>> Why we should BOYCOTT PET STORES that SELL ANIMALS!

It's vital to distribute this info as widely & as often as possible during the holiday shopping season, when 60% of all pet store puppy & kitten sales occur!

Please take the time to read through this post, I spent a lot of time carefully compiling it. If you have a MySpace page, please also consider adding >> Don't Shop, Adopt! to your top friends list to help spread awareness about this crucial issue.

Every penny you spend in pet stores that sell animals directly supports the pet mill system.

Don't let the pet store owner or workers tell you any differently, they may not even know about the realities of this inhumane trade. The pet industry is a multi-billion dollar industry, that includes the mass production of puppies & kittens for America's pet stores. Consider this: no matter how kindly a breeder treats his or her animals, as long as dogs & cats are dying in animal shelters & pounds because of a lack of homes, no breeding can be considered "responsible." >> Click here to read why.



The US commercial dog industry is a network of breeder's and brokers regulated by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA). The industry centers around the states of Missouri & Kansas where seventy percent of all pet shop puppies originate. Pet stores, from small "mom & pop" stores to large franchise stores, all claim they don't get their puppies from puppy mills.

The truth is that most pet stores get their puppies from brokers (middle men licensed by USDA to buy & sell puppies on the wholesale level). The brokers buy their puppies from mostly USDA licensed breeders. These breeders mass-produce puppies, often by the hundreds or even thousands, & then wholesale them to brokers or pet stores. Despite what the pet store may have told you, puppies bred for pet stores are seldom bred by "private" breeders, or "local" breeders.

Pet stores often claim they visit all of their breeder's personally. According to the reputable PetShopPuppies.org, this is an outright lie. >> Click here to read more on this. Also listed are the many things you must watch for before you buy a puppy.

But why breed or buy while shelter animals are killed at a rate of 5 million animals a year?


Please, boycott pet stores that sell animals!
And politely inform the store owners why.

We are entering into "puppy season." 60% of all pet store puppy sales occur between Nov. & Jan.Then, come the New Year, the shelters will be overwhelmed with many of these animals, discarded as unwanted or unmanageable. These videos below are really informative, I urge you to watch them & share them. Post them to your pages. Email the links to friends.

The first video is a slide show of facts that outlines the USDA minimum standards regulations for puppy mills. You will read for yourself why dogs living at commercial breeding facilities that are in full compliance of the law are not living in conditions which the average person would consider the least bit humane. As you read the facts shown, keep in mind that these dogs will live out their entire life under these conditions. There is no graphic content in this video.



A look into the lives of the parents of pet store puppies:
Keep in mind that most of these dogs will NEVER leave their cages. Almost all of these images are from licensed, USDA facilities, most with no violations on their USDA inspections. There is no graphic content in this video.




Actress Charlize Theron speaks eloquently about puppy mills,
showing undercover footage from puppy factories:



From PetShopPuppies.org:
"The suffering the adult dogs endure in USDA licensed kennels is beyond belief -- it's barbaric! And yet, it is legal, it is licensed, and it is the norm. These are not videos we have conjured up or clips we picked through to show you the worst of the worse; in fact, we have worked hard to show you the norm and in most cases have removed the extreme graphic images we see nearly on a daily basis..." Watch more of their videos at >> www.youtube.com/petshoppuppies

I compiled this post using reliable information from >> PetShopPuppies.org, a non-profit organization, home-based in Missouri, the puppy mill capital of the world. Their mission is to provide data to the general public about the commercial dog breeding industry. I also sourced NoPuppyMills.com. Thank you for sharing this post widely & repeatedly!

It's crucial to distribute this info as widely & as often as possible during the holiday shopping season, when 60% of all pet store puppy & kitten sales occur!






~ * Lokah Samastah Sukhinoh Bhavantu * ~
May ALL beings be happy, at peace & free
from suffering ~ no exceptions!!

P.S. Have you heard of VegHaven.org yet? It's a dynamic new community for animal lovers, vegans, vegetarians & anyone considering making the transition to a cruelty-free way of life. Hope to see you there, please add me & message me if you join!


>> www.VegHaven.org/profile/Kamaniya

Whats more, the mere number of members affects the level of corporate sponsorship VegHaven gets. And because ad revenue goes to worthy animal causes (that the membership themselves vote on) just by signing up you get to make a difference for the animals in need, regardless of how active or not you choose to be within the community. I hope you'll be inspired to join!

>> There’s No Such Thing as a ’Responsible Breeder’

Adoption: The Only Compassionate Option.

If you know anyone who is considering purchasing an animal instead of adopting from a shelter, please forward this article to them. HELP TO SAVE A LIFE! You'll feel great!

Most people know to avoid puppy mills and "backyard" breeders. But many kind individuals fall prey to the picket-fence appeal of so-called "responsible" breeders and fail to recognize that no matter how kindly a breeder treats his or her animals, as long as dogs and cats are dying in animal shelters and pounds because of a lack of homes, no breeding can be considered "responsible."


For every puppy or kitten deliberately produced by any breeder, a shelter animal dies

All breeders fuel the companion animal overpopulation crisis, and every time someone purchases a puppy or a kitten instead of adopting from an animal shelter, homeless animals lose their chance of finding a home—and will be euthanized. Many breeders don't require every puppy or kitten to be spayed or neutered prior to purchase, so the animals they sell can soon have litters of their own, creating even more animals to fill homes that could have gone to shelter animals—or who will end up in animal shelters or so-called "no-kill" animal warehouses themselves. Simply put, for every puppy or kitten who is deliberately produced by any breeder, a shelter animal dies. Producing animals for sale is a greedy and callous business in a world where there is a critical and chronic shortage of good homes for dogs, cats, and other animals, and the only "responsible breeders" are ones who, upon learning about their contribution to the overpopulation crisis, spay or neuter their animals, and get out of the business altogether.


Breeding Trouble
Producing more animals—either to make money or to obtain a certain "look" or characteristic—is also harmful to the animals who are produced by breeding. Dogs and cats don't care whether their physical appearance conforms to a judge's standards, yet they are the ones who suffer the consequences of humans' manipulation. Inbreeding causes painful and life-threatening genetic defects in "purebred" dogs and cats, including crippling hip dysplasia, blindness, deafness, heart defects, skin problems, and epilepsy. Distorting animals for specific physical features also causes severe health problems. The short, pushed-up noses of bulldogs and pugs, for example, can make exercise and even normal breathing difficult for these animals. Dachshunds' long spinal columns often cause back problems, including disk disease.


Adoption: The Only Compassionate Option.
There is no excuse for breeding or for supporting breeders. If you love animals and are ready to care for a cat or a dog for the rest of the animal's life, please adopt from your local animal shelter, where there are dogs and cats galore—tails wagging and hearts filled with hope, looking out through the cage bars, just waiting to find someone to love. Shelters receive new animals every day, so if you don't find the perfect companion to match your lifestyle on your first visit, keep checking back. When you find your new best friend, you'll be glad that you chose to save a life—and made a new best friend as well.




~ SAVE ME!! ~

:. Before you see a DOLPHIN show, consider this...

Before you see a DOLPHIN show,
PLEASE consider >> this!



Pass it on...

:. Soothing 5 minute visual meditation...

Oregon Coast 2004, set to Vangelis' Oceanic - Memories Of Blue

:. Halves of the whole.... Wisdom from Rumi

"God instills the desire of every part for the other:
from their union, generation results.
And so night & day are in mutual embrace:
they appear to be opposites, even enemies,
but the truth they attend is one,
each desiring the other like kin,
for the perfection of their work.
Both serve one purpose, for without night,
human nature would receive no income:
what then could day expend?"
~ Rumi (1207-1273)
Translated by Camille & Kabir Helminski
from "Rumi: Jewels of Remembrance"

:. Join me for KIRTAN with GIRISH

Saturday 10 November, 7:30-9:30pm

at Integral Yoga Institute, 227 W 13 St (bet 7/8 Avs) NYC
# 212.929.0586 | >> iyiny.org | $15 advance / $20 day of event



"...the music's mesmerizing trance-funk groove & trip-hop devotional dirges boldly goes where Sanskrit has never gone before..."

Featuring
GIRISH :: lead vocals, acoustic guitar, harmonium
LUKE NOTARY :: drums, percussion
MOTO FUKUSHIMA :: bass guitar
KAMANIYA :: support vocals, harmonium

Hope you'll come sing with us, it's sure to be a bhakti groove-fest!


Kirtan with Girish is FUNKALICIOUS! I'm honored & excited to join him again for part of his North East tour. Girish's CDs are best sellers & his live kirtan is fantastic. He's a dynamic musician & an amazing vocalist, his original chants will grab you & won't let you go. Be sure to bring your dancing feet...

Visit Girish's >> website for his complete tour schedule. Be sure to play his videos, they're clips from his most excellent Yoga Vision DVD which he produced himself & projects as a stage background at his kirtan events.

:. Happy Diwali!

Friday November 9 is Diwali! (a.k.a. Deepavali)


"Diwali (also called Deepavali) is the one Hindu festival that unites the whole of India. It is traditionally known as the "festival of lights", for the common practice is to light small oil lamps (called diyas) and place them around the home, in courtyards, gardens, verandas, on the walls built around the home and also on the roof tops. The celebration of the festival is customarily accompanied by the exchange of sweets and the explosion of fireworks. Diwali is an occasion for cheerfulness and togetherness. This is an occasion for young and the old, men and women, rich and poor - for everyone to celebrate. Irrespective of their religious and economic background, the festival is celebrated throughout the country to ward off the darkness and welcome light into life as light is always associated with hope for the future"

~ From "Rainbow Bridge"


From the very name of today's festival - Deepavali, it can be inferred that the Divine effulgence is manifest in it. Deepavali means "the array of lights." "Tamaso maa jyotir gamaya" (Lead me from darkness to light) is an Upanishadic prayer. This means that where there is darkness light is needed. What is this darkness? Sorrow is one form of darkness. Lack of peace is another. Disappointment is one form of darkness. Lack of enthusiasm is yet another. All these are different forms of darkness. To get rid of the darkness of sorrow, you have to light the lamp of happiness. To dispel the darkness of disease, you have to install the light of health. To get over the darkness of losses and failures, you have to usher in the light of prosperity.

~ Sai Baba

:. Join me with Kirtan Rabbi in NYC Fri Nov 9!

Friday 9 November, 8-10pm (doors close 8:30pm)
at Integral Yoga Institute, 227 W 13 St (bet 7/8 Avs) NYC
# 212.929.0586 | www.iyiny.org | $10 suggested donation


Featuring
Rabbi Andrew Hahn a.k.a. Kirtan Rabbi – lead vocals, harmonium
Shoshana Jedwab percussion | Angela Babin bass
Josh Wotman lead & support vocals, harmonium
Kamaniya lead & support vocals

Kirtan Rabbi & friends continue to mold a new form of devotional practice during their popular monthly evenings of simple but powerful call-&-response chant in the vibrational language of Hebrew. Kirtan Rabbi will also lead us in some Kabbalistic teachings as well as meditation techniques. No knowledge of Hebrew necessary. No need to be Jewish! In commemoration of Krystallnacht, the theme of this evening will be ‘From Fear to Love: The Sh'mantra’

This is my first time collaborating with Kirtan Rabbi. I know him to be a sweet, earnest & light-hearted bhakta whose love for the Divine Spirit is apparent in his chanting. Joining us also is my sweet friend Josh Wotman, an emerging kirtan singer & long time chanter, wait till you hear his rich, resonant voice!

Upcoming Integral Yoga Kirtan Rabbi Dates:
All evenings begin at 8pm, with doors closing at 8:30pm.
Fri, Dec 21 (The Hallelujah Special!) | Fri, Feb 15 | Sat, Mar 15 (Special Havdallah Kirtan) | Fri, Apr 18 | Fri, May 16

:. 50 Ways to be Water Smart

Friends, the water shortage issue is a tangible & urgent one. We can't keep pretending that it doesn't impact each & every one of us. Did you know that companies like Coca Cola are buying up water supplies? An investor friend of mine has started doing the same. What does this tell us? That water is well on it's way to becoming a scarce commodity in our affluent society. WE NEED TO WAKE UP!

At every moment, we have an opportunity to STOP, THINK & CREATE CHANGE in our daily habits. That's all we have to do, to look at our unconscious or uneducated habits & re-examine them, think how we could make adjustments so that we can sleep at night with a clean conscience, knowing that as individuals we're making a real effort to not abuse our divine Mother Earth's precious resources. Drop by drop, we're using it up, gallons at a time ... until....? It's an image I don't even want to consider. But the reality is that millions of people on this planet have to live with almost no access to water, while here in the west we abuse it on a daily basis, minute to minute.

Change begins with me as an individual I am making a personal pledge to start changing my water consumption habits TODAY. With all of the suffering & abuse that I read about it is so empowering to know that I can affect some change, using minimal effort. Please join me in my pledge & share your experiences with me!

>> Click here to see what YOU can do to conserve water in your daily life. Because EVERY drop really does count!

:. "I Love Momma."... !

. . . ' talking ' doggies!

Words of a kind Buddhist Lama: Thich Nhat Hanh

Thich Nhat Hanh is a Vietnamese Buddhist monk. During the war in Vietnam, he worked tirelessly for reconciliation between North & South Vietnam. His lifelong efforts to generate peace moved Martin Luther King, Jr. to nominate him for the Nobel Peace Prize in 1967.

Thich Nhat Hanh wrote about Thich Quang Duc who self immolated as a protest to the Vietnam war. Before Ven Thich Quang Duc did so, he wrote a compassionate letter to many people explaining his actions. This action was done out of compassion, not out of anger or hate.

This is part of Thich Nhat Hanh's 14 precepts.

What is the cause of war (Pt 1)


>> Click here for the original posting.

:. 24 Brand-New Hours...

Peace is Every Step

"Every morning, when we wake up, we have 24 brand-new hours to live. What a precious gift! We have the capacity to live in a way that these 24 hours will bring peace, joy, & happiness to ourselves & others.

Peace is present right here & now, in ourselves & in everything we do & see. The question is whether or not we are in touch with it. We don't have to travel far away to enjoy the blue sky. We don't have to leave our city or even our neighborhood to enjoy the eyes of a beautiful child. Even the air we breathe can be a source of joy.

We can smile, breathe, walk, & eat our meals in a way that allows us to be in touch with the abundance of happiness that is available. We are very good at preparing to live, but not very good at living. We know how to sacrifice ten years for a diploma, & we are willing to work very hard to get a job, a car, a house, & so on. But we have difficulty remembering that we are alive in the present moment, the only moment there is for us to be alive. Every breath we take, every step we make, can be filled with peace, joy, & serenity. We need only to be awake, alive in the present moment . . . . Of course, planning for the future is a part of life. But even planning can only take place in the present moment . . . . Peace & happiness are available in every moment. Peace is every step. We shall walk hand in hand. Bon voyage."

Chapter One of "Peace is Every Step" by Thich Nhat Hanh

:. Healing Sound Meditation Retreat

Nada Yoga Intensive:
Sound Meditation Retreat

Fri-Sat, Oct 26-28
at Ananda Ashram, Monroe, NY

with Master Sitarist
Acharya Roop Verma

Immerse yourself in sacred sound vibration!


Nada Yoga is the ancient science of sound vibration, an exploration of consciousness through sacred music, which has been found to be purifying & healing on many levels. Don't miss this blissful experience with this sage-like music teacher! All you have to do is sit & enjoy while Roopji plays for you, leading you in periods of guided meditation & silent relaxation. Includes a Friday evening lecture. | Tuition $160 For full details >> click here.

Roopji is featured on the soundtrack of >> Dalai Lama Renaissance, the recently released highly acclaimed documentary narrated by Harrison Ford. Roopji is a world-class sitarist, composer & teacher of Indian music & philosophy. He is a senior student of some of the most famous masters of our time: J. P. Kaushik, Ali Akbar Khan & Ravi Shankar. He has mesmerised audiences world-wide with his unique combination of spiritual philosophy & spiritual expression of music. Roopji is the Director of the East-West School of Music at Ananda Ashram.


:. Glorious Fall Foliage at Ananda Ashram
This is what you'll expect to enjoy at Ananda Ashram if you attend the Nada Yoga retreat with Roopji this weekend...


The fall colors are glorious at Ananda Ashram right now! In Monroe, NY, only 45 miles north of NYC & easily accessible by car, bus or train. Visit >> www.anandaashram.org to reserve your stay before you miss out on the magical foliage! Maybe I'll see you there this weekend for the Nada Yoga retreat with my teacher? (Details above.)

:. Animal Safety on Halloween

Thanks to veganwolf for this!

Halloween can be a traumatic & even dangerous time for your animal companion. Common sense tips to protect animals on Halloween:

Keep your pet away from the front door. Keeping your pet in a separate room during the trick-or-treating hours is best. At an open door, dogs in particular, may feel the need to "protect their home & humans" & may bite your bizarre-looking visitors. Your pet may also become frightened dart out through the open door.

Don't leave your pet out in the yard (front or back yard) on Halloween. There are plenty of stories of vicious pranksters who have teased, injured, stolen, even killed pets on this night.

Trick-or-treat candies are not for pets. Chocolate is poisonous to many animals, & tin foil & cellophane candy wrappers can be hazardous if swallowed.

Be careful of pets around candles and lit pumpkins. These may be easily knocked over & cause a fire. Curious kittens especially run the risk of getting badly burned.

Don't dress your pet in a costume, this may put added stress on the animal. If you do dress up your dog, make sure the costume isn't constricting, annoying or unsafe. Be careful not to obstruct his vision, even the gentlest dog can get snappy when he can't see what's going on around him.

Finally, some humane organizations fear that certain pets, primarily black cats, are at risk of becoming unwilling participants in the darker side of Halloween activities, & elect to halt adoptions of these animals until after the holiday. For safety reasons, owners of all pets, particularly black cats, should keep an especially close eye on their pets around Halloween.

Your pets are depending on you to keep them safe from the more dangerous goblins & ghouls that this holiday brings out.

:. Halloween Dangers for chained dogs!

Thanks to Dogs Deserve Better!

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
October 14, 2007 -- For dogs that are kept perpetually chained, a dark, autumn night is just another night to be cold, lonely and longing for affection. On Halloween, a chained dog may also have to fear for his life.

Halloween is a particularly dangerous time for dogs that are kept chained outside, warns Dogs Deserve Better, a non-profit dedicated to ending the suffering endured by dogs that are kept perpetually chained or caged. At Halloween, the group frequently seeks an up-tick in the number of dogs that are helpless victims of attack. Fireworks or rocks are sometimes thrown at them and more horrific crimes, such as dogs being set on fire, have occurred in recent years. In addition, chained dogs can easily become agitated by strangers in or near their yards. Dogs Deserve Better representatives have encountered incidents of dogs breaking free from their chains and attacking trick-or-treaters.

Dogs Deserve Better works on numerous fronts year round to change minds and laws, educating about the dangers posed by 24/7 chaining, both to dogs and to people, who can become the victims of chained dogs that grow angry, frustrated, or aggressive from their constant confinement and exposure to the elements.

"Chained dogs are always vulnerable to cruel or mischievous children or adults. However, on Halloween, when people are out at night and often looking for mischief, chained dogs are particularly vulnerable, says Tammy Grimes, founder and director of Dogs Deserve Better, a 501c(3) non-profit based in Tipton, Pennsylvania. "Around Halloween, our rescuers have encountered chained dogs that have been pelted with various objects, stabbed, even set on fire. The practice of 24/7 chaining is cruel at any time of year, and it is a practice that is starting to be addressed legislatively in states and cities nationwide. Accordingly, Halloween is an ideal time to remind people to think about the suffering endured by chained dogs and to take action -- by talking to people who keep chained dogs, alerting animal control, and otherwise helping to end the suffering."

In the past two years, California and Texas, as well as hundreds of cities nationwide, have passed laws that put reasonable limits on how long people can chain a dog to a stationary object. Other states, including Pennsylvania, New Jersey and South Carolina, are currently considering "anti-tethering" legislation.

Contact: Tammy S. Grimes, Founder, Dogs Deserve Better
Email: tddb@dogsdeservebetter.org Phone: 814.207.4586
P.O. Box 23, Tipton, PA >> www.dogsdeservebetter.org

.: Go Wild with Pumpkins!

>> Download free pumpkin carving stencils & instructions & help to raise awareness!

Go wild for nature! For more than 45 years, >> World Wildlife Fund has protected our environment & ecosystems, making Earth a home where humans and animals can coexist. This Halloween, you can help-by going Wild with pumpkins! Just print out these great designs & carve them into your pumpkins.

The Monarch Butterfly ::
These delicate insects fly 1200 or more miles to winter in central Mexico. But their migratory homes in Mexico are being destroyed. WWF is working to conserve & restore forest habitats, establish sustainable tourism, provide economic incentives & create a Monarch Butterfly Reserve.

:. Rare Healing Chöd Chanting Ceremony

"This Healing Chod was one of the most beautiful, important things I have done for myself."
~ Sharon Salzberg

Sat-Sun, Oct 13-14 in Monroe, NY
Healing Chod Ceremony
with Tibetan Lama
Dungse Rigdzin Dorje Rinpoche
with Monks & Nuns from Zangdokpalri Temple, India


WHEN: Sat-Sun, Oct 13-14, 10:30am-12:30pm & 2:30-4:30pm
WHERE: Ananda Ashram, 13 Sapphire Rd., Monroe, NY 10950
#845.782.5575 ananda@anandaashram.org >> anandaashram.org
DONATION: $195 for all 4 sessions. Pre-registration is advised.

>> Click here for travel directions ~ only 1 hr. north of NYC & easily accessible by car, bus or train. Call for overnight guest rates. >> Click here to view the event flyer.

>> Dungse Rigdzin Dorje Rinpoche is the son and spiritual heir of the revered >> Kunzang Dechen Lingpa Rinpoche, with whom he had intensive training from childhood. He will lead an ancient Tibetan Buddhist healing ceremony using healing chant and musical sequences, called "Healing Chod." In this unique practice, which has been developed in Tibet for over a millennium, participants simply rest and receive healing. Each ritual addresses a different area of healing concern. The series of four consecutive sessions covers all areas of human need and is together considered one complete healing. Please arrive early.

Please help me to spread the word about this very special healing ceremony that I have the great honor of hosting this coming weekend at the blissful Ananda Ashram. There is nothing to do in this retreat but to simply lie down & receive healing while Rinpoche & his monks & nuns sing beautiful, sacred Tibetan chants to the very trance-like rhythms of their double-headed drums. This ancient ceremony is said to heal on all levels of life. I have experienced this healing several times now & have felt its effects to be tangible & magical. (Scroll down for more info.) As an added bonus, the fall colors are peaking at Ananda Ashram this weekend!

Please consider forwarding this information to your network, there are so many people who could benefit from this beautiful & sacred healing ceremony! Thank you in advance for your help, it is very much appreciated. For registration (highly recommended) call the Ashram office directly, details below. Hope to see you there!

:. The Case for Separated Bike Lanes in NYC

I am so inspired by this proposal, please take a few moments to view this really informative video, it's an eye opener & provides real solutions for the traffic problem in big cities.

Advocates from Transporation Alternatives, The Project for Public Spaces, & The Open Planning Project join "Gridlock Sam" Schwartz & Enrique Penalosa to call for New York City to consider experimenting with some physically separated bike lanes in the near future. To contact producer/editor, email trorb(at)earthlink.net. Directed by Clarence Eckerson Jr.



Please go to www.streetfilms.org to see this in a higher quality format, plus plenty of other great bike & transportation films. Also visit www.nycsr.org for many more videos.

.: George Harrison - Gopala Krishna

:. KIRTAN RETREAT with SHYAMDAS

August 17-19, '07

Don't miss this unique annual event with renowned chantmaster & bhakti scholar, SHYAMDAS!

LOCATION: Shyamdas' favorite Ashram in the West:
>> Ananda Ashram in Monroe, NY just 1 hr. north on NYC & easily accessible by car, bus or train.

SHYAMDAS blends songs, ecstatic kirtan, dynamic stories & teachings of the path of devotion. A recognized presenter both in the West & in India, he has written & translated more than 20 books on the Yoga of Devotion. Shyamdas combines traditional Vedic teachings with the fresh spirit of Bhakti Yoga. He has studied classical Dhrupada music & divides his time between the U.S. & India, where he has lived for over 30 years.

For details: Call Ananda Ashram 845.782.5575 or email ananda@anandaashram.org

Shyamdas' enewsletter: email shyamdasnewsletter@gmail.com.
Visit his new website: >> www.shyamdas.com

>> Click here to purchase Shyamdas' acclaimed CDs, including the dynamic double CD Cool Dual, recorded live at Shyamdas' summer 2006 Bhakti Immersion retreat at Ananda Ashram, featuring one disc of live kirtan & another of compelling discourse by Shyamdas.


>> Click here for details about the
JAI UTTAL kirtan weekend!

July 13-15, '07
"Passion & Grace ~
The Art of Devotional Singing".

:. Chat needs a new home! Can you help?

This sweetie need a new home ~ can you help?

Chat (French for 'cat' - pronounced Shah) is looking to be adopted as his mom (who he's been with for 10 years) is losing her lease & needs to find a more stable home for him (he was originally rescued from a deli). As you can see he's beautiful, & I have it on very good authority that he's very mellow & sweet. He's about 12 years old, healthy, & loves massages, broccoli, & to lie in the sun (inside). Thankfully he has not been declawed (which really means amputation, but that's another story), however he doesn't mess with anything, he only scratches his cardboard scratch pad.

Please call or email Prema at 646-797-3185 / premalkm@yahoo.com for more info or to meet Chat. Thank you for anything that you can do to help get the word out!

:. Kirtan with DAMARU & SHYAMA

I had the great pleasure & honor to co-lead kirtan with my old friend Damaru for several years before meeting Tommy Be, my music partner. Damaru & I shared many wonderful evenings together at Integral Yoga in NYC. He continues to lead kirtan each first Friday of the month at IYI, with a rotating selection of wonderful & devotional kirtan singers. Sign up for his newsletter to stay informed!

Fri 1 June 8pm
KIRTAN with DAMARU
& special guest
SHYAMA CHAPIN

At: Integral Yoga Institute
227 W 13 St (bet. 7/8 Avs) NYC | tel. 212.929.0586 >>www.iyiny.org

Enjoy this spirit-saturated evening of ECSTATIC KIRTAN and INTER- FAITH CHANTING! * doors close 8:30pm *

Damaru's next IYI Kirtan is on Fri July 6 with Sanchie & Nancy. Subscribe to Damaru's eNewsletter: email gepstudios@aol.com

Aside from being a gifted sculptor, puppet-maker, & performance artist, DAMARU is a deeply passionate spiritual musician. For Damaru, music is a path of devotional creativity that opens channels to the authentic self, the divine within. Singing - & playing his homemade ektaras, dholak, dhumbek, & other percussion instruments - Damaru is an all around intuitive artist. For many years now, he has been a very familiar percussionist in NYC's kirtan vommunity.

The damaru is the auspicious drum of Shiva, The Lord of Yoga, Supreme Consciousness, & Transformation. Chanting the sacred Sanskrit of 'The Name' as a path to the divine within, Damaru sings to the many beautiful names of our Cosmic Parents, to open himself & others to a purer experience of this indescribable Divine Self.

JULES SHYAMA CHAPIN started singing before she could talk & she hasn't stopped yet! After a NYC childhood & many years as a performing songwriter in New England & California, she stumbled into the practice of kirtan quite by grace, & is quite amazed & profoundly grateful to have done so.

Having spent much time in the past several years in her Guru's temples in N. India, as well as at the feet of several of the seasoned Western kirtan singers here in the U.S., & in her own personal chant practice, Shyama is now inviting friends known & unknown to come & sing the beautiful Names with her.

She has recently led kirtan at Open Secret Bookstore, San Rafael, CA; 4th St. Yoga, Berkeley, CA; Namaste Yoga, Oakland, CA; Dharma Yoga Ctr., NYC; Inspirit Common, Hadley, MA; and Kripalu, Lenox, MA.

:. Join me & Tommy Be for Kirtan with GIRISH!

Join me & TOMMY BE as we accompany the fab GIRISH on part of his East Coast KIRTAN Tour!
April 26-29 :: NYC | White Plains NY | Manayunk PA | Frenchtown NJ

Featuring
:: GIRISH :: lead vocals, acoustic guitar, harmonium
:: :: TOMMY BE :: drums, percussion
:: :: :: KAMANIYA :: support vocals, harmonium

See my >> upcoming shows schedule for full details.

Girish's CDs are best sellers & his live kirtan is fantastic. He's a dynamic musician & an amazing vocalist, his original chants will grab you & won't let you go. Kirtan with Girish is funkalicious & with Tommy Be joining him, it promises to be a groove fest!
Be sure to bring your dancing feet ...

"... The music's mesmerizing trance-funk grooves & trip-hop devotional dirges boldly go where Sanskrit has never gone before..."

Visit Girish on >> My Space for his complete tour schedule. Be sure to play his videos, they're clips from his most excellent Yoga Vision DVD which he produced himself & projects as a stage background at his kirtan events. ... And to top it all off, he's a super nice guy :-)

:. Yoga Retreat with Elias Lopez April 13-15

Tommy Be & I will provide live music for yoga classes during Elias Lopez's spring retreat at the gorgeous >> Ananda Ashram in upstate NY, April 13-15. More details coming soon!

>> Click here to visit Elias' website to learn more about this wonderful teacher & dear friend.

:. 3 KIRTAN weekends with 3 MASTERS of Chant

* Register for all 3 and save 15%! *
>> Learn more or call Ananda Ashram at 845.782.5575

Krishna Das | April 6-8
Krishna Das shares his heart through music, chanting & stories at yoga centers worldwide. He has nurtured his spiritual foundation through numerous pilgrimages to India as well as meditation practice & study with masters of various traditions. Krishna Das has taught with Ram Dass & sung for many saints & yogis here & in India. He infuses traditional kirtan with modern influences to create soulful chanting that is easily accessible to Western seekers. >> Details

Jai Uttal | July 13-15
Jai Uttal is a sacred music composer, recording artist, multi-instrumentalist, & ecstatic vocalist. He has traveled extensively in India & has led kirtans around the world for over 30 years. His eclectic east-meets-west sound, intended to create bridges & unite hearts & cultures, has put his music at the forefront of the world fusion movement. Jai received a Grammy nomination for Mondo Rama, his sixth CD. >> Details

Shyamdas | August 17-19
Shyamdas blends songs, ecstatic kirtan, dynamic stories & teachings of the path of devotion. A recognized presenter both in the West & in India, he has written & translated more than 20 books on the Yoga of Devotion. Shyamdas combines traditional Vedic teachings with the fresh spirit of Bhakti Yoga. He has studied classical Dhrupada music & divides his time between the U.S. & India, where he has lived for over 30 years. >> Details

Enjoy my Ananda Ashram >> Winter Wonderland snowglobe!

:. Kirtan Rennaissance at Ananda Ashram

Kirtan Concert Series 2007
>> kirtan line-up

Saturday Evening Kirtan Concert Series at Ananda Ashram
8:30pm on specific Saturdays (preceded by 7pm meditation program)

featuring:
KESAVACARYA DAS | SUZIN GREEN | KRISHNA DAS | PREM PRAKASH | SHYAMDAS | ARUNDHATI | JAI UTTAL

Kirtan – call & response group chanting – is central to the Yoga of Devotion. It is an exploration of the heart, no musical experience is needed. As a meditational practice it creates an atmosphere of well-being & peaceful living.

>> Ananda Ashram is a country yoga retreat on 85 acres of woodland & meadows located in the foothills of the Catskill Mountains. Only 45 miles north of NYC it is easily accessible by car, bus or train.
>> travel directions

:. A birthday gift ...

... for my special friend Moon, from the Butterfly Lady

(Click image to enlarge)

I love you too, Moon! I can't wait to sing with you again... Sending you lots of hugs & kisses! x o x

More poetic musings from the lovely Chelsea Lynn

Congrats to Chelsea on the launch of her delightful >> website! Please stop by to enjoy her music, poetry & paintings (that's hers above), don't forget to sign her guestbook in support & appreciation.

Chelsea is also doing really well in the Music Nation video contest! You can still vote to help her win a record deal with a major label,
>> click here for more details & to enjoy her fabulous self-created music video to her quirky but profound song, The Ocean Has No Silly Names. And as if she wasn't already talented enough: >> click here to visit Chelsea's yoga blog.

:. Ananda Ashram WINTER WONDERLAND ...

>> Ananda Ashram yoga retreat center in Monroe, NY is situated in the foothills of the Catskill Mountains just 1 hr. north of NYC & easily accessible by car, bus or train. >> Travel directions

:. Kesavacarya das Kirtan & CD Release

Saturday, Feb 24
Ananda Ashram
8:30pm | $15



>> Travel directions (Only 45 miles north of NYC & easily accessible by car, bus or train)

Make an evening of it! Enjoy a delicious vegetarian meal (5-6pm, $10), & attend the Ashram Fire Ceremony & Meditation starting at 7pm, followed by readings & commentary.

>> Listen to samples of Kesavacarya's demo CD.

"Kirtan or chanting the holy names is one of the highest expressions of love towards the Supreme, & one of the greatest forms of mercy from the Supreme to the souls in this world. It is said when we chant these names the Lord dances on our tongues & manifests himself more & more in our heart.

My spiritual master advised me to chant with the same mood as a baby crying for his mother. What can a small baby do for himself? He is completely dependent on his parents. So in bhakti yoga, or the path of devotion, we cultivate this sense of dependence. Then the tears of crying out the holy names will wash away all our sufferings, & cleanse & spiritualize our feelings, thoughts & desires."

~ Kesavacarya das (excerpted from his >> website)

Enjoy my Ananda Ashram >> Winter Wonderland snowglobe!