Last night we did kirtan in Mahwah, New Jersey. Only twelve people came, but it was sweet and intimate. Often kirtans like that can be surprisingly transportive. The lack of volume of people is replaced by a more concentrated focus. We were also blessed to be joined by the soulful guitar of Ray Ippolito last night. He often plays with As Kindred Spirits, but we had a happy surprise in discovering he lived just minutes from where we were playing last night. Kirtan definitely manifests magic.
I stumbled on these videos this morning, from our Australian tour in February this year. We were invited to come and do kirtan at the Shiva Ashram just outside of Melbourne and had a fantastic evening with the ashram residents, sharing songs and stories and dancing into the night. Gaura and I both grew up in and around ashrams, so it is always fascinating to meet others who are doing the same. Swami Shankarananda welcomed us so kindly and we were left with increased faith in the power of kirtan to facilitate dialogue and co-operation between all traditions.
