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 Kirtan
with Rick Roberts and friends
Green River Yoga
7:30pm
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Greetings!
This Saturday at Green River Yoga in Greenfield we'll be celebrating an
early Shivaratri, the annual celebration of Shiva. Shivaratri falls
every year on the new moon night in the Hindu month of Phalgun which
corresponds to late Feb - early Mar in the English calendar. According
to Hindu mythology, Shivaratri or 'Shiva's Great Night' symbolizes the
wedding day of Shiva and Parvati. Many however, believe Shivaratri is
the night when Shiva performed the Tandava Nritya - the dance of
primordial creation, preservation and destruction. Either way, it is a
time charged with spiritual energy and on this evening, one can make
great strides in their Sadhana through one-pointed chanting of the Name.
This year Shivaratri falls on Monday, February 23 so on Saturday we
will aim our one-pointed chanting towards Shiva's Great Night and see
what happens! If you want to experience the full effect of chanting on
Shivaratri, I'm hosting a small intimate group on Monday night from
8-10pm. Please email me for directions if you're interested in joining
us.
Two weeks ago at Yoga Center Amherst I had the pleasure of playing with
five wonderful musicians including Gurucharan, a very sensitive and
accomplished tabla player who lives in Greenfield. Recordings from that
night (see Quick Links) are posted on the web and I'm happy to say that
Gurucharan will be joining us again this Saturday!
For inspiration this month I chose a story about Shiva, Parvati and
Ganesh excerpted from the book titled "Ka" by Roberto Calasso...Stories
of the Mind and Gods of India. It's a beautifuly poetic book that
weaves the myths of India together into stories about the gods.
let it be love,
Rick
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 ...and friends
This month I'll be joined by most of the regulars:
Gurucharan..........................tabla
Marilyn Hart.........................cymbals
Dona O'Dou.........................tamboura
Divya Shinn.........................vocals
did you know...
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 and Benares Gharana. He has received his
training from many accomplished Tabla Masters including Dr. Murali Manohar,
Zakir Hussain and Shivaya Das as well as many humble Ragiis and Kitani Jethas.
He currently accompanies Kirtan events all over New England and I'm looking forward to having him join us again on Saturday!
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Inspirational Corner
 from Roberto Calasso's "Ka"
Stories of the Mind and Gods of India
"As many as are the aeons, so many shall be the ways in
which Ganesha's story is told." Many the aeons, many the stories. Only one
thing is certain: Ganesha was born of Parvati "without husband", vina nayakena.
Which is why they call him Vinayaka. He was often to be seen lying awake beside
Parvati's bed. He was her mild and thoughtful guardian, trunk curled up on his
round belly and one tusk broken. To his right he kept a stylus and inkpot.
Parvati couldn't help stroking him whenever she passed by. "You are my son. You're
mine. I can't say that of anyone else."
He didn't have his elephant's head at first. He was a
beautiful little boy who never left his mother's side. Shiva pretended to be
pleased, but actually he was annoyed. Expert as she was in jealousy, Parvati
rejoiced to see Shiva suffering the torments she knew so well.
One day, after a fight, Ganesha went so far as to bar Shiva
from Parvati's room. Shiva hacked off his head. And immediately, with Parvati
dumbstruck before him, a huge wave of affection for that lifeless body rose
within him. He told Nandin to tear off Airavata's head, Airavata being Indra's
elephant. In times past, when Indra was the indisputed sovereign of the gods,
the idea would have seemed absurd. But the Devas were a spent force now. One
day Nandin returned carrying Airavata's noble head on his back. One tusk had
been broken in their ferocious duel. With a craftsman's skill, Shiva fixed the
elephant's head on Ganesha's neck. Parvati looked on, eyes full of tenderness.
She saw how deftly Shiva was performing the delicate operation. And at once it
crossed her mind that only now would her son be truly himself.
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Kirtan
with Rick Roberts and friends
Every 1st and 3rd Saturday
 ...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, the mind becomes one-pointed and
dropping into a deep state of meditation becomes effortless.
Suggested donation is $10, a portion of which goes to support the local
chapter of Karma Krew, a non-profit organization whose mission is to
infuse the world with more positive energy by promoting acts of
kindness, service, and community outreach.
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