bansuri
November 2008 
In the presence of the Divine
Posted on Aug 15th, 2006
by 
Metta
Metta
I love chanting/ kirtan. I love sitting alone in my room chanting, chanting as I chop vegetables, spontaneously chanting with my children, or sitting with a group gathered more formally. For those of you who are not familiar with kirtan, a formal (not really so "formal") kirtan usually takes places with a group of people, a few musicians and a "caller". The caller sings out a name of God or some divine phrase and the audience "answers" with a repetition of the words. The experience there with a group of people calling out with a prayer of love, can go very deep.
This last weekend I was blessed to take part in a kirtan in Portland that served a dual purpose. It was a kirtan and it was a recording session for the artists Shantala, Gina Sala (pictured above) and Manose. I have attended a number of Shantala kirtans and I am never disappointed. They are always bliss-full. I have only been gifted to see Gina Sala once before and singing with her is like singing with the Divine Mother (you'd have to experience her to believe it). She is the most beautiful being that I have ever experienced. She is such a beautiful bhakta and the words of Rumi come to mind when thinking of her "when you look for God, God is found in the look of your eyes." Love for God is pouring from her eyes and her voice as she leads the singing.
I also experienced Manose for the first time. Manose is from Nepal and plays the Bansuri and comes complete with the energy of Krishna up on the stage with his flute. He was beautiful and before the kirtan and during the break he took time to speak to my young daughters and myself. Which was particularly inspiring to my youngest (7) who, just the day before, asked me for a bansuri for her birthday or Christmas.
I highly recommend the experience of participating in a kirtan. Especially if one of these brilliant artists/lovers will be present.
This last weekend I was blessed to take part in a kirtan in Portland that served a dual purpose. It was a kirtan and it was a recording session for the artists Shantala, Gina Sala (pictured above) and Manose. I have attended a number of Shantala kirtans and I am never disappointed. They are always bliss-full. I have only been gifted to see Gina Sala once before and singing with her is like singing with the Divine Mother (you'd have to experience her to believe it). She is the most beautiful being that I have ever experienced. She is such a beautiful bhakta and the words of Rumi come to mind when thinking of her "when you look for God, God is found in the look of your eyes." Love for God is pouring from her eyes and her voice as she leads the singing.
I also experienced Manose for the first time. Manose is from Nepal and plays the Bansuri and comes complete with the energy of Krishna up on the stage with his flute. He was beautiful and before the kirtan and during the break he took time to speak to my young daughters and myself. Which was particularly inspiring to my youngest (7) who, just the day before, asked me for a bansuri for her birthday or Christmas.
I highly recommend the experience of participating in a kirtan. Especially if one of these brilliant artists/lovers will be present.
Access: Public
Ah, Metta, I know you know you're lucky to be able to attend something like this…perhaps I'd be less cranky if I could! Just a reminder to be very, very grateful…
I'd like to say the hummingbirds do it for me, but in this extreme heat, they're being very crabby with each other, and I can not make them share…
Oh, yeah… I know I'm lucky… I grew up in Texas and lived there most of my life… I know I'm lucky now…
Yeah, those hummingbirds get into some daring duels! The way they patrol their territory is great fun to witness…. but then I always feel bad for the little guys that are chased off without more than the smallest sip.
Beautiful piece, Metta! I will definitely look into the work of Gina Sala. The deep experience of union with the divine you describe in sharing chants I've experienced with Kundalini yoga, esp. the chanting of MA. Very powerful.
LOVE the Rumi fragment: when you look for God, God is found in the look of your eyes. Gorgeous! What's that from, do you know?
Also had to laugh… duel purpose? Perhaps… dual? Blessings, H
Hi Tsuya,
The energy from kundalini yoga and chanting is very similar… many kundalini yoga practicioners do a lot of chanting, too. Gina actually did a Sikh chant (which goes with kundalini yoga) “Wahe Guru, Wahe Guruji, Sad suri akal, Ekongkar, Ekongkar” Which delighted me. Also in her chanting of the Goddess' names she included Durga, Lakshmi, Saraswati, Kali, Radha, Mary, Shekhina, Tara, Kuan yin, Rabiya, Yemaya, and Gaia. :o )
I think you will love her.
Here is the poem by Rumi that the line was from:
BE MELTING SNOW
Totally conscious, and apropos of nothing, you come to see me.
Is someone here? I ask.
“The moon. The full moon is inside your house.”
My friends and I go running into the street.
“I'm in here”. comes a voice from the house, but we aren't listening.
We're looking up at the sky.
My pet nightingale sobs like a drunk in the garden.
Ringdoves scatter with small cries, “Where, Where.”
It's midnight. The whole neighborhood is up and out
in the street thinking, “The cat burglar has come back.”
the actual thief is there too, saying out loud,
“Yes, the cat burglar is somewhere in this crowd.”
No one pays attention.
“Lo, I am with you always” means when you look for God,
God is in the look of your eyes,
in the thought of looking, nearer to you than your self,
or things that have happened to you
There's no need to go outside.
Be melting snow.
Wash yourself of yourself.
A white flower grows in the quietness.
Let your tongue become that flower.
duel… ha ha… yeah, spell check wouldn't catch that would it?
Metta
Metta, its your love for God that makes you happy when you listen to kirtans. Isn't this the first step in spiritual journey when the Bhakta ( Seeker ) begins to feel deep within a bliss in the heart while listening to Gods name , again and again . I like this kirtan . Tears roll down the cheeks of such Bhakta when they hear their Beloved's name . The vibration of love, while chanting collectively is something special, very contagious. You know, chanting name of God is either in KIRTAN (musical way ) or JAP ( simple murmuring ) . Jap is also beautiful way of remembering your Beloved. That gathers your mental energy and takes you deep within.
Rumi's words are beautiful ” When you look for God, God is in the looks of your eyes” This reminds me of Sri Aurobindo's words” One who has chosen Divine has been chosen by Divine ”