ABOUT

About Kathleen Karlsen

About Kathleen Karlsen & Vocal Medicine

Kathleen Karlsen is a composer, writer, and artist exploring the powerful connections between sacred sound and symbols.  She has been studying religious traditions, the impact of music and art, and the deeper mysteries of life since childhood. Kathleen has led over 600 musical events and workshops in recent years, focusing on sharing sacred music in Eastern and Western traditions. 

Kathleen began attending a variety of spiritual conferences, churches, and religious organizations in her teens. She was first exposed to Eastern chanting while she was in college. Now one of her greatest joys is to create mantra experiences that are relatable and understandable in today’s world. She hopes that her ongoing research and personal experiences will inspire others to experiment for themselves with this unique form of spiritual practice. 

About Mantras and Kirtan

The singing of mantras as a group is called kirtan. Some define kirtan as chanting the names of God. Others view kirtan as a form of yoga. Kirtan is a growing phenomenon in the West, backed by scientific studies for the benefits of both meditation and group singing.  Singing dissipates feelings of loneliness, increases dopamine and oxytocin and benefits the brain, body and spirit in multiple ways. Learn more in Everything About Kirtan

Vocal Medicine Videos

About Kathleen's Artwork

Kathleen’s visionary art supports her work with sound and healing. She loves to depict the universe, the five elements, and other modern themes. Kathleen’s primary goal is to emphasize the exhilaration of being alive expressed in exuberant color. In the last decade, she has had over 70 exhibits of her colorful work. Her art is in private collections in over 20 states and 4 countries.

Other artists associated with Vocal Medicine include Rose Karlsen and Sammy Ater. These talented illustrators work under Kathleen’s direction to illustrate the chakras, yantras, essential oil plants, sacred symbols, and the deities of East and West. Kathleen uses these illustrations for her handouts and materials for workshops, vendor booths at festivals, and other events.

Art-Related Videos with Kathleen Karlsen

Watch over 150 videos on Kathleen Karlsen’s YouTube channel! 

Watch 150+ videos on Kathleen Karlsen’s YouTube channel.

Writing and Education

Kathleen also shares her life experiences, research, and thoughts in nearly 200 published articles and nearly 150 videos on YouTube. She is also the author of two books: Flower Symbols (2011) and Vocal Medicine (2019). Kathleen’s passion for sharing the transformative power of the arts continues to be the driving force in her life. A list of the dozens of articles included on this website can be found at All Contents Links

Kathleen holds a BA in studio art and an MA in humanities. Her graduate research culminated in her thesis The Color-Music Connection: Philosophical, Aesthetic and Scientific Perspectives. Free download below. She has also completed a year of doctoral studies in adult education. Kathleen holds numerous professional certifications in business management and a variety of alternative health modalities. She also has three levels of training from the Kirtan Leadership Institute.

Kathleen’s voice over work includes training videos for companies with an international client base. Kathleen has narrated over 3,000 educational videos. Her clear, comforting voice leads the listener step-by-step through complex tasks. Kathleen has the ability to transform complex topics into an easy-to-understand narrative. Her goal is always to support, inform and uplift her audience. 

Kathleen Karlsen's Books

More Resources

YouTube Channel

Over 150 videos of music, mantras, stories, and information. Includes a free mantra course, symbolic art, and sacred music. Subscribe to explore sacred music for meditation, spiritual practice and transformation. Discover the connections between sacred geometry and music. 

Natural Life News

Natural Life News features extensive archives of articles on numerous topics related to natural therapies, remedies, nutrition, fitness & more. Read Kathleen Karlsen’s published articles here.

Spotify

Explore music as medicine for body, mind and spirit! Experience singing as a spiritual practice through devotional chanting with Kathleen Karlsen. Listen to the Vocal Medicine album with supporting artists Andrew Karlsen, Paul Bohak & Mahima Giri. Add to your favorite playlist!

Kathleen on SoundCloud

SoundCloud is an online music streaming service that enables its users to upload, promote, and share audio. Find Kathleen’s album and other selected music here.

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