Happy Birthday Guru Ram Das!

Guru Ram Das

This week marks the birthday of Guru Ram Das.  Guru Ram Das is the 4th teacher of the Sikh faith.  Yogi Bhajan shared his deep love of Guru Ram Das with his students, encouraging us to invoke his healing powers through meditaiton.  He called Guru Ram Das the ‘Lord of Miracles’ and many of our meditations focus on calling on Guru Ram Das to answer our prayers.

Here is a quote I found from a lecture given by Yogi Bhajan on Guru Ram Das’ birthday in 1987:

“So realize in this House of the Guru we are celebrating Guru Ram Das’s Birthday week. Rejoice. Meet. Exchange happiness. You will have happiness for the year. What you shall sow, you shall reap. Sow happiness in this week. Use Thou in this week discard “I”, miracles will happen. “Kiv sachiara hoiai kiv kurai tutai pal(i).” How we become truthful and how this wealth of lies can fall. “Hukam(i) rajai chalna Nanak likhia nal(i).” In the will of God, Thou.” – Yogi Bhajan

All around the world, people are spending their day today and the week that follows meditating on the spirit and energy of Guru Ram Das.

There are so so many mantras recorded for this very purpose.

We’d like to share a 2 free downloads on this special occasion.

The first is a version of the mantra:

Guru Guru Wahe Guru Guru Ram Das Guru

Click Here for Free Download

The second is a beautiful version of the chant: Ra Ma Da Sa

Free Download

Ra Ma Da Sa by Snatam Kaur

Click Below to Listen to a clip of this track:

Click for Free Download (you will go through our checkout process to do this.)

Click Here to See Lots of Different Versions of Guru Ram Das Chants

Awakening Intuition with Patanjali’s Song

Wah Yantee: Patanjali’s Song

Teacher: Sada Sat Kaur

Posture: Sit in easy pose or on a chair (hands in lap both feet comfortably on the ground.)

Eyes: Close your eyes and look at your 3rd eye point, or just relax the eyes closed.

Mantra: Wah Yantee Kar Yantee Jag Dut Patee, Aadak It Whaa-Haa Brahmaaday, Trayshaa Guru It Wahe Guru

Translation: All that is creative through time, all that is the Great one.  Three aspects of God: Brahma, Vishnu, Mahesh.  that is Wahe Guru.

Time:  7 or 11 minutes

End: Inhale deeply, hold the breath while stretching the arms up and maintaining the hand position. Continuing to stretch, exhale. Repeat 2 times and relax.

Teacher’s Notes & More Information: On Sada Sat Kaur’s latest release, Mantra Masala, she included a beautiful version of the chant Wah Yantee. She recorded this track to be used to chant and connect to the Infinite energy of the universe that Generates, Organizes and Delivers.

Practicing this meditation, she says, the entire creation becomes your friend as the mantra awakens your intuition. The practice of this mantra, given by Rishi Patanjali, is the culmination of thousands of years of prayer.

Mantra Masala by Sadasat Kaur

Listen to the track: Wah Yantee

Go to the Download Page

Snatam Kaur’s Sacred Chant Retreat – October 1st Deadline

October is almost here – which is SOOO hard to believe – and so we are on the threshold of the first deadline for registration for Snatam Kaur’s incredible Sacred Chant Retreat in Costa Rica from Feb 28 to March 6.  Register Now and Save!

Click Here for More Information

Here is the payment info:

Deposit: $399.00 Still Available! Plantation Casita : $1799.00 Still Available! Deluxe Double : $2199.00 Still Available! Price Levels Deposit By Oct 1 By Jan 1 After Jan 1 Plantation Casita w/ Shared Bath-House $399 $ 1,799 $ 1,999 $ 2,199 Nature Tents w/ Shared Bath-House $399 $ 1,599 $ 1,799 $ 1,999 Hermitage Double Room w/ Private Bath & 2 Twin Beds (non-couple) $399 $ 1,999 $ 2,199 $ 2,399 Hermitage Room w/ Private Bath & Queen size bed (couples) $399 $ 1,799 $ 1,999 $ 2,199 Standard Double Room w/ Private Bath & King size bed OR 2 Twin beds $399 $ 2,099 $ 2,299 $ 2,499 Deluxe Double with private bath and 2 twin beds (non Couple) $399 $ 2,199 $ 2,399 $ 2,599 Deluxe Double with private bath and king size bed (couples) $399 $ 2,099 $ 2,299 $ 2,499 Off Property $399 $ 1,799 $ 1,999 $ 2,199

Akasha – taking yogis to Guatemala to teach Ashtanga and Kundalini

Akasha with his son, Prakash

Akasha is an amazing yogi and yoga teacher who studied Kundalini Yoga since he was 11 and had a deep and profound personal relationship with Yogi Bhajan. He also lived in Albuquerque, NM for a few years and had the blessing of studying Ayurvedic Medicine under renowned doctor and teacher, Dr. Vasant Lad. When he was 25, he moved to Bangalore, India and studied Ashtanga Yoga with one of the masters of this practice, Vishwanath, who is the nephew of the late Pattabhi Jois. Here he talks about his upcoming retreat and the unique blend of Ashtanga and Kundalini Yoga:

Q “What experience can someone expect from the retreat you have planned in Guatemala?”

Akasha: A sense of rejuvenation and balance….this retreat will offer you a chance to unwind and focus on your health and your feelings that arise each day. And Hopefully give you the space to lessen the chatter in your mind and just breathe and relax.

I was blessed at an early age to meet Yogi bhajan and was taught the importance of waking up in the early morning and cleansing both body and mind. Through these simple techniques were able to balance our systems each day. I truly believe these practices give each of us an opportunity to experience our divine self/teacher and remove the blinders so we can live balanced and free to treat each situation as something new rather than layering it with unresolved past issues .

Q. Does someone have to be familiar with Sadhana, Kundalini yoga or the Ashtanga Series to attend?

Akasha: Each morning we will guide you through a kundalini set and practice the Sadhana meditations given by Yogi Bhajan during the early morning and then take a short break and rejoin to practice the Ashtanga series. Depending on the students attending we will offer 1 or 2 Ashtanga Vinyasa Classes each morning. A simple Beginners led class and a more experienced class for students that are familiar with the Primary and secondary series.. There will also be unstructured time each day for exploring the surrounding area and enjoying solitude or one another’s company.

Q. “We understand the healing power of Kundalini, but please explain why you’ve added Ashtanga to your daily practice and how it will benefit others?”

Akasha practicing Ashtanga Yoga

Akasha: I have always been drawn to physical practices and forms of meditation in motion. Kundalini yoga, kriya’s, martial arts, swimming, running and sports. In my late teens running and martial arts filled much of this space and I wanted to dive deeper into the physical asana’s I just didn’t know exactly how or where to begin. The funny thing was that fate soon helped me find this practice. When I was in my early 20’s I injured myself and was unable to run and practice many of the martial arts and kundalini sets that I had previously loved doing I even found sitting and performing some of the kundalini asanas and kriyas to be very painful for my knees and hips and I wasn’t sure how to strengthen and bring myself back into alignment. While studying with Dr Lad I was introduced to Ashtanga by another yogi. It was 1992 and Alan Finger listened to my caseJ and mentioned that I watch this video by Richard Freeman well I was blown away when I saw Richard doing Ashtanga Primary Series. It moved me. I thought wow here is way I can deepen my asana and spiritual practice and focus my mind on my breath. Shortly after seeing this video I moved to India and within a year or so I had the opportunity to begin my Asthanga Studies with Pattabhi Jois’s nephew, Vishwanath, a wonderful teacher living in Bangalore. During my first year of practice my injury in my knee and hip healed along with many other unrelated physical injuries in my body. I also became much more aware of my breath and how it affected my nervous system in a positive manner. I was better equipped to balance and some situations reshape these bodies and calm my reactions to my thoughts and my mind.

I have seen in myself how both of these Yoga Practices which are complete in themselves transform and support one another in a self practice. Both Ashtanga and Kundalini offer a place for your spirit to shine through the 8 limb path using Asana( body), breath (nervous system) concentration and meditation (mind) to bring balance and healing to your body stystems.

Q. “Tell me why Guatemala and this particular place?”

Yoga Room at Retreat Center

Akasha: Actually it’s funny I began looking for a place to do a retreat last summer outside of the US and I truly believed the universe would offer us a space. So a week or so after I began projecting this idea we offered a workshop in Birmingham and my dear friend and business partner, Terri was speaking to another Teacher from Atlanta and how she had just returned from conducting a wonderful yoga retreat in Guatemala at Villa Sumaya. She mentioned how conducive the environment, climate, and people were during her yoga retreat and to top it off they served incredible vegetarian food. After hearing this we did a little more research and realized that this place has and is a magical and healing place for many and would be an ideal place for our retreat.

You can see more details about Akasha’s retreat  – registration info, pricing, etc. here:  Ashtanga and Kundalini Yoga Retreat

[Note from Karan: Some of you might recognize my son, Prakash, with Akasha in the top picture - Akasha is not only an amazing yoga teacher and father of an amazing child, he is also my ex-husband.  We are wonderful friends, and I consider him one of the best yoga teachers I've ever met  - and he has an incredible understanding of diet and health that he incorporates into all aspects of his teaching and life.]

Omega’s Ecstatic Chant Weekend – Labor Day ’09

Earlier this month, I had the absolute joy of being invited up to Omega Institutes Ecstatic Chant Weekend over the labor day holiday. There’s no better way to describe it than ecstatic – it was a weekend of musical ecstacy. To spend a weekend with so many amazing musicians chanting their hearts out is beyond compare – the musicians included Snatam Kaur with GuruGanesha and Manish Vyas, Deva Premal and Miten with Manose, Krishna Das, Jai Uttal with Daniel Paul, David Newman (aka Durga Das) with his amazing wife Meera, Shyamdas, Vishal Vaid and some fun accompaniments from Gauravani, Siri Om Singh, Steve Gorn and many more whose presence created a musical masterpiece of a weekend.

On Day 1, the events started in the evening and I saw Snatam Kaur, Jai Uttal and Krishna Das on the first day, which was really blissful and sacred and sweet. We went to bed around 2 a.m. blissed out! Day 2 started at 9 a.m. and halfway through the first set, I remembered that I could take video on my new i-phone. So I started recording, and discovered to my amazement that I could instantly upload the clips straight to youtube – and so here they all are. The sound is a little funky on some of them because I covered the microphone with my fingers until I realized where it was, but you’ll get the idea.
Manose invited the amazing Steve Gorn to play with him onstage for an incredible flute duet. What a way to start the day!

Durga Das (David Newman) has a really rich musical sensibility that I deeply enjoyed – this song ‘The Prophet’ has become one of my top plays on my i-pod since this weekend:

Snatam Kaur started the afternoon off with some sweet gentle songs, including this Guru Guru Wahe Guru which she invited Manose onstage to join her – it was so beautiful!

Then things got wild – GuruGanesha pulled a bunch of people onstage including Deva Premal, Miten and Siri Om Singh and they played a rousing version of ‘Walk with the Lord by my Side” – look at everyone’s expressions – they are all having such a blast!

After Snatam, Deva Premal and Miten got on stage and sang a beatiful chant, Shima which means love in the Hopi language:

Then they sang a really fun song – Id Were Were – look at how much Deva Premal is enjoying this one (and don’t miss GuruGanesha’s enthusiastic clapping in the front row )

Then, Miten invited Shyamdas (and GuruGanesha) on stage to lead a song, which was really upbeat and lively.

After that, Premal asked Snatam to join her onstage to sing Aad Guray Nameh – I think it was the first time Snatam stood and sang that chant (and her baby, Jap Preet kept trying to climb onstage – I wish I had caught that on camera!)

Later in the evening, Krishna Das played – I only was able to tape one song, which isn’t one of his traditional chants, but this fun gospel song – Jesus on the Main Line:

I missed Jai Uttal on day 2, but someone posted a fun clip of him doing an improptu kirtan in Omega’s Lunch Room:

On Monday Morning, after I live, Shyamdas performed again, and I found this clip online – he’s got everyone up on stage with him just rocking the house!

I also missed videotaping Vishal Vaid, who is an amazing guzzal singer. Here is a clip I found of his music on youtube:

All in all, it was a weekend I will never forget. Check out more of Omega’s events at : www.eomega.org

Creating albums and babies in the Spirit Voyage family!!

Spirit Voyage is blessed with a state of extreme bounty – our fields are fertile!! It seems that the process of creating music is deeply linked with the process of creating life for our artists these days. Snatam Kaur became pregnant while writing the music for Liberation’s Door and Shanti the Yogi, and was pregnant during their recording.

Mirabai Ceiba's Markus and Angelika with producer Jamshied Sharifi

Earlier this year, Mirabai Ceiba‘s Angelika and Markus began the process of preparing for their next album, during which time they discovered they were pregnant – and in June they flew to New York to record with an incredible producer named Jamshied Sharifi who is also a gifted musician and has worked with many world famous musicians (check out his website: www.jamshiedsharifi.com).   They rented a somewhat famous studio out in the countryside that they said made the recording expreience amazing. We are hoping for an October/November release of their new album, which is tentatively titled A Hundred Blessings.

Nirinjan with producer Hans Christian

And last week, I joined Nirinjan in Wisconsin at the studio of producer Hans Christian to record her first album with Spirit Voyage, and I have now been cleared to announce that she too is pregnant!  This new album is going to be really incredible!  A lot of the music on it was developed while Nirinjan was touring with GuruGanesha and both he and Manish Vyas joined Nirinjan in the studio to record the tracks in a live environment so that some of the incredible energy of playing live could be captured.  We are hoping to release this album for Winter Solstice in December.

On both of these projects, we were able to do something we’ve never done before – both of the producers we are working with use studios with multiple isolation rooms.  This means that the musicians can all play together at the same time, hearing each other through their headphones.  Usually each musician plays separately and hears pre-recorded mixes of the other musicians.  Playing together allows them to bring in the energy of playing music live and also opens things up to improvisation in the recording process.  It lets those creative juices flow on the spot while recording.

There is something so deeply beautiful about the creativity and joy experienced during pregnancy, and to be able to share music born from that experience is really a blessing for all of us. I’ve asked Nirinjan and Angelika & Markus to share what that experience was like for them, and they have promised to send that my way so I can share it with all of you. In the meantime, here are some photos from their recording days.

Angelika recording harp

Nirinjan recording vocals

The team recording Mirabai Ceiba's 'A Hundred Blessings'

The team recording Nirinjan's new album

Hosting Deva Premal and Miten for their first Washington DC Concert

In June of this year, Hargobind and I were in the bliss as we saw the culmination of many months of work come together in an amazing concert with Snatam Kaur, GuruGanesha Singh, Manish Vyas and Tanmayo.  It was one of those nights when I understood that I have really been divinely led to this incredible work that I do.  It was truly an evening when my heart just burst wide open.  And when it was all over, all I could think was that I wanted more!

Deva Premal and Miten in Concert

Fortunately, we were able to start immediately working on another amazing event, and our excitement is mounting as the evening is fast approaching.  On Thursday, September 17th, Deva Premal and Miten will be coming for their first Washington DC conert to share an evening of sacred music and chanting.

The Historic Synagogue at Sixth and I

Hargobind found an incredible venue for this event, and we are so excited to be hosting them there.  It is the Historic Synagogue at 6th and I Street in Washington, DC and it’s sure to be absolutely spectacular.

The Sanctuary

Having worked with Snatam for so long, it’s a real treat to work with Deva Premal who has a very sweet connection with Snatam.    Years ago, someone gave Deva Premal a copy of Snatam’s Prem CD, and she fell in love with it, specifically the Aad Guray Nameh track.  She started playing that track in all of her concerts, and then in 2007, they happened to both be

Snatam with Premal and Miten in Sweden

in Sweden at the same time, and Premal invited Snatam to join her onstage and sing that song with her.  Since then, they have sung together at Kripalu and Omega (where they will both be performing at next weekend at the Ecstatic Chant Weekend – Click Here for Details along with Krishna Das, Jai Uttal, David Newman and many more), and Premal has recorded Snatam’s Aad Guray Nameh on her album Dakshina. 

Premal speaks very lovingly of Snatam whenever she sings this song.  She recently said “I feel Snatam like a sister. …we have the same heart to heart connection to our masters. So we meet in song.”

Earlier this year, I wrote an article for LA Yoga Magazine about the incredible sense of community that people experience at Kirtan concerts.  While writing that piece, I interviewed Mahan Rishi, who has organized quite a few concerts in Pennsylvania for Deva Premal and Miten.  He said: “Deva Premal and Miten hold an amazing energy. They know how to really create that inner dance between themselves and the community. There is such a depth that comes from them that it allows people to really connect with the profoundly soulful part of their heart. They combine that with a playfulness that gives it a universality that emanates from their music. Their concert in Philadelphia was unbelievable. We all felt it for weeks afterwards. So many people reached out to us feeling so moved by the event that they wanted to carry that connection forward.”   (Click Here toRead The Entire Article)

With the concert just around the corner, our excitement is rising by the day, and we can’t wait to share this evening with as many people as possible!

Here are the concert ticket details:

Premium Seats: $60 in advance, $65 at door
Mid-Level Seats: $40 in advance, $45 at door
General Admission: $30 in advance, $35 at door

Get Your Tickets Now

LA Yoga Magazine Music Review: Snatam Kaur’s Feeling Good Today

LA Yoga: Ayurveda and Health – Family, Kids and Yoga Issue

Music Review by Luke Ketterhagen

Feeling Good Today
by Snatam Kaur

 When asked to review Snatam Kaur’s children’s CD Feeling Good Today!,  I decided to see how my kids would respond to it while curious how we might fit it in our busy schedule.  I placed it in the CD player and then got swept away by the standard barrage of parental responsibilities.  I actually forgot I had changed out my kids’ regular bedtime CD with Feeling Good Today!until I pushed play.  My seven-year-old son and five-year-old daughter loved the new music so much that they began singing along.  In bed, with their eyes closed, smiles on their faces, they belted out the wonderful lyrics: “The sun shines on everyone…the One Spirit lives in everyone…we pray, we pray for everyone….”  how is that for a review?!

Snatam has successfully fused happy, light, playful music with the timeless wisdom of  the great traditions.  She has masterfully blended ancient philosophical messages with everyday language to share with all – especially impressionable young minds.  Snatam’s delightful recordings of these nine tracks also carry a message any adult can not only appreciate, but learn from as well.

So, on the eve of Father’s Day, I sit in front of my computer grateful to Snatam Kaur for her brilliance.  As parents, we constantly look for positive images and language in a world that can often be overwhelmingly crude, disrespectful and negative.  Snatam joyfully leads a beautiful choir of youthful voices in a mix of songs that invites anyone to sing along.  The messages here reinforce concepts any parent would want absorbed by precious little minds.  The titles of the first few tracks tell all: “Feeling Good Today,” “The Sun Shines on Everyone,” and “I Am Happy.”  The jo on the kids’ faces says even more – Feeling Good Today! will be on our family playlist for many years to come.

– Luke Ketterhagen is a Yoga and meditation teacher who studied and lived at the Himalayan Institute for over seven years, and now teaches in Los Angeles: lukeketterhagen.com

Light of Consciousness Magazine Music Review: Liberation’s Door Review

Light of Consciousness - August 2009

Liberation’s Door

by Snatam Kaur

CD: 73 Min

Snatam Kaur’s spirit and radiant voice shine in this new release of Gurmukhi mantras, Shabds (traditional Sikh prayers put to music), and sweet devotional songs.  The words of Guru Arjan blend gracefully with the Prayer of St. Francis of Assissi in Servant of Peace.  Liberation’s Door, a lofty chant about faith, is composed from teh words of Guru Nanak.  Crimson, from teh words of Guru Ram Das, is the only solely English track in these primarily Punjabi songs.  Mother’s Blessing, delightfully sung by Snatam Kaur in Spanish, is translated from the words of Bibi Bani, wife of Guru Ram Das.  Richly layered instrumentation throughout includes guitars, keyboards, sarod, santoor, flute, sax, esraj, tabla, cello and percussion.  Snatam Kaur pours her heart and soul into this offering that will captivate you with its sublime beauty.

Ocean of Pearls – Newly Released Film with Original Soundtrack by Snatam Kaur

Sometime in 2007, I was approached with a request to have Snatam Kaur record original music for a n Independent Film project called ‘Ocean of Pearls.’ After hearing the story and seeing the incredible production team that they had put together for this film, I was really excited to see Snatam participate in the project.  Check out the movie’s trailer here:

Throughout 2008, the film was entered into various film festivals and received numerous awards:

• Toronto ReelWorld Film Festival
  • -Winner :Audience Choice Award
• Los Angeles Asian Pacific Film Festival
  • Winner: Grand Jury Prize
  • Winner: Audience Choice Award
• Detroit Windsor International Film Festival
  • Winner: Best Feature Film

Theatrical Release!
Ocean of Pearls
with Sound Track by Snatam Kaur

August 21st – 27th, 2009
Bridge Theater
3010 Geary Boulevard at Blake
San Francisco, CA 94118
landmarktheaters.com
( 415) 267-4893

September 11th – 17th, 2009
Landmark Century
2828 North Clark Street (at Diversey)
Chicago, IL 60657
landmarktheaters.com
(773) 509-4949

About the Film:
Amrit Singh is of two worlds, but belongs to neither. A turban-wearing Sikh, he has lived his life in North America out of sorts and out of place, cast adrift at an uneasy crossroads between East and West. But when he is offered a prestigious position as a transplant surgeon in a Detroit hospital, the young doctor sees it as a opportunity to start fresh. He struggles to be the man he believes he is and at the same time the person he wants to be. His ambitious pursuit of success, however eventually leads to tragedy and it is only in defining his singular identity that he finds peace.

More Info:

www.oceanofpearls.com