When I launched my crowdfunding campaign to record a kirtan album I received two auspicious messages about leadership. The first was a tarot reading given by my friend/ coworker Claude who has been reading tarot cards for 10 years. The reading revealed that the campaign would be a success if I led by serving and … Continue reading Ramayan & Leadership through Service
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Samadhi & States of Consciousness
There’s a simple joy in bringing ourselves into the present moment. In the Sikh/ kundalini tradition it’s believed that this joy/ mindfulness can be amplified to the point of creating a protective energy field around the physical body. I once heard a Sikh master tell a story about how she was riding in the car … Continue reading Samadhi & States of Consciousness
Mystical Longing as a Spiritual Path
I used to write a lot of songs in minor chords & blues scales, wailing from a place of desire...a hungry heart. It seemed music was the only way I could tap in and communicate this longing. That longing was a big ache that encompassed the most uncomfortable cravings- neediness, loneliness, and even desperation. As … Continue reading Mystical Longing as a Spiritual Path
Discerning Illusions in the Spiritual World
Discernment on the spiritual path is different than judgment. Judgment is a reaction or belief about something external. Discernment takes stock of the external thing and sees how it assimilates internally- it’s experiential. It asks, “Is this true for me, given my experience?” Judgment detaches us coldly & closes our hearts. Discernment lets us detach … Continue reading Discerning Illusions in the Spiritual World
A Mantra to Beat Winter Blues
Experience has shown me it’s possible to transform ‘cold’ emotions into warmer ones by chanting and contemplating the Gayatri mantra. Chanted over 3,000 years ago, the Gayatri is a primal and ancient poem to the sun. Chanting it today is a powerful way to remember that we’re plugged into something much more real than our … Continue reading A Mantra to Beat Winter Blues
Chanting & Altered States
Asheville...driving in the car windows rolled down, breeze blowing, radio off. Mountain air. Energy. Pulsating. Blue sky. Clear mind. No-thought. No time. Boundless. Centered. Just the moment. Chanting. This was one of my earliest experiences of bhakti yoga- each month I'd immerse myself in 3 days of group chanting to my teacher’s guitar sing along … Continue reading Chanting & Altered States
What’s so Special About Bhakti Yoga?
Why is Bhakti yoga special? Hidden from the glamour of the modern yoga world, you won’t find it in the insta-famous posts of sexy bendy bods, and it isn’t intelligent or scientific. Except that it is. Because all yoga is experimental. And Bhakti lets us experiment with a phenomenon that we’re just waking up to … Continue reading What’s so Special About Bhakti Yoga?
