Hanuman Chalisa Workshops

This an opportunity for beginners and experienced chants to dive deep into this practice of chanting this 40-verse prayer in praise of Hanuman, together as a group.

The prayer is from the Indian tradition with Hanuman invoked as the very breath of the Divine – our own Divine nature.

Many believe that chanting this prayer gives us the strength to get through difficult times with compassion and grace.

We will talk about the story of Hanuman in the Ramayana, read through the prayer to review pronunciation and translation, and chant the prayer together an auspicious number of repetitions. 

If you would like to be notified when the next workshop will be please sign up for email updates. 

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Omega Ecstatic Chant + Bay Area Tour

There's been so much wonderful chanting this month including Ecstatic Chant Weekend at Omega and chanting the Bay Area with my west coast buddies. What an honor for me!

Spring Ecstatic Chant Weekend at Omega May 2014 
L-R: Shyama Chapin, Keli Reddy, Genevieve Walker, me, Roshni Thompson, Mark Gorman, Devadas Labrecque

From Left-Right: C.C. White, Wah!, Me, Snatam Kaur, Ajeet Kaur Khalsa, Donna De Lory, Gina Salá

Chanting Hanuman Chalisas at Open Secret San Rafael

Kirtan at Integral Yoga Institute San Francisco

(Thanks for the photos Jennifer Mazzucco!)

I'll be with Krishna Das at his annual retreat at Yogaville; back in New York for more of his events in early June; and onward to Bhakifest Midwest; and a whole Kirtan Wallah Tour with Krishna Das in the summer. Look forward to chanting with you soon in CT and MA and much more...

Asheville, NC Weekend

My old friend, Saraswati

I think we might finally be passed snow on the ground while flowers try to bloom! It finally feels like spring. It's been nice to hang with the kids during school break.

Had a great time in Asheville where we joined Krishna Das in kirtan, workshop, I sang for Saraswati's yoga class at her most beautiful center and we chanted Hanuman Chalisas as a group. Saraswati's yoga style weaves principles of Chinese medicine into an asana and pranayam practice designed to bring women's energy and hormones into balance. See this article in Yoga Journal for more information.

 Singing for Dr. Saraswati Markus' yoga class at Nourishing Life in Asheville, NC

Here's a clip of live Radhe Govinda from KD's new CD  Kirtan Wallah !

This weekend come chant with my friend from the Bay Area, David Estes of Ananda Rasa kirtan who is leading chanting at Brooklyn Yoga School Sat April 26 8pm. He's a wonderful musician, loves chanting AND offers harmoniums - check out Ragamala.

David Estes playing with me at Bhaktifest West last year

One of Ragamala's lovely harmoniums

Hope you can join us at Omega Spring Ecstatic Chant!

Am so looking forward to seeing my Bay Area friends and chanting together very soon!

Southeast Kirtan Wallah Tour + New Live CD

The birds in Brooklyn are finally calling! It's spring! I just returned from a wonderful weekend with Krishna Das and Sharon Salzberg at Kripalu and now ready to embark on my trip to Asheville NC to join Krishna Das on a portion of his southeast Kirtan Wallah tour. Here's one my favorite tracks on KD's new CD Kirtan Wallah

We are excited to announce the release of the live kirtan recording from Brooklyn Yoga School and the website where you can order it from. You can hear Brooklyn kirtanwallahs Jeremy and Devadas and kirtanwallis Ambika, Lily, Shyama, and myself as we sing together recorded live. It's available digitally on iTunes or physically from the new Vanaras website!

It takes a village! From my heart I want to offer my deepest thanks to all who helped fund and create Krishna Das's new cd - Kirtan Wallah.

Behind the Making of "Kirtan Wallah"

In a couple of weeks will be the official street date of Krishna Das's new studio album on his own label, Kirtan Wallah. What a journey it's been from conception to delivery and we will continue on tour with the CD this year through the spring, summer and onwards. I have been fortunate enough to hang around Krishna Das for all these years and the release of this CD is another milestone on an incredible exploration of life, work, chanting, practice, friendships, family and so much more.

Deepest thanks to:

Krishna Das, captain of the ship, steering us always toward Maharaj-ji

All the Krishna Das backers without whom none of this would have happened

All of you who will hear this CD

All the musicians and Kosmic Kirtan Posse on the CD who are mentioned here in KD's credits.

Sarina Rao for steadfastly handling the fundraising campaign and fulfillment management
Shamina Rao-Herel for artfully designing the backer TShirt and CD packaging
Janaki Kagel for cheerfully handling the fulfillment of the fundraising campaign
Satrupa Kagel for selecting the malas to be blessed
Lily Frindel for graphics and spreading the word
Devadas for the heartful and thoughful writeup for the CD
Kevin Reilly for providing the sound channels
Matt Thomas, Dj Pierce, Sean Collelo, and Sandy Chase for the still and moving visuals
Ana Ban for supporting in so many ways from the beginning
Tony Palleschi for all the online support
ABC Home for providing the space for an amazing NYC launch
The Rescuers: Jeremy Frindel, Jerry Scarnato, Marie Maybury, Bubby McInerney, Michael Fantin, Raghu Naik, Anasuya Rao, Sharada Kagel, Al Evers

Sirius XM - Nina Rao and Devadas on Antarayaami Album

A conversation between Nina Rao and Devadas about Nina’s new CD “Antarayaami, Knower of All Hearts”.
Find out how the project began, Nina’s family legacy on the CD and the joys and challenges of making a devotional CD.

One of Krishna Das's long time band mates, Nina Rao, has released a solo project. SiriusXM Krishna Das Yoga Radio celebrates Nina's CD release of Anatarayaami - Knower of All Hearts, with a conversation between her and her producer, Devadas, while playing select tracks off of Antarayaami!
Join us tomorrow on ch. 360 on Krishna Das Yoga Radio at 12 noon ET!
The CD is available on Amazon, iTunes and KrishnaDas.com
http://www.amazon.com/Antarayaami-Knower.../dp/B00BFKPO5K

It is truly a beautiful CD.
Namaste,
Mary Sue, Sirius XM

Nina Rao & Devadas

Phil Cartwright: Antarayaami

Nina Rao learned traditional chants from her grandfather in a village in south India when she was nine years old. The chants quietly stayed with her until she rediscovered chanting with Krishna Das in New York in 1996. She is Krishna Das' assistant and tours with him, playing cymbals and singing. In 2007, she recorded a track "Nina Chalisa" on Krishna Das' CD, Flow of Grace. In January 2013 she released her own double-CD, Antarayaami - Knower of All Hearts, which includes her own expressions of kirtan, bhajan, a variety of Hanuman Chalisa chants including a brand new duet with Krishna Das. Nina is based in Brooklyn, NY with her daughter, and chants with her friends and satsang in the New York area and beyond. www.chantkirtan.com itunes.apple.com/us/album/antaray…1?ign-mpt=uo%3D4

Nina Rao learned traditional chants from her grandfather in a village in south India when she was nine years old. The chants quietly stayed with her until she rediscovered chanting with Krishna Das in New York in 1996. She is Krishna Das' assistant and tours with him, playing cymbals and singing. In 2007, she recorded a track "Nina Chalisa" on Krishna Das' CD, Flow of Grace. In January 2013 she released her own double-CD, Antarayaami - Knower of All Hearts, which includes her own expressions of kirtan, bhajan, a variety of Hanuman Chalisa chants including a brand new duet with Krishna Das. Nina is based in Brooklyn, NY with her daughter, and chants with her friends and satsang in the New York area and beyond.