On Saturday 15 August 2009 I, Guinness World Records™ adjudicator Jack Brockbank, attended the record attempt for The Most People Chanting simultaneously, in an event at Gärdet park, one of the largest green spaces in Stockholm, Sweden.

The minimum number of participants required to set this new record was 1,000 people chanting for at least five minutes in unison. The event had obviously been well publicised as there were already many members of the public at the site, eager to participate, hours before the record attempt was due to start. The event itself was organized by Team Shakti a company that sells ‘spike mats’, mats filled with foam and covered in plastic spikes designed to help increase blood flow and stimulate nerve endings when used during meditation, relieving tension and aiding relaxation. Each participant was to be provided with a mat to lie on during the record attempt.

By the appointed start time, there were long queues of people waiting to receive their spike mats and take their places for the chanting. Once they had collected their mats, the participants were ushered along the ‘sun beams’ laid out from a central stage area, where all the musical acts were due to perform.

When I was satisfied that everyone was in place the chanting began, lead by the founder of Team Shakti, an experienced yoga master and chanting instructor. After five minutes had elapsed, I met with the wardens, each of whom had been watching up to 50 people, and totalled the number of people present who had managed to chant continuously. The final figure was an impressive 2,558 people. I presented the official Guinness World Records certificate to the founder on stage and, after being asked for my autograph (!) and a number of photos and interviews, the event was over.

19 August 2009