Immersion in the Ocean of Chant, Mantra, and Song: Kripalu, MA June 23-25

I am so happy to offer this 2 night retreat to you all!
Come join me and my friends on the weekend of June 23–25, thats Friday to Sunday!

This retreat is for everyone; no chanting experience required.

Immerse yourself in the sacred practice of chant from the spiritual traditions of India to quiet your mind and open your heart. Whether you are an experienced chanter or a beginner, come explore practices that transform you from the inside out, including

*Group japa (mantra repetition)
*Asana practice led by Amanda Harding that connects body and mind with breath and movement, *accompanied by live chanting and music by Nina Rao and friends
*Group chanting of prayers and kirtan (call-and-response chanting)
*Simple mantra repetition
*Recitation of specific prayers such as the Hanuman Chalisa, Lalita Saharasranam, and Mahishasura Mardini Stotram
*Puja (devotional offerings)

Take time out to retreat into the heart space and create a sustainable personal practice that fits into your daily routine at home. Word sheets will be provided, as well as reading and audio lists for support after the retreat. By spending time with like-minded seekers and practicing together, you strengthen your own practice and find that inner place of refuge to which you can always return.

REGISTER HERE

Free Livestream Of 108 Hanuman Chalisas Chant in NYC: January 1, 2017

We are looking forward to this free annual group event in chanting 108 Hanuman Chalisas together to start off the New Year.
No experience is required and word sheets are provided.
You can come in and join at anytime during the day from 8am to 7pm. Stay as long as you wish.
For those of you that cannot attend in person, this 11 hour event will be livestreamed on YouTube Nina Rao Chant

Use this link to VIEW THE LIVESTREAM

Sri Ram Kirtan Sadhana Download

I am please to share this lovely sadhana with you. Krishna Das is offering a professionally recorded audio track of live chanting during the Ram Dass mala ceremony at the Open Your Heart in Paradise Retreat in Maui, Hawaii in December 2015.

At the mala ceremony, each retreatant greets Ram Dass personally, receives a mala with a thread from Maharaj-ji Neem Karoli Baba’s blanket, and visits the altar that graces the 5-day retreat. During this session and while the greeting is happening, Krishna Das and myself lead the group in chanting the mantra 'Sri Ram Jai Ram Jai Jai Ram’ accompanied musically by the band.  At the end arti (waving sacred lamp lights) is offered to the images of all the saints and deities presiding over the retreat. It starts with Krishna Das singing Hanuman Stawan and if you listen carefully you will hear the arti bell followed by Krishna Das singing Jaya Jagadeesha Hare. You will hear some of the instruments dropping out toward the end as the musicians leave the stage to each get their malas from Ram Dass - but the chant keeps on.

We hope that this continuous chanting of the sacred mantra will help you to deepen your own chanting practice at home; your car; wherever; or be the sound track for your asana practice.

You can listen to a short preview clip and get all the details on KD's website by clicking  HERE

Synchronicity podcast with Noah Lampert

Hi Y'All here's a recent conversation I had with Noah Lampert of Synchronicity podcasts... enjoy!

CLICK HERE TO LISTEN

Nina Rao on Synchronicity with Noah Lampert

My guest today is Kirtan singer and lovely person, Nina Rao.Nina learned traditional chants (bhajans) 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.Her childhood was spent living in and moving between many countries around the world and when she settled in New York her working life began in the banking world, switched to organizing and leading photographic wildlife safaris in Africa and India, and now for many years, is Krishna Das' business manager and assistant.

Topics Discussed:

• Nina's worldly and inner journeys

• The concept of a Guru

• Kirtan as a regular practice

• The power of sound/music

• The concept of Home

• The evolution of the Kirtan movement in the West

• Understanding the "why" behind focusing on a particular path

• The importance of an open heart

Mahalo Maui

Mahalo Aloha. A big thank you to all who shared in Spring on Maui. Here I am with Baba Ram Dass. 

Photo by John Phaneuf for me to remember by.

Enjoy this YouTube playlist of some of the chants that we did together in Maui including the new Tashi Lama Chenno...
These are the wonderful musicians I had a chance to chant with: Benjy Wertheimer, Mark Gorman, Genevieve Walker, Heather Wertheimer, Trevor Hall, and Daniel Johnson.

Synchronicity Podcast with Nina Rao

My guest today is Kirtan singer and lovely person, Nina Rao. Nina learned traditional chants (bhajans) from her grandfather in a village in south India when she nine years old. The chants quietly stayed with her until she rediscovered chanting with Krishna Das in New York in 1996.

My guest today is Kirtan singer and lovely person, Nina Rao. Nina learned traditional chants (bhajans) from her grandfather in a village in south India when she nine years old. The chants quietly stayed with her until she rediscovered chanting with Krishna Das in New York in 1996. Her childhood was spent living in and moving between many countries around the world and when she settled in New York her working life began in the banking world, switched to organizing and leading photographic wildlife safaris in Africa and India, and now for many years, is Krishna Das' business manager and assistant. Topics Discussed

Nina's worldly and inner journeys The concept of a Guru Kirtan as a regular practice The power of sound/music The concept of Home The evolution of the Kirtan movement in the West Understanding the "why" behind focusing on a particular path The importance of an open heart

To find out more about Nina visit her website: ninaraochant.com This week's book giveaway is Tom Robbins, "Skinny Legs and All." To enter the weekly book giveaway contests join the Synchronicity Community right here: eepurl.com/bSWrqT And of course subscribe to Synchronicity today because it's a smart thing to do.

Mantras Of The Sun

THE MANTRA PROJECT, VOLUME II: MANTRAS OF THE SUN

Featuring the Surya Namaskar Mantras. 

I am so happy to be part of this beautiful offering from Suzin Green and Daniel Johnson. The official release date is April 22, 2016 but you can listen to a preview of this CD and pre order!

Join us for the New York City release party and kirtan of her new album, Mantras of the Sun. CDs will be on sale at this event. Click here for launch party details. 

Suzin writes: "Mantras of the Sun releases April 22 on the Mantralogy label. In addition to Daniel, Tom Spiker, and myself, our dear friend Nina Rao is a guest artist on this album. Nina's beautiful vocals are an elegant counterpoint to mine and what a joy to have her presence weaving through this music."

Aarti Prayer Recordings

In Kainchi Dham, there’s morning and evening prarthna (prayers) and arti where we sing for all the deities and Maharaj-ji and wave sacred lights twice a day. It’s such am important part of my retreat time. When I went to Neem Karoli Baba Ashram in Taos, I was delighted that some of those very same prayers are offered as well. As requested by the temple, I made a simple recording of these prayers to help learn how to sing/chant them.

LISTEN HERE

Join me on Maui, May 4- 9, 2016

These wonderful musicians are accompanying us in Maui May 4-9, 2016.

These wonderful musicians are accompanying us at Spring on Maui Retreat May 4-9, 2016. Genevieve and Mark play regularly with Krishna Das and also with me live and on my album Antarayaami. Dan has been playing classical and for kirtan for many years and we happy to have him join us here!  

REGISTER HERE