Kirtan – Temple of Sound & Presence

In this year's seminar/workshop the topic of our exploration will be Kirtan. As we know, kirtan is an ancient art form to calm the mind, open the heart and connect with the Divine. When this potent spiritual practice is done properly we can experience, through Grace, three exceptional results: One) devotion (bhakti) which gives pleasure and joy, Two) nearness, or experience, of Divinity (anubhava) which gives nourishment of soul, and Three) detachment or independence from everything else (virakti) which creates peace of mind and heart.

The key principle that empowers kirtan is – Presence! The same principle that empowers life and relationships. We will approach this Art of Presence and the performance of kirtan as an inspiration and training ground for learning how to connect with Krishna and develop harmonious lives and relationships. We will carefully analyze and explore the fundamental elements of Presence for accurate understanding and application. This strand of inquiry will be naturally blended with lots of sweet kirtans and pastimes.

Two factors characterize my approach to teaching Vaishnava spirituality. One is that I don't isolate spirituality from practical life and interactions. I seek to connect and integrate the two. The second factor: I don't believe in impractical, idealistic lessons. I don't consider a teacher has come up with a solution or helpful guidance merely by stating what the desirable outcome should be, without any description whatsoever of exactly how one might actually get there. As a norm I always seek to address and illustrate the practical steps and means in order to make what I present true to life, relevant and doable – a fluent and effortless meeting and synthesis of practical psychology and sublime spirituality.