2020 has become a year in which many of us have had the opportunity to tap into our creative juices. For me, it has been a reigniting of one of my childhood passions – singing and playing guitar. This was a shared passion with my very best friend, Teese, who passed away in October. We were blessed to spend her last three weeks together and even managed to get her home for an afternoon to play some music and record some of the children’s songs she’d written. In one of our last conversations, she counselled me to keep singing and playing music, that it was important. This has been a bittersweet reawakening as well as an incredible healing balm that I could never have planned.
Back in March, Navaratri became a virtual event for everyone and we were unable to bring Jyotsna in to lead kirtan with her beautiful harmonium playing. What to do – a capella? solo drumming? guitar and drumming??? We decided guitar and drumming would be nice – yikes! This guitar was a gift from Sr. Arespacochaga, my “father” when I was an exchange student in Spain back in 1975, and had been tucked away for a very long time. I never played for anyone else and rarely for myself. I dusted off the cobwebs, changed the strings, and spent a few days figuring out chords that would work with the three chants. Even though my fingertips were raw and my added beats to the melodies challenged Atmadarshan’s drumming rhythms, we made the most of it and had a lot of fun. We hope you enjoyed it, too!
When we created Dharma Kshetra Yoga in 2017, our dear friend Tejasvin helped us develop a business plan. Our mission is to bring the art and science of yoga to life, to make the yoga teachings and practices accessible to all, and to serve our greater yoga community. The seeds were planted back then to put together an online Chanting Library, but we were so busy with other projects that it never got off the ground.
2020 has afforded so many of us a “time in,” not only for everyone’s safety, but also for coming back to ourselves and discovering what is ultimately essential for living well. For me, yoga is essential for living well. It has been an integral part of my life for over 40 years and has seen me through good times and life’s many challenges. As I’ve gotten older, mantra has moved to the forefront of my practice. Mantra is great for meditation because it engages the mind and raises our vibrational quality. We can practice in solitude or with others to uplift ourselves as well as those around us. And it connects us to our breath, one of yoga’s many gifts. I’ve found a teacher to support me as I move ever deeper into these practices and I’m excited that our Chanting Library is now coming to fruition.
You may have seen some of the chanting events we’ve shared on Facebook since Navaratri: singing the Maha Mrityunjaya Mantra for healing, the Gayatri Mantra for wisdom and light, and an Earth Day chant to honor Gaia. Going forward, we will be adding short clips for learning mantras used during our annual programs and in our advanced classes. You will also find longer recordings of mantras to chant along with or to listen to whenever you wish to raise your vibration and the energy around you. If you have a favorite mantra, please let us know so we may include it in the Library.
I am very grateful to have Atmadarshan’s support and exquisite drumming to accompany the reawakening of my precious guitar. As I embark on a new journey away from the Sounds of Silence to the sounds of yoga, I know Teese is close by and we honor her love and friendship.
Creativity is filled with infinite possibilities and together we can inspire each other. What have you tapped into and (re)awakened in your life? We’d love to hear from you!
You are invited to join us for our next free chanting sessions, listed in our calendar of events !