This Saturday I'll be joined by some of the regulars: Marilyn Hart playing kartals, Divya Shinn singing and Kevin Germain playing yayli tanbur and oud.

In addition to the regulars, Gurucharan will be joining us on tabla. Gurucharan Singh Khalsa has been studying tabla in the U.S. and in India for 13yrs.  He is a classically trained Tabla player and has studied in the lineages of Delhi Gharana, Panjab Gharana amd Benares Gharana.  He has recieved his training from many accopmlished Tabla Masters including Dr. Murali Manohar, Zakir Hussain and Shivaya Das as well as many humble Ragiis and Kitani Jethas. He currently acompanies Kitan events all over New England and I'm looking forward to having him join us this Saturday!

 

from Pema Chodron's "Comfortable with Uncertainty"

Spiritual awakening is frequently described as a journey to the top of a mountain. We leave our attachments and our worldliness behind and slowly make our way to the top. At the peak we have transcended all pain. The only problem with this metaphor is that we leave all others behind. Their suffering continues, unrelieved by our personal escape.

On the journey of the warrior-bodhisattva, the path goes down, not up. Instead of transcending the suffering of all creatures, we move toward turbulence and doubt however we can. We explore the reality and unpredictability of insecurity and pain, and we try not to push it away. If it takes years, if it takes lifetimes, we let it be as it is. At our own pace, without speed or aggression, we move down and down and down. With us move millions of others, our companions in awakening from fear. At the bottom we discover water, the healing water of bodhichitta. Bodhichitta is our heart - our wounded, softened heart. Right down there in the thick of things, we discover the love that will not die. This love is bodhichitta. It is gentle and warm; it is clear and sharp; it is open and spacious. The awakened heart of bodhichitta is the basic goodness of all beings. 

Experience the Joy Kirtan

Experience the Joy is a time for people to come together, open their hearts and sing. For years chanting has helped people to effortlessly reach a state of quiet and stillness that easliy leads to meditation. While it's true that we can chant  in our car or in the solitude of our home, there's nothing like chanting with others and with live musicians. Every kirtan is different depending on the energy of the group, but as the evening progresses one becomes saturated with the Name and the  mind becomes one-pointed. The tempo may increase but all the while there is this soft center, this open heart to which we ever return.