If you want to delve into the deeper practices of yoga, beyond postures on the mat, I highly recommend attending the Heart of Devotion workshop with Krishna Das this fall (October 12-14th at the Hangar Theater). KD is a world-renowned chant leader, and also shares fascinating stories about his travels in India and his life-transforming relationship with his Guru, Neem Karoli Baba. Born Jeffrey Kagel, a Jewish kid from Long Island, he went to India after meeting Ram Das (another famous devotee of Neem Karoli Baba).
This weekend "in-city retreat" is an opportunity to experience the power of Bhakti Yoga, the yoga of love and devotion. KD explains the practice in this way:
"The words of these chants are called the divine names and they come from a place that's deeper than our hearts and our thoughts, deeper than the mind. And so as we sing them they turn us towards ourselves, into ourselves. They bring us in, and as we offer ourselves into the experience, the experience changes us. These chants have no meaning other than the experience that we have by doing them. They come from the Hindu tradition, but it's not about being a Hindu, or believing anything in advance. It's just about doing it, and experiencing. Nothing to join, you just sit down and sing."
For more information about the workshop and to purchase tickets, Click here . This event is a partial benefit for Village at Ithaca, whose mission is to advocate for excellence and equity in Ithaca's public schools, with particular concern for the needs of minority and low income students.
Many thanks to Lynne Jackier for organizing this event!
Many thanks to Lynne Jackier for organizing this event!
