Harmonic Singing
The voice as an inner path. Sacred chants, mantras, songs of the peoples of Africa and Asia: these journeys explore the power of sound and vibration, to be discovered among those who practise it and experienced for yourself, with no prerequisites.
What you’ll experience
Open to all, even with no singing experience.
Discover sacred song where it is still practised.
Feel the vibration of sound, alone and in a group.
The voice as a path
In many traditions, the voice is far more than a means of communication: it is a bridge between the body and the spirit. Mantras in India, chants of Africa, overtone singing born on the steppes of Central Asia: everywhere, people have used sound and vibration to pray, to heal and to come together.
Harmonic singing, also called overtone singing, allows a single voice to produce two sounds at once: a fundamental note and, above it, a clear, almost crystalline melody of harmonics. Learning to hear and shape these harmonics is a deeply calming practice that brings attention back to the breath and the body.
On our harmonic singing journeys, you explore this practice in the places where sound is still sacred. In Kenya, the workshops of Catherine Darbord, singer and guide for initiatory journeys, resonate with the wind, the birds and the silences of the African wild. In India, she also guides a journey for women that weaves harmonic chanting with beauty, introspection and the sacred places of the subcontinent.
No musical background is needed. These workshops are not about performing but about letting your own voice emerge, freely and without judgement, in the company of a small, attentive group.
Journeys in this theme
Your questions
Do I need to know how to sing?
Not at all. The workshops are open to everyone, with or without any singing experience. The aim is to discover your voice, not to perform.
What is harmonic singing?
It is a vocal technique that lets one voice produce two sounds at the same time: a low fundamental note and a higher melody of harmonics.
Who leads the workshops?
Both journeys are guided by Catherine Darbord, singer, yoga and meditation teacher and guide for initiatory journeys, in Kenya as in India.
How do I book?
Fill in the booking form on the journey page. You will then receive an email to pay a 30% deposit, which confirms your place.