Self-Realization Fellowship Blog

We are happy to announce a global streaming event for “The Divine Art of Music” on Saturday, June 6, 2026, from 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. (Pacific Time). This special evening of music and meditation was held in April at Carnegie Hall’s Zankel Hall — to honor Paramahansa Yogananda’s legacy and the 100th anniversary of his introducing devotional chanting to audiences at this historic venue during the lecture series he conducted in 1926.

The program includes a short talk by SRF monk Brother Devananda on the art and science of chanting, periods of devotional kirtan chanting and meditation led by the Self-Realization Fellowship monks’ kirtan group, and elevating Western classical music (similar to how Paramahansaji had included instrumental music in his original lecture series) performed by SRF members.
 

Chanting Takes Center Stage

On April 18, 1926, Paramahansa Yogananda opened a weeklong series of free lectures at Carnegie Hall and the 2,800-seat main concert hall filled to capacity, with more than a thousand people being turned away at the door. At the end of his talk, he invited the audience — who were at first unfamiliar with Indian devotional chanting — to join him in singing Guru Nanak’s “O God Beautiful.”

For one hour and twenty-five minutes, thousands of voices rose together in an ethereal unity. Even after Yogananda left the stage, the audience continued chanting, moved by the deep spiritual transformation they had experienced.

We hope that you can join us for this special streaming event celebrating the centennial of Paramahansa Yogananda’s bringing the uplifting power of devotional chanting to the stage at Carnegie Hall.