Shire community. The chanting often erupts into mildly estatic dance.
Events are run every 2nd Friday in Mullumbimby which is now the hippie centre of the entire rainbow region. You’ll find that this place draws quite a crowd so we recommend that you get there early. They play at Saint Martin’s Church Hill on Stuart Street.
4. Havan & Kirtan
Every month the Bamboo Yoga School of Byron Bay (we ranked highly on our list of the best yoga studios of Byron Bay) hosts a kirtan event. The events are always by donation and families are welcome.
This also includes a fire ceremony and the mantra is chanted 108 times. Most people leave feeling rejuvenated for days or weeks especially with a sip of the finest chai tea around the shire. We don’t have any further details about the regularity of this one at this stage.
5. Byron Spirit Festival
If you’re looking for Kirtan where you can see multiple musicians per day, then without a doubt you’ll need to head to Byron Spirit Festival. This is the home of yogis and the festival attracts thousands of people when it rolls into Mullumbimby each year.
Some of the biggest names have been here including Ajeet Kaur, Mitten and Prema Deval. The popular Sacred Earth (Prem and Jethro) have also played here though Krishna Das has come previously for a non-festival event back in 2018.
Getting started
There you go! 5 kirtan events and bands in Byron Bay worthy of checking out. If you’re new, then don’t be afraid. You won’t need to learn mantras before hand and often there is a mantra card or TV screen where you can memorize these as you go.
Most people are also new to kirtan so you won’t look out of place. Drag a friend along and you’ll probably feel a bit more comfortable. 🙂
The best pro-tip out there: Bring a blanket and cushion. You could be sitting for a couple of hours and some of these event spaces can get a little cold in the winter months.
Have you got any more bands to add to this list? Let us know in the comments as we’re always happy to support local musicians making a difference in the world.
