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Jocelyn Kay Levy – BHNN Guest Podcast – Ep. 76 – Mothers’ Perspective on Practice with Nina Rao

March 31, 2021

Yoga innovator, Jocelyn Kay Levy, is joined by kirtan wallah, Nina Rao, to share Mothers’ perspectives on spiritual practice, offering personal stories and advice from Siddhi Ma.

Jocelyn Kay Levy, the founder of the world-renowned Wee Yogis Organization, is a dedicated yogi, musician and social innovator with over 15 years of experience teaching transformational workshops and performing original music. Jocelyn is committed to creating fun, thoughtful and effective learning environments where music, movement and healing unite the mind, body and soul, creating a connection that decreases stress, builds confidence, and maintains a connection to childlike wonder

Mothers’ Perspective on Practice

Through the lens of the yoga and mindfulness practices and life skills she brings to children through her Wee Yogis Organization, Jocelyn Kay Levy invites Nina Rao to share from a mother’s perspective, what it is like bringing a daughter into the world, and then raising her within the context of spirituality. Nina describes how even in the womb, her child was being steeped in prayer, practice, blessing, and bhav (devotional essence).

“I really felt [my daughter] was going to receive the blessings of the Guru, of the Divine Ones, if I did my practice. In the same way we choose what we’re going to eat, how we’re going to sleep, we care for our bodies when we have our babies inside. Same way, if I was feeding myself spiritually, she would also be nourished.” – Nina Rao

“We want our children to be a particular way, to follow a particular path, but the only path that exists for them is their own. What Siddhi Ma said to me was: Nina, she already knows everything. All you have to do is raise her, feed her, show her love, give her good education, and raise her to be a capable adult.” – Nina Rao

Conversation on Practice with Ambika and Nina Rao

Join Ambika and Nina Rao for a conversation about how spiritual practice can inform our actions in the world and vice versa. They discuss cultural appropriation, their evolving connection to chanting, being a householder, environmental activism, and their relationship to their guru, Sri Siddhi Ma. This event also includes chanting, and time at the end for questions & responses.

Paula Crossfield - Weave Your Bliss Podcast - Cultivating a Practice and Finding Purpose with Nina Ra‪o‬

Finding your practice is the most important step to finding your purpose. Today’s guest. Nina Rao, a learned traditional chanter and wildlife enthusiast, shares how finding her practice with chanting led her to her purpose.

Nina discusses how she fell into her career path, the impact and importance of having a practice, and what led her to start Saving Wild Tigers.

This episode is packed with wisdom and guidance. Join Paula in this exploration of the chanting practice and finding your purpose.

Show Highlights:

How Nina fell into chanting
What happens when you’re chanting
How to live each day in a “good way”
Nina shares how she met her guru
Nina shares a hanuman chant
The experience of recognizing your mentor for the first time
What it’s like to have a teacher
How we learn from things and people around us
How practices teach you to let go of negative feelings
Integrating parenthood into your purpose
Making your practice part of your home life
Ways to start a practice with chanting
Why we need to spend more time dissolving the sense of other
What is Saving Wild Tigers and why Nina started it

Nina Rao – BHNN Guest Podcast – Ep. 75 – The Untold Story of Sita with Dena Merriam and Mirabai Starr

Nina Rao welcomes Dena Merriam and Mirabai Starr for a conversation about Dena’s book, The Untold Story of Sita, and how the forces of Sita and Ram are still present in the world today.

Dena Merriam is a long-time meditation practitioner in the lineage of Kriya Yoga and the author of multiple books, including The Untold Story of Sita. Learn more about her at denamerriam.com.

Mirabai Starr is an award-winning author of creative nonfiction; her latest book is called Wild Mercy. Learn more about her at mirabaistarr.com.

Nina welcomes Dena and Mirabai to the BHNN Guest Podcast. She asks Dena how her book, The Untold Story of Sita, came about. Nina reads from the book, and asks about Sita’s connection to the natural world. Dena talks about how she fell in love with Mother Earth all over again while writing the book.

“The whole universe was just part of one consciousness at that point. That’s very important for us to try to remember, because it’s in our collective memory. We all hold that memory.” – Dena Merriam

Rebalancing Sacred Energy (21:56)

The discussion turns to the power of mantra and vibration. Nina brings up how Dena is telling the story of Sita as an equal to Ram, not an appendage. Dena talks about the opportunity we now have to bring the sacred masculine and the sacred feminine into balance, and Mirabai explores how women are reclaiming their stories across different spiritual traditions. Dena discusses her work with environmental activists.

“The collective mind wanted to see Sita as the weaker, feminine figure that had to be saved; her hero comes to save her. That’s what the collective mind wanted, and that’s how the collective mind interpreted the whole thing. But that’s not serving us at this moment, that’s not what our society needs or wants. And there’s this desire to understand and to acknowledge the Shakti energy, because our society has been out of balance for so long.” – Dena Merriam

Nina Rao speaks with Robert Thurman about preserving the wealth of nature on BHNN Guest Podcast Ep. 52

The Presence of Sita and Ram (44:10)

Nina and Dena talk about how the forces of Sita and Ram are still very present in the world today. They touch on the idea of wisdom and love on the path of dharma, and Sita’s incredible trust in her own heart. Mirabai brings Hanuman into the conversation, and how selfless, loving service is the path to reunification of masculine and feminine.

“I think that when we turn to Ram and Sita, it should be that we are turning to living presences, invoking their help collectively with the Earth right now.” Dena Merriam

BHNN Guest Podcast – Ep. 65 – Nina Rao – Women’s Stories of Neem Karoli Baba with Mirabai Bush, Parvati Markus, & Radha Baum

Nina Rao hosts Satsang elders Mirabai Bush, Parvati Markus, and Radha Baum in sharing stories from the female perspective about Indian mystic and Guru, Neem Karoli Baba.

Joining together in a virtual remembrance and celebration of the life and teachings of Indian Guru, Neem Karoli Baba, on the anniversary of his Mahasamadhi, Nina invites powerful female Satsang elders Mirabai Bush, Parvati Markus, and Radha Baum to share stories of their time spent in his presence after following the path laid out by Ram Dass to India in the early 1970s. Illuminating the deep transmission of gathering in community and sharing stories of the Guru, Nina welcomes us all to meet where our rivers merge, joining in Satsang and darshan of the divine loving presence known affectionately as Maharajji.

FUll episode

The Path of the Guru: First Darshan

Prompted by Nina; Mirabai, Parvati, and Radha each share their unique and nuanced experience of finding the spiritual path, discovering Neem Karoli Baba, and journeying to India to have his darshan. Darshan is to be enveloped in the divine, reflective presence of a Holy being, an entity with the ability to help guide you to the place of Oneness inside yourself. Sharing their personal stories, Mirabai, Parvati, and Radha elucidate the deep, bellowing, gravitational pull of the Guru’s Grace.

“We piled into Ram Dass’ red VW bus and went to Kainchi, washed our fruit, took our shoes off, went into the temple, and met Maharajji. I had spent time with other ‘saints’ and always felt like something was wrong with me. I couldn’t open my heart. I couldn’t bow at their feet. It didn’t make any sense to me. As soon as I saw Maharajji, that was it. There was no question. There was no having to surrender. It just was.” – Parvati Markus

Getting a Name, Embodying an Essence (36:40)

Famously starting with Bhagavan Das and Ram Dass, Maharajji was known for giving Hindu holy names to the Western devotees who traveled to have his darshan in the early 1970s. Many of the devotees were versed in Indian culture and yearned for specific names, while other’s like Radha were a little skeptical and averse at first, but slowly learned to grow into and embody the essence of their given names from Maharajji.

“I love my Krishna, who is Maharajji, Shiva, Hanuman – I love him as whatever he is, which is everything. [Radha] was a good name for me because I just love him so much…I never, ever experienced anything like this. It’s the greatest love, more than any kind of love you could conceive of.” – Radha Baum

Transformation, Presence, & Lineage (56:52)

Highlighting the experience of spending months with Maharajji at his ashrams in India, the ensuing personal transformations that took place, and the lineage that was brought back to West in the form of Bhakti Yoga, the Hanuman Chalisa, satsang, kirtan, and service; Mirabai, Parvati, and Radha speak to the life-changing and metamorphic reality of sitting in Maharajji’s presence.

“The questions just fell away. They seemed irrelevant being with him. It was just his presence that was the teaching. It wasn’t reduced to a knowing about any particular thing. It was a wholly different way of knowing than before.” – Mirabai Bush

Sacred Music with Nina Rao - Podcast with Conscious Diva

How can the practice of Kirtan assist us with what’s happening in the world today - particularly with trauma. In this episode, renown kirtanwalli, Nina Rao explains the devotional music chanted in bhajans, kirtan and the practice of Bhakti, and how we become receptive to the flow of grace through chanting. Nina also shares the story of Hanuman from the Ramayana and how through the practice of Maha mantra, a transmission of wisdom is received by the practitioner.

LISTEN ON SPOTIFY
LISTEN ON iTUNES

BHNN Guest Podcast – Ep. 58 – Nina Rao – Saving Wild Tigers with Dr. Ullas Karanth and Dr. Krithi Karanth

Nina Rao talks with tiger conservationists Dr. Ullas Karanth and Dr. Krithi Karanth about their work at the Centre for Wildlife Studies in India.

Dr. Ullas Karanth is the Managing Trustee and Director of the Centre for Wildlife Studies. His daughter, Dr. Krithi Karanth, is the Chief Conservation Scientist. They practice science-based conservation to promote the protection of wildlife. For over 20 years, Nina Rao’s Saving Wild Tigers has supported the Karanth’s work in creating viable sanctuaries for wild tigers.

Full episode

Obsessed with Tigers

Nina welcomes Ullas and Krithi, and asks both how they came to their love of tigers and wildlife. Ullas talks about his efforts to help restore the tiger population in India, and how there’s room to create more wilderness habitats for tigers around the globe. They discuss the importance of biodiversity, and the deep culture of tolerance for wildlife in India.

“In general, [humans] want nature. And I think it’s like priceless paintings that you have inherited. Why do you want to rip it up for a couple dollars?” –Dr. Ullas Karanth

Conservation Efforts (20:03)

Nina asks Krithi about the projects she has created for the Centre for Wildlife Studies, including one that looks at the scale of interaction between humans and wildlife in India. Nina and Ullas talk about the work he does in the field, and his program to train the next generation of conservationists.

“One thing that struck me was no matter where we went, and how many households we talked to, there was an acknowledgement that these spaces were to be shared with animals. Sometimes the animals cause problems, but inherently there is this recognition that these animals have been around as long, if not longer, than us.” – Dr. Krithi Karanth

Tigers and Covid (36:50)

Nina asks Ullas about the news of the tiger at the Bronx Zoo that was infected with Covid-19. They discuss how wildlife poaching in India has increased due to the pandemic lockdown. Krithi talks about the scope of another program she runs, and how everyone who works in the NGO sector is affected by the economic turmoil caused by the pandemic.

“A human being can pass on Covid to a tiger if he literally hugs and kisses it, which happens in zoos, but it’s highly unlikely to happen in the wild in India.” – Dr. Ullas Karanth

Interview with Phil Cartwright - Nina Rao "Anubhav" Album

ANUBHAV is the title of the album ~ Anubhav is a word Ma spoke when talking with Nina about how important it is to have a disciplined practice so it may blossom into each one’s own direct experience of the Divine, the Soul, the One. This inner knowing or perception or feeling, Anubhav, is what guides us on the Path of Life.
Nina Rao 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. For many years Nina has been Krishna Das' business manager and assistant, often touring with him playing cymbals and singing. In 2007, she recorded the track 'Nina Chalisa' on Krishna Das' CD "Flow of Grace " and in January 2013, she released her debut album, "Antarayaami - Knower of All Hearts". Nina regularly leads kirtan, chanting of the Hanuman Chalisa, and sings for yoga classes in her hometown of Brooklyn, NY and beyond.

Embodied Love - Online Conference

Devotion is a phenomenon more universal than any particular tradition, for devotion can be as varied as love itself.  In the dharmic traditions, the term for devotion is bhakti. As Bhakti Yoga, it is a form of practice characterized by devotion to a deity. The more popular forms of bhakti are Vaishnava, Shaiva and Shakta in character (devoted to Krishna, Shiva, or forms of the Goddess, respectively). In all of these traditions, bhakti is both a form of religious and contemplative practice since love for a particular form of God/Goddess is widely accepted as one of the most effective ways to focus the mind.  

In this free online conference, we will discover both traditional and non-traditional forms of bhakti. We will explore the ways in which devotion transforms our world, from the inside out. Just as falling in love has the power to shape and renew one’s worldview, becoming a Bhakta transmutes our vision and refines our heart. Love for the divine further empowers the devotee to transcend aspects of mundane existence, as it challenges common and selfish expressions of love.  By dedicating our practice to a principle or deity that transcends the ephemeral, we can begin to taste the fullness of embodied love and its liberating possibilities.  

This conference, as with all programming at Embodied Philosophy, will seek to strike a balance between scholarship and practice. Each participant has been invited to share embodied bhakti-informed practices as well as scholarship and research relevant to Bhaktas and the various Bhakti traditions.

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We will learn about:

  • The history of Vaishnava Bhakti

  • The teachings of the Bhagavad Gītā

  • How to live the life of the heart

  • The yogic practices of devotion

  • The character of Hanuman, the personification of devotion from the Ramayana

  • How Bhakti yoga differs from other forms of yoga

  • Why serving the divine will save the world

  • The relationship between the Bhakta (or practitioner) and Bhakti

  • The relationship between the human and the divine in Vaishnava Bhakti

  • Stories from the Indian tradition that are central to Bhakti

  • Sri Krishna

  • The 9 Practices of Vaidhī Bhakti

I am so pleased to be included as a presenter in this free online event coming up Oct 4 to 6, 2019.

Sign up here!
https://www.embodiedphilosophy.org/a/17738/tSca2zU2

Mindrolling Podcast – Raghu Markus with Nina Rao on Nina's Anubhav CD

Nina Rao visits the Mindrolling Podcast for a chat with Raghu about the transformative power of mantra and the fruits of pursuing a spiritual path.

Nina 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. For many years Nina has been Krishna Das’ business manager and assistant, often touring with him playing kartals (cymbals) and singing. In January 2013, she released her debut album, Antarayaami – Knower of All Hearts and her sophomore album, Anubhav, in 2018. Nina regularly leads kirtan, chanting of the Hanuman Chalisa, and sings for yoga classes in her hometown of Brooklyn, NY and beyond. Keep up with Nina Rao at ninaraochant.com.

My New CD Pre-Sale On Kickstarter!!

Today is the launch of my new CD pre-sale on Kickstarter.
Find out more about the CD and get your very own copy!
CLICK HERE

Summer Retreat With Nina! June 22-24

OCEAN OF CHANT AND MANTRA
 

We are so exciting to be doing this again, this summer. Here is some information. Come join us!

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 the mind, open the heart, and most of all, feel connected. Whether you are an experienced chanter or just beginning, come explore practices that transform you from the inside out, including

  • Japa (mantra repetition)

  • Asana practice led by Keli Lalita, connecting body and mind with breath and movement, accompanied by live chanting and music 

  • Group chanting of prayers and kirtan (call-and-response chanting of Divine Names) with the bhakti band

  • Recitation of prayers including the Hanuman Chalisa, Devi (Goddess) prayers, and Krishna bhakti tradition prayers

  • Puja (devotional offerings)

  • Optional early-morning guided meditation.

Take time out to retreat into the hridaya, the cave of your own heart, and create a sustainable personal practice that fits into your daily routine. Word sheets are provided, as well as reading and audio lists for support after the retreat. Come spend time with like-minded seekers and practice together as you strengthen your own practice and find that inner place of refuge to which you can always return.

Yoga will be taught by my dear friend Keli Lalita Reddy. 

Evening Event
Saturday, June 23, 7:30–9:30 pm
Nina Rao and Friends
Free for program participants and in-house guests; no general public tickets available.

REGISTER HERE

Mantra: Sounds Into Silence Movie @ The Rubin!

I had the pleasure of leading kirtan at one of the first New York screenings of this film on Sunday March 18
Happy to share a few photos from the evening and a short video of some “Devi Pranamah” at screening of Mantra - Sounds into Silence at the Rubin Museum of Art Noah Hoffeld on cello, Tom Cucinotta on mridanga, and Keli Lalita Yoga and Kirtan in kartals and responses.

If you would like to find out more about the film and upcoming screenings across the US, click here.

Mantra — Sounds into Silence is a feature-length documentary, that, through the eyes and ears of its’ protagonists, explores the new music and social phenomenon of chanting. It showcases both intimate Kirtan gatherings and large concert performances by artists like Deva Premal & Miten with Manose, Krishna Das, and Snatam Kaur, to name just a few. We also learn about the artists paths to chanting and we hear in depth stories from some of the many people who have benefited from Kirtan. It’s a film about spirituality not religion, it’s about people reconnecting with their true selves and finding ways to navigate through life more peacefully. 

If you are interested in bringing Mantra movie to your city, community, and friends please click here for instructions on how you can do that!

Puraka Project Interviews - Nina Rao on Inspiración (Inspiration) and Práctica (Practice)

Nina Rao, cantante de kirtan y mánager de Krishna Das, habla de su infancia en la India y de su relación con los cantos devocionales.
Nina Rao, kirtan singer and manager of Krishna Das, talks about her childhood in India and her relationship with devotional singing.

Nina Rao, cantante de kirtan y mánager de Krishna Das, habla del canto devocional como forma de práctica.
Nina Rao, a kirtan singer and manager of Krishna Das, talks about devotional singing as a form of practice.

SHAKTI HOUR Podcast: Nina Rao on Spiritual Practice - Ep. 14

Hi Y'all, Sharing with you here some ramblings from me with Melanie Moser on the Shakti Hour from Be Here Now Network of podcasts. Feel and share with your friends. Jai Ma |
~Nina
 

LISTEN HERE

Nina Rao with Sri Siddhi Ma

Nina Rao with Sri Siddhi Ma


Show Notes: 

Stepping into Sādhanā (Opening) – Nina talks about coming into her spiritual life and shares her life-changing introduction to Krishna Das and Neem Karoli Baba. She and Melanie discuss the pull of spiritual practice and the importance of finding Satsang.

 “I think on some level, maybe I had a hunger for spiritual practice. When I did eventually meet people along the way, even before meeting Krishna Das, I realized I was being pulled very quickly into the essential feeling of sacredness around practice, whether it was meditation or yoga.” – Nina Rao

The Man in the Blanket (32:55) – We learn about Nina’s relationship with Neem Karoli Baba and how that connection has informed her life. She talks about the lessons she learned around listening to and trusting in her heart.

“As I started to read those books, Maharaj-ji’s miracles were not so much what pulled me. It was that the connection that people felt with him when he was in the body felt like the same connection I had with this being I didn’t know, it didn’t feel any different.” – Nina Rao

Listen to Krishna Das tell the story of his first experiences with Maharaj-ji on Ep. 1 of the Pilgrim Heart Podcast.

The Guru Will Find You (40:05) – Nina talks about her first encounters with Siddhi Ma and how that changed her perception of the Guru/student relationship.  She shares the relationship that blossomed between them and what Siddhi Ma’s passing was like for her.

“When I met Siddhi Ma, my memory was not really of seeing her, but I felt the same feeling that I had when I chanted with Krishna Das and when I was reading the books about Maharaj-ji. It felt as if we were all sitting in this vast presence that we called Maharaj-ji. Including her, I didn’t see Siddhi Ma as a separate entity, she was all part of that presence.” – Nina Rao   

Wisdom for the Path (1:08:08) – Nina shares a few pieces of wisdom for young women to take with them along their spiritual paths.

“Just go for it! Pursue your path, find your practice, own that practice and do it.”  –  Nina Rao