Yoga Center Amherst Kirtan
with Rick Roberts and friends

Green River Yoga
158 main street, 2nd floor | greenfield, ma
Saturday, November 21
7:30 - 9 pm
Greetings! I'm writing this morning from Kripalu in Lenox Mass after an ecstatic Kirtan last night with a completely new (except for Divya) and wonderful group of musicians: Stephen Katz, Tony Silva, Doug Donnell and Divya Shinn. It was beautiful this morning after breakfast to hear Stephen describe his experience of playing last night. He said for the first time it felt like he was able to sing with his cello. The musician's role is mainly to create the space for others to have an experience, so how wonderful it is when musicians can enter into the space, become one with their instrument and chant!



This Saturday I hope you can join us at Green River Yoga in Greenfield for an evening of chanting and meditation...just before Lucy and I fly off to Arizona for Thanksgiving with family.

Then on the Sunday after Thanksgiving you're invited to Hart Yoga in Shelburne Falls where Lindel Hart and I will be offering another afternoon of Contemplative Practice:

Exploring the Inner Landscape through Yoga, Chanting and Meditation
Sunday, November 29, 2009
3:00 - 6:00 PM

Sadly Lucy and I will be on our way to Arizona Sunday morning, but if you're in the area this Sunday Dave Russell is celebrating the release of his first CD Dancing in the Heart, 7pm at the Yoga Sanctuary in Northampton. This Sunday it's a Kirtan and a party!


For inspiration I offer two poems by Hafiz, translated by Daniel Ladinsky. Enjoy, and I hope to see you soon!


let it be love,

Rick

How precious our time together here truly is!
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Sponsors
nine bows to the musicians!
who continue to give so much

Gurucharan........................tabla
Kevin Germain....................yayli tanbur
Dona O'Dou........................tamboura
Divya Shinn........................vocals
Rick Roberts......................harmonium

Inspirational Corner

Hafiz - Stay with US

You leave our company when you speak of shame and this makes everyone in the Tavern sad. Stay with us as we do the hardest work of rarely laying down that pick and shovel that will keep revealing our deeper kinship with God, that will keep revealing our own divine worth.

You leave the company of the Beloved's friends whenever you speak of guilt, and this makes everyone in the Tavern very sad. Stay with us tonight as we weave love and reveal ourselves, reveal ourselves as His precious garments.



I wish I could speak like music

I wish I could speak like music. I wish I could put the swaying splendor of the fields into words so that you could hold Truth against your body and dance. I am trying the best I can with this crude brush, the tongue, to cover you with light.

I wish I could speak like divine music. I want to give you the sublime rhythms of this earth and the sky's limbs as they joyously spin and surrender, surrender against God's luminous breath.

Hafiz wants you to hold me against your precious body and dance, dance!

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 but please remember that a donation is not necessary. Anything is appreciated, and all are welcome regardless of their ability to pay.