New World Kirtan > Calming Chants for a Crazy World

This week climate change became very personal for our family. The picture at the top of the blog is Oregon’s Willamette Valley — that’s where we live. Because of the wildfires, hundreds of families have lost their homes in Oregon & tens of thousands more are preparing to evacuate. Millions of acres have burned. Evacuees from around the state are sheltering here at the Fairgrounds & other venues, and the response of our community has been extraordinary. It makes me proud & gives me hope. In this week’s New World Kirtan Podcast, I’ll tell you what it has been like for us here in Oregon this past week. The set is the one I played for our Satsang last Friday night when we were in the thick of it, and features music from Adam Bauer, Krishna Das, Rob & Melissa, IndiaJiva & then a very special treat — the track ‘Govindam’ from Shantala’s beautiful new CD LIVE2Love. We end with a deep chakra balancing meditation from Edo & Jo. There is such sadness to know that parts of our beloved Oregon will never be the same. Please say a prayer for the people who have lost everything. We will get through this together with love for each other. Hang in there, my friends. Stay safe. Namaste. Set List Adam Bauer, Wonderville — Pranam (Om Ganesha) Krishna Das, All One — Township Krishna Rob & Melissa, Breathe — Hanuman Chalisa Indiajiva, Om Spiritus – Music for a Peaceful Planet — The Triple Gem Shantala, LIVE2Love — Govindam (ancient Sanskrit prayer) Edo & Jo, Chakra Meditation — Introduction Edo & Jo, Chakra Meditation — Chakra Meditation

I played this set last Friday night for our group & songs from it kept popping into my brain all week so I figured it was a good one. We are having the most exquisite summer weather here and I wanted the music in the set to reflect that summer feeling in some way, so this week the music has the lightness of a sunny day as its theme. Be prepared to dance – it’s that kind of set! This week we’ll hear music from Avasa & Matthew Love, Suzin Green, Daniel Johnson & Nina Rao, Prem Joshua And Chintan, Bhakta & Darpan, Jaya Lakshmi & Ananda, Mukti with Prajna Vieria, David Newman, GuruGanesha Band w/Paloma Devi, Deva Premal & Miten, John William Bauld and Bobbyji, and Spring Groove — be sure to stay to hear that one — it’s a live track that Spring recorded back in 2008 when things were just starting — she has Dave Stringer, Mark Gorman & Hans Christian in her back up band. What I love the most is that it brought back the feeling of our live kirtans at the Corvallis UU and all the fun we had. It will all be back again, better than ever. Hold onto that vision, and be the Light you are. Until next time, my friends. Namaste. Set List Avasa & Matty Love: Love Is King Love Is Queen — Let the Sun Shine Through Suzin Green, Daniel Johnson & Nina Rao: The Mantra Project, Vol. II: Mantras of the Sun —     Surya Namaskar Mantras: Agni Mix (Featuring Nina Rao) Prem Joshua And Chintan: Kashi: Songs from the India Within — Gayatri Ghetto Bhakta & Darpan: Urban Mantra Cd1: Vitality — Om Tara (RainForest Mx) Jaya Lakshmi & Ananda: Kundalini Mantras — Long Time Sunshine Mukti: Light Of The Sun — Light Of The Sun David Newman: Acoustic Chant: Ukulele Kirtan Serenades — Maha Mantra Sunset GuruGanesha Band w/Paloma Devi: A Thousand Suns — A Thousand Suns Deva Premal & Miten: Songs for the Sangha — Brahma Gayatri Mantra John William Bauld and Bobbyji: John William Bauld and Bobbyji — Light Light (Lokah Samastah) Spring: Spring Fever — Be The Light

This edition of the New World Kirtan Podcast marks a change. I’ve been producing the podcast for over ten years, mostly following the same format. This week I’m trying something different, focusing on just one chant. You’ll have to let me know how you like it! There are a lot of well-worn ruts in my brain about being sick and lately I’ve been trying really hard to reroute them. Also, COVID. A powerful chant to the Celestial Physician has been helping — it’s short & sweet and the message is very definite — I Am Healthy. The chant ‘Om Sri Dhanvantre Namah’ is an affirmation for health & well-being. Traditionally it is chanted when preparing food to infuse the food with powerful healing vibrations & it can also be chanted for any situation that you’d like to see healed or remedied. You can see how this chant can be very useful in this time of the coronavirus. We’ll be hearing a beautiful version by Deva Premal from her CD ‘Mantras for Precarious Times’. Every single one of us on the planet is now ‘in the gap’, the place between, and we’re in this place together. Being in the gap can be disorienting & even scary. The old world is gone, and something sacred is trying to be born. Stand fast, do your practice & hold the vision. Hold each other. We’ll get through this time together. Until next time, my friends. Namaste.

Sometimes on Friday night, I like to do a Surprise Package set — that just means a set of songs that we’re pretty familiar with and like to sing but there’s no particular theme. This is a set I played several weeks ago for our Satsang, with music by Kristin Luna Ray, David Newman & Friends, Donna DeLory, Deva Premal & Miten With Manose & Maneesh De Moor, Adam Bauer, Jai Uttal, Lauren Monroe & Girish. I hope this magical music will spark joy in your body & spirit. Remember to Dance When You Walk — as dear Miten says —  and beam out the Love in your heart, let the people around you feel it. Because if not now, when dear hearts? Your love is what is going to save us. I’ll see you next week. Namaste.

In this week’s set, the New World Kirtan Podcast features another branch of the kirtan music scene with a focus on Kundalini artists. The best-known chant from this tradition is the Kirtan Kriya, Sa Ta Na Ma, so powerful for Alzheimer’s patients & their caregivers. This week you’ll hear a lovely version of that chant by Mirabai Ceiba; here are the other artists in the set: Deva Premal & Miten 21-Day Mantra Meditation, Day 7, The Inner Guru; Aad Guray Nameh Krishna Kaur, One Creator — Har Gobinda Snatam Kaur, Anand (Bliss) — Anand Satkirin Kaur Khalsa, Universal Mantra — Ramadasa: Healing Yourself & Others Jai Jagdeesh, I Am Thine — Ong Namo Guru Dayvaa Mirabai Ceiba, A Hundred Blessings — Sa Ta Na Ma Snatam Kaur, Live In Concert — Aad Guray Nameh Jaya Lakshmi & Ananda, Kundalini Mantras — Adi Mantra Maya Fiennes, MayaSpace — Ra Ma Da Sa 2       Deepak Chopra, spoken, Rumi — poem ’Beloved’ Tina Malia, Bridge to Vallabha — Long Time Sun I hope you can enjoy the beauty of the summer wherever you are. It’s a privilege to have you as a listener. Stay in the flow of love any way you can, and we’ll get through this together. I’ll see you next week. Namaste.

I try not to talk much about politics on the New World Kirtan Podcast. But most of you know we live in Oregon, and this week I’d like to address the protests happening in Portland. We’re about an hour and a half south of Portland & have friends & family members living there, so what’s going on in the city is very close to our hearts. I’ll let you know what we’ve heard from our friends who live in Portland at the top of this week’s podcast. ‘Om Namo Bhagavate Vasudevaya’ is a Hindu mantra for spiritual growth. The meaning of this mantra is “Om is the name of the Indweller in me that is ever in unity with all of creation. Kindly reveal your truth to me.” The ‘Indweller’ is Vasudeva: the soul, which exists as a flame in the subtle heart center. To invoke Vasudeva is to call on one’s own power of consciousness to further spiritual growth. The chants in this week’s set will focus on this mantra, and here are the artists who will be performing for you: Deva Premal & Miten: 21-Day Mantra Meditation — Day 7, Liberation: Om Namo Bhagavate Vasudevaya Brenda McMorrow, My Heart Bows Down To You — Way Down Low/Om Namo Bhagavate Shantala, Sri — Om Namo Bhagavate Invocation Shantala, Sri — Om Namo Bhagavate/ Because The One I Love Lives Inside Of You Krishna Das, Breath Of The Heart — Om Namo Bhagavate Vasudevaya Deva Premal & Miten, Live At Omega Ecstatic Chant — Om Namo Bhagavate/Oneness Thomas Barquee, Yoga Living Series – Meditative Moon — Om Namo Bhagavate Dave Stringer & Spring Groove, Yatra — Lokah Samasta We’re all in the same storm, we’re just in different boats, my friends. But no matter what boat you’re in, and how stormy the seas get we’re in this together and love will win. Stay healthy out there, and until next time —  Namaste.

The ‘Great Invocation’ is a World Prayer, an invocation for light and love. It’s an ancient formula for the use of mankind to invoke the energies which will change our world. Originally written in 1945, it has been translated into many languages & is used daily by millions of people. There are several versions which have been modified to reflect the world’s changing consciousness. Our kirtan set this week consists of chants that support the vision of the Great Invocation, invoking peace, love & right relationships all over the world. The set is a bit longer than usual, the Yoga Nidra meditation at the end is beautiful — it’s one of our favorites. Here’s the music in this week’s set: Deva Premal & Miten: 21-day Mantra Meditation, Day 13, Happiness Edo & Jo: Kirtan Alive — Om Shanti Mirabai Ceiba: Sacred Love Meditations — Humee Hum, The Other Is You Brenda McMorrow: Igniting the Beauty — Loka Samasta/Om Shanti Donna De Lory: Sanctuary — Lokah Samasta Sukhino Bhavantu Blue Spirit Wheel: Tridevi — Om Shantih Johanna Beekman: Heart Beats One — Om Shanti (Peace In Our Hearts) Shiva Rea: Drops of Nectar [Disc 2] — Yoga Nidra: Yogic Relaxation THE GREAT INVOCATION “From the point of Light within the Mind of God Let light stream forth into the minds of men. Let Light descend on Earth. From the point of Love within the Heart of God Let love stream forth into the hearts of men. May Christ (consciousness) return to Earth. From the center where the Will of God is known Let purpose guide the little wills of men – The purpose which the Masters know and serve. From the center which we call the race of men Let the Plan of Love and Light work out And may it seal the door where evil dwells. Let Light and Love and Power restore the Plan on Earth. Let Light and Love and Power restore the Plan on Earth. Let Light and Love and Power restore the Planet Earth.” Until next time, dear hearts. Namaste.

I played this week’s set several weeks ago for our Friday virtual Satsang — it’s dedicated to Hanuman, and it’s one I’ve been using a lot in the process of healing my body after hip replacement surgery. In difficult situations, it helps me if I remember to turn things over to a higher power, and these days Hanuman is my guy. Here are the chants in this week’s set: Day 5: Strength Through Devotion, Spirit of Mantra, Hanuman Mantra, Deva Premal & Miten — Spirit of Mantra Hanuman, Carrie Grossman — The Ram Sessions Sundara Chalisa, Krishna Das live in Maui Baba Hanuman, Shantala — Sri Jai Hanuman, Shaman’s Dream Project — Kerala Dream Lokah, Indiajiva — Om Spiritus, Music for a Peaceful Planet Podcasts are going to be coming regularly now, I’m going to aim for one each week so be on the lookout. Stay healthy my friends, and until next time — Namaste.

I got some very good news this week — my hip replacement surgery has been rescheduled for Wednesday, May 13 — that’s tomorrow! So I’ve been gearing back up — listening to chants for healing & guided meditations for surgery. I’ll be taking a break for a few weeks while I recover. But before I go, it’s time for a word. The pandemic has placed all of us, all over the world, in the same storm but in different boats. At the top of the podcast, I talk a little bit about what our family’s quarantine boat is like, and what is helping me not to capsize. I also have a few choice words for our President. You should listen. This week’s set is one I played for our Friday Satsang last week, and it’s a collection of chants that are calming and will help you get to sleep. We start, as always, with Jane Winthur’s Om chant from her CD Mantra. Then we’ll have Kabir’s Song, Snatam Kaur — Anand, Narasimha, Deva Premal — Password, Rama Lullaby, Rob & Melissa — Tejase, Govinda Hare, Jaya Lakshmi — Jewel of Hari, Shaantih Prayer, Swaha — Salutations, Rambient, Carrie Grossman — The Ram Sessions, Ganapati Om, Govind Das & Radha — Lunar Mantras, Om Mane Padme Hum 2, Jane Winther — Mantra, ending with Sanctus, Ashana — Jewels of Silence. So I’m going to sign off now for a few weeks — I’ll be back on the other side of the surgery. It has been a long long journey with this pain, my friends, and my life is about to change for the better. I can’t wait. Enjoy life, stay healthy and until next time — Namaste.

This week’s set is one I played for our Friday Satsang a week ago, and it’s a collection of Shanti Mantras, Hindu prayers for peace found in the Upanishads. A Friday Satsang set always begins with Jane Winther’s Om chant from her CD Mantra. Then we have Dharma study with Deva Premal & Miten from their 21-Day Mantra Meditation, and offerings from Jaya & Ananda, Tim Jordan Kirtan, an ‘Om Purnam’ chant by Bada Haridas, featuring Karnamrita Dasi, Blue Spirit Wheel, Rob & Melissa, Shantala, and we end with a Yoga Nidra Yogic Relaxation by Shiva Rae. I hope you’ll use the set to sing peace into your body and visualize spreading it throughout our world. Be Well, my friends. Stay healthy. Much love to you all. Namaste.

Well, we’re all having a moment together, aren’t we? Everyone listening to this all over the world is slowed down, sheltering in place. It’s really quite remarkable, our world is having a pause and reset, and a much-needed change in perspective. In some very good ways, we will never be the same. And on some level, we’re all experiencing grief & loss. Personal loss — my hip replacement was cancelled, our son’s wedding postponed — and also collective loss, the loss of a way of life we took for granted & that has disappeared in a blink of an eye. And our small private griefs & disappointments pale in comparison to the grief of those mourning loved ones who have died during this pandemic. There’s a collective need for us to acknowledge the loss & the grief and mourn for all that is gone. As of today here in Oregon, we have about 1200 cases and 38 deaths. We started social distancing early here because we saw what was going on up the road in Seattle & it scared us so most of us took it seriously. I look at what is going on in New York and it breaks my heart. Reading about the individual acts of heroism & kindness all over the world in the midst of this pandemic also breaks my heart, but in a different way. It breaks it wide open with the acknowledgement that here is the best we can be as humans. Mr.Rogers said, look for the helpers. Even when things are really bad, there will always the helpers to inspire us. So, our world is going to look very different after this, there’s no denying that. But more importantly, what are WE going to look like when it’s over? It’s a cliche, but the only way out of this is by going in. One sweet outcome of the quarantine is that we’re doing a virtual kirtan through Zoom for our Friday kirtan & meditation group, and so far it’s going beautifully. Another delightful outcome is the way we’re doing these virtual kirtans makes it easy for me to take our Friday night sets and post them as podcasts so you can recreate these healing kirtan & meditation sets at home. Just prepare your space, and start the set, you can even use it to help you fall asleep if you wish! Our podcast set is the one we played last Friday night, and it was for Divine Healing. 
We always start with an Om chant by Jane Winthur. This week we have a teaching by Deva Premal & Miten on the great healing mantra to Shiva, the Maha Mitrunjaya mantra, with two renditions, the first by Deva & Miten, followed by another version by Brenda McMorrow. Then a powerful chant to Shiva by Dave Stringer. Two versions of the Kundalini Chant Ra Ma Da Sa — in Kundalini teachings Ra Ma Da Sa is said to tune the soul to the frequency of Diving Healing. The first version is by Satkirin Kaur Khalsa, the other toward the end of the set is by Snatam Kaur. In between the Ra Ma Da Sa chant is another offering by Deva & Miten, a live version of Teyata Om Bekanze, one of the most important mantras for healing from the Buddhist tradition. We always end the set with a prayer for peace, Lokah Samasta Sukino Bhavantu. This week’s version is by Mukti with Prajna Vierra. After the music ends we meditate for a few minutes, then have a closing prayer. I hope you’ll find the set powerful, and use it for personal & global healing. My wish for you in the midst of these precarious times is that you can find moments to be grateful and that you’ll also find moments when you can lift someone else up, even if it’s just with a smile. Have faith in the Divine Plan, my friends and make it a practice to release your fear. Fear is a creation of your mind. I’m going to end with the prayer I always say to end our kirtan. May we be filled with loving kindness. May we be free from inner and outer dangers. May we be well in body & mind. May we be at peace and happy. Namaste.

It’s finally coming on spring here, the daffodils are starting to come up, and the hip replacement surgery is also coming up — it’s on March 18! Last month we had a beautiful kirtan here led by Johanna Beekman — it was so sweet. She’s about to set out on another tour & also has a new CD in the works, I’m looking forward to hearing that when it’s finished. So I’ve been in a very inactive period here before the hip surgery — I can’t walk or swim & it’s driving me nuts. But in the quest to make lemonade out of lemons, one of the good things is that I can make lots of podcasts, it’s been kind of fun! This edition is the set I played for our kirtan circle for Valentine’s Day, focused on the Heart Sutra & other chants to open the heart. We have music from Jane Winthur, Deva Premal & Miten, Kristin Luna Rae, Shantala, an amazing Heart Sutra offering by Lee Mirabai Harrington, a beautiful Purnamadam chant by Jaya Lakshmi, and then ‘Aham’, another chant by Shantala from their CD Living Waters that gives me goosebumps every time I hear it. I enjoyed putting this set together, and given the download numbers you guys REALLY like the podcasts that are all music, so I’m just going to do a bunch of them for a while. Until next time my friends, Namaste. P.S. Many thanks to my wonderful agent Stacey Stahl at In Both Ears for permission to use this pic for the podcast.

The latest edition of the New World Kirtan Podcast is the set played at the Corvallis Unitarian Universalist Fellowship for our kirtan/meditation circle last Friday night to celebrate Imbolc, the ancient Celtic holiday that marks the beginning of Spring. The holiday was traditionally celebrated by the lighting of fires to honor the sun goddess Brigid. Our set this week honors the Divine Mother, the source of the life force behind the awakening of Spring. We have music & teachings from Deva Premal & Miten, David Newman, David Estes with the marvelous vocals of Prajna Vieira, Edo & Joe, Blue Spirit Wheel, Suzin Green & Shantala. The guided meditation is by Shiva Rae. Enjoy, my friends. As the saying goes no winter lasts forever, and every spring gets its turn. Enjoy the stirring of new life, as the warmth of spring & the fullness of summer can’t be far behind. Namaste.

Over Easter weekend last April, Dave Stringer came to Corvallis to play a kirtan for our community — it was such a sweet experience for everyone involved, and the following month he was headed to China. Dave has been to China several times to play kirtan, and over Easter weekend we talked a lot about China & the Yoga & kirtan scene there. I found it to be a fascinating story. The market for Yoga in China is huge & growing fast — it’s one of the biggest Yoga markets in the world. Here’s a quote from the South China Morning Post: “According to projections from Statista, by 2020 the yoga market in China is expected to stretch to nearly $6.7 billion, not far behind the US yoga market which is expected to be worth $11.6 billion”. There are over 200 Yoga studios in Shanghai alone! In this edition of the New World Kirtan Podcast, you’ll hear Dave Stringer, Yoga instructor Richard Baimbridge, Rafael Wilejto (Rasa) & Clayton Horton tell how they got involved with Yoga & kirtan in China, what it was like back in the day, what it’s like now & where they see it going. The music you’ll hear is from Dave Stringer, Kevin James, Rasa & Clayton Horton, and it was recorded live at various venues in China. A worldwide movement for Love? I can see that, how about you? It’s a vision that can uplift us all. See you next time! Namaste.

This podcast is very special to me. I had the pleasure of interviewing Miten back in September the day before Deva Premal, Manose and the gang were about to leave on tour. The interview was to be about the music on his new CD ‘Devotee’, and it turned into a conversation about healing journeys after bodily trauma, and how his healing journey after the open heart surgery resulted in this beautiful CD. My one regret is that the end of the interview is shortened because of a software glitch, so you won’t hear the parts about their tour or me saying thank you and goodbye. Interviewing people over the internet is always kind of nerve-wracking because you can never really tell how it’s going to turn out until you start to edit the files. The interviews from China were a nightmare because of that — but that’s another story. I’m almost finished with those interviews & it’s an interesting story — I know you’re going to love hearing about the scene there. The podcast will feature music from the Hong Kong kirtan festival & other kirtan events in China, lots of pics & even some videos. That’s coming up next! Have a Happy Thanksgiving my friends, and until next time — Namaste.