Kirtan: Only Love, Only You

Kirtan is the Chanting of the Holy Name of the Divine in the
Company of Others

This afternoon's kirtan will be led by Rick Cotroneo, MA, long time student of Vedanta, the teaching of ultimate oneness and care-taker for the Little Mesa Peace Chamber. Rick leads kirtan as sacred ceremony and offers a mix of traditional Sanskrit chants, a couple of contemporary western kirtan chants, and mostly original songs with beautiful melodies that incorporate both Sanskrit and English words and Divine names. Rick feels that it is important to chant the names of the Divine as represented sometimes in masculine and sometimes in feminine presentation.

The sacred texts of India include many verses explaining the importance of chanting the name of the divine, especially when done in community. Some of these verses state that, in our current age, when humans are not able to perform continuous or strict spiritual practices and most of us live as "householders" (rather than renunciates), chanting the divine name of God in community is the fastest way to self-realization.

Rick's kirtan tends to be on the mellow, introspective and quiet side of the spectrum, rather than being fast and involving outer expression or dancing. One of the ways that we know that kirtan is working, is that our eyes and hearts well up in tears.

People are welcome to participate in the whatever ways are most comfortable for them. You can just sit and listen, you can meditate or you can sing along with the chorus. Some people like to lie down on a mat and may even fall asleep or into an altered state!

Chairs will be available. Please bring a yoga mat if you want to lie down.

This afternoon is a fund raiser for the Little Mesa Peace Chamber Adobe Building Fund. Donations of $25 are appreciated, more if you can and less if you can't.