Kirtan and Chanting

Please listen to Ranger Come Home, a chant I sang at Jai Uttal's Kirtan Camp in San Anselmo, California this summer.  One night, as I sat on a hill and looked down at the moon bathed valley below, I began to sing, "Om Namah Shivaya" to a new melody.  Soon Om Namah Shivaya turned into "Ranger Come Home."

And who was Ranger?  He was a dog, a much loved dog, and we thought he was lost in the mountainous-steep and jagged-terrain near San Geronimo.  My new friend Ginny, from the Kirtan Camp, went like a pendulum between tears of fear and tears of anger.  Where was that dog?  Was he just being stubborn?  Was he hurt?

It was midnight when I began to chant.  And soon Ranger came home.

The next day at Kirtan Camp, during what we called Talent Night, I sang this song with my many new friends at the camp.  What is not in this version of "Ranger Come Home" is the ending, which I had to cut to make this file manageable.  Daniel Paul, an incredible tabla player, and more importantly, a friend of Ranger's, brought Ranger inside.  And Ranger, who barely knew me, jumped onto the stage and licked my face.  I look at his face, and I thought he winked at me and smiled.  And I remember thinking, "Shiva is kissing me!"  Thank you Ranger, and thank you all my wonderful Bhakti songs who sang this with me.

What - Kirtan at New Renaissance with Joy and John
When--Saturday, August 16, 7 PM
Where--New Renaissance Bookshop, 1338 NW 23rd Avenue, Portland, Oregon
Details--Please pre-register.  Please join me and my dear friend Joy Saldia as we chant our way to peace of heart.  This will be an evening of traditional kirtan. Cost is $12

What - Kirtan and Potluck
When--Sunday, August 31, 6:30 PM
Where--Yoga Shala North, 3808 N. Williams Avenue, Portland
Details--Join my friend David, an accomplished tabla player, and myself as we sing and eat. Yes, eat.  Please bring a vegetarian dish for the potluck following the kirtan.  Donation of $5.00 suggested.  This is an ongoing kirtan.  We meet the last Sunday of the month
 

What - Kundalini Yoga and Chanting
When--Every Tuesday, 6:30 PM
Where--Yoga Shala Southeast, 3249 SE Division, Portland
Details--Aisha, my favorite kundalini teacher, leads us in the practice of kundalini yoga and then we chant.  We have found this to be a powerful combination. Yoga Shala prices

What - Kirtan at Breitenbush

When--Saturday, August 30, 7:30 PM
Where--Breitenbush Hotsprings near Detroit, Oregon
Details--These kirtans often turn into drumming sessions and dances.  They tend to be a little more wild than most of the kirtans I host

What - Awkenings Kirtan
When--Friday, August 29th
Where--Awakenings Wellness Center, 1016 SE 12, Portland
Details--Join Janea, Tashi, David, Robert, Sarah, Elizabeth, Cameron, and me as we rock the house with kirtan.  Suggested donation is $5.00. This is an ongoing kirtan.  This is an an ongoing gathering.  We typically meet the forth Friday of the month

What - Monday Night Meditation
When--Every Monday, 7:30 PM
Where--Unity World Healing Center, 366 Third Street, Lake Oswego
Details--We tend to work with one chant interspersed with silence.  "Teaching" is kept to a minimum, as the chants tend to teach what we need to know. Donation of $5.00 suggested.  This is an ongoing gathering.  We meet every Monday

April 21, 2008

Dear Friends

This Awakenings Kali Durge chant was recorded live last night. Elizabeth, Janea, Tashi, and I sang it during practice along with our two incredible drummer friends, Cameron and Robert. Kyle, our groupie, sound-man, chief cook, and Janea's sweetheart, is in there somewhere too. I love Ms. E, Janea, Kyle, and Tashi, but I especially love Robert and Cameron because they said I have a good sense of timing and was easy to follow. And here I thought I was rhythm deficient. I feel redeemed. In any case, If you like this chant, join your voices with ours at Awakenings Wellness Center this Friday, April 25, at 7 PM. Awakenings is at 1016 SE 12th Avenue in Portland, just a few blocks north of Hawthorne.

As an aside, if you read this Janea, the main reason I chant with you and our friends, other than my intense fondness for all of you, is Kyle's cooking. Janea, no more potlucks, please. Not even Doritos-please don't strike me dead God-can compare to Kyle's cooking.

Also, Tashi, aka Hari Krishan Saur, my much beloved friend, and I will be chanting at the Yoga Shala of Portland at 3808 North Williams Avenue at 6:30 PM on the last Sunday in May, which is the 31st. It's going to be a monthly event.

Maureen Clyne and Jody Kurilla of the Yoga Shala are helping make Portland one of the main centers for Kirtan in the U.S. and Canada. Who do you think sponsored Krishna Das when he was here? Who do you think sponsored Jai Uttal? How about Benji and Heather? How about Gina Sala, whom I worship from afar? Jaya Lakshmi? How about Hari Krishan Saur and her chanting partner, whose name I cannot recollect? All of them, without exception are sponsored by the loving hearts of Jody and Maureen.

And, sometime in June and August, (or was it July and August?) I will be hosting kirtans at New Renaissance Bookshop in Portland. When I know more, and I would know more if I dug through my notes, I will post more.

In other news, I am still alive. But I go into surgery next week again. Believe it or not, I have a hernia. My own belief is that continued bladder spasms tore the muscles of my stomach. But who knows. I could have lifted too many bags of Doritos. This is a day surgery. But I have learned the hard way that there is no such thing as a simple surgery. So send me, my friends, and my family love.

Friends ask me why I have stopped writing weekly letters. There are several reasons, the main one being that I said everything I had to say, and I said it several times. But saying what I have to say one more time will be fine.

Here is my whole philosophy of life. We cannot be out of the flow of life. We are aware of this flow most when we forget to be in charge of the world, even for a moment. There are literally hundreds of ways to forget being in charge. We can chant, sing, dance, make love, garden, meditate, or paint. We can sense the flow of life in our blood. We can get lost in math or literature. We can even get lost in studying accounting or economics.

Anyone who says, “This technique is the best technique for you,” is not only wrong, but very wrong! Run away! Find your own methods of entering into the flow, or as I also call it, stillness. And find not just one way, but several ways to enter into the flow. On the other hand, if you find one method that works for you, wonderful. But do not assume that what works for you works for everyone. Or you will become one from whom others run away.

I am continuously amazed at how hard we make things for ourselves by trying to be in charge of the world. For example, in our effort to be in charge, we set impossible goals and berate ourselves for not obtaining them. I see this even in meditating. There are those who approach meditating as though approaching an enemy that must be defeated by meditating perfectly. May God help us.

Above all, we are aware of this flow when we can learn to accept ourselves with all our foibles. And I do not mean resign ourselves to our foibles. I mean accept ourselves joyously.

Love, hug, and cry. Do all those all those “feminine” things that are sorely needed in our world today. This is the simplest way to accept ourselves. And do them poorly until the word poorly ceases to ignite fear. Shun perfection as though it were a poisonous spider. Fall in love with a Goddess. Radhe will do. And remember, you cannot be out of the flow. How can we not laugh at the simplicity of it all?

Blessings,

John

Let me explain.  I meet beautiful women all the time.  Many of them think I am quite wonderful.  We meet at ecstatic dances or at kirtans or at meditations.  I am absolutely surrounded by beautiful women.  Look at the photo below.  I'm the guy with the watch cap.  I really am surrounded by beautiful women.  And it makes me feel old! 

I should feel happy.  The bladder cancer that has been my companion for several years is gone.  Yet I feel apprehensive.  I am no longer going to receive the treatments that destroyed the cancer cells, because, alas, my bladder was turning into a scarred lump of dysfunctional tissue.

 

March 3, 2008

Meditation News
 

We are still meeting every Monday but we have changed locations.  We now meet in the main sanctuary at the Unity World Healing Center on 366 Third Street in Lake Oswego. The sanctuary is a beautiful space. Typically these gatherings combine guided meditations, sitting in silence, and singing Kirtan.   More and more we are singing Kirtan.

Kirtan News

Speaking of Kirtan, I posted a new chant at http://www.mondaynightmeditation.com/. I wrote this song, "Come and Dance with Me" for Sara Pagano, my friend and teacher from Waves Studio in Olympia. But I wrote it for all the wonderful dancers who were there for that Magical weekend at Aldermarsh-you know who you are, especially you, Sara the Red and Mad Woman. I sang this song through my nose, which is an ancient Tibetan Technique. I made that up. I sang it through my nose because I wanted to sing it high. And now I am going to start a nose singing cult. In this cult we will sacrifice our boogers! Never mind. I am getting carried away.

Podcast: Come and Dance with Me.

Podcast: Yachats Have I Told You?

Podcast: Yachats Krishna

Podcast: Yachats Radhe

More Kirtan News

Our first Kirtan was delightful. Joy Saldia and I will be chanting again at Equilibrium, Garden of Transformation on Saturday, March 15th from 7 to 9 PM at 1310 NW 46th Street in Vancouver, Washington. The cost is $8 to $10, sliding scale.

These Kirtans are informal and fun. All you need is an open heart. And bring a vegitarian dish for the potluck afterward.  To learn more about Joy, a talented and gifted woman, visit her website at Equilibrium, Garden of Transformation. You may also contact Joy if you have questions about the Kirtan.

I will also be chanting at Awakenings Wellness Center on 1016 SE 12th Avenue in Portland at 7 PM on Friday, March 22 as a guest of the lovely Janea Dahl and her many friends. Our first Kirtan was incredible. Please come.

Breitenbush Kirtan News

I will be hosting several chants and meditations at Breitenbush Hot Springs;

March 1, Saturday: 7AM, Howl!- A wolf meditation; and 8PM - Chanting.

March 8, Saturday: 7AM, Howl!- A wolf meditation; and 8PM - Chanting.

March 29, Saturday: 7AM, Howl!- A wolf meditation; and 8PM - Chanting.

April 12, Saturday: 7AM, Howl!- A wolf meditation; and 8PM - Chanting.

April 19, Saturday: 7AM, Howl!- A wolf meditation; and 8PM - Chanting.

I am still alive.  As I mentioned to some friends a few days ago, "It's embarrassing.  I really thought I was going to die.  But here I am still alive."  So is the cancer.  As a matter of fact, I am wearing adult diapers now.  It is a good thing I decided I no longer wanted an ego, or my ego would have taken a nose dive.   I resisted wearing them until a few weeks ago. After my last series of treatments for the cancer, I completely lost control of my bladder.  My bladder would start cramping.  I would gasp with pain, and like old faithful, I would erupt.

Not long ago, I was in a hardware store talking to a clerk and I wet my pants.  The clerk was a little shocked and edged away from me.  Obviously he was not enlightened.  He should meditate more.

Even after that episode, I still resisted.  Do you realize how silly is was of me to resist?  I almost quit dancing because I was afraid I would urinate on the dance floor.  I almost quit chanting because I was afraid I would dampen my harmonium.  I almost quit drinking water which was close to insanity because water, water and more water is what I need to heal.  I was becoming something of a recluse for fear of the embarrassment I might cause myself and others.

Well, now I'm out of the closet, so to speak, and in the diapers. And guess what?  There are some upsides to both cancer and diapers.  I feel like one of those bullfighters that stick a sock in his crotch to enhance his manly appearance, not that I really needed to do that, of course.

If you need to wear diapers, then please wear them.  Do not be stubborn like I was.  Do not accidentally get my shoes wet.  Free yourself from the bondage of your fear.  I did.  I am dancing now.  I am still chanting.  And the funny thing is that now that I have more confidence, I am regaining control of my bladder. I only urinate when I move.  As an aside, if you wear diapers, and you don't need to wear them, I don't want to know about it.

Why am I writng about this?  I suppose it's because I hate to hide. I sometimes think we are unhappy because we excel at setting up meaningless roadblocks in our path.  We make rules that we cannot follow and hate life because we are unhappy.  I had a rule that I must be in contol of my body at all times.  But that is no longer true for me, if it ever was.  I do not want to be ashamed of who I am.  Nor do I want my friends to feel shame for who they are.  Hiding isolates us.  After all, we all have a diaper problem in our life of some sort, don't we?  

Blessings,

John Conley

P.S. The photo is one of me as I ponder which color of diapers to buy-tough guy green or macho maroon.

I am making friends at  here at Zaadz.  I fall in love easily, and now I am falling in love with people I have never seen.  Bizarre.  I am falling in love with the symbols of people.  Their pictures and emails, their blogs, and tags are symbols, nothing more.  But it makes me wonder how often I get past the symbols of those friends I see everyday.

Normally, I do not pass along letters that contain requests for help.  But this one is different, for me at least.  Noah Levine, author of Dharma Punx, is both teacher and friend to me.  His mother and father need help.  Reading this letter made me think for the thousandth time about spirituality and money.  Is earning money somehow unspiritual?  Is the resistance only in our minds?  Why do those of who want to serve others have such difficult time accepting money? 

From what little I know of Noah's mother and father they lived a life of service.  Is there a lesson to be learned here?  Should we actually make money from the "spiritual" books we write?  Should we profit from the CD's our chants?  Should we make money from our paintings of angels?

Yes, we should.  Or at least I should.  I need to find a balance between service and being served.

Love to you, my ZAADZ friends.  I hope love finds you at every turn of your life. 

John

An Open Letter from Jack Kornfield, Ram Dass, and Sharon Salzberg
An Open Letter from Jack Kornfield, Ram Dass, and Sharon Salzberg

Dear Friends,

We are writing to ask your support for two beloved friends of ours, Stephen and Ondrea Levine. They are currently facing significant difficulty. After a life-time of giving, they are now at a time to receive from those of us whose lives have been touched by their presence and teaching.

Their greatest needs are financial. Ondrea has Leukemia and the costs of her insurance and treatment have used up their savings. Stephen's health is not good either, and he is too frail to travel or teach. When we heard about this, we felt moved to contribute to a fund set up for them, and to encourage others to do the same.

Stephen and Ondrea have been among our generation's most important teachers, demonstrating and encouraging others to embrace the power of love and generosity. For three years, they ran a 24-hour-a-day, seven-day-a-week free phone line for those dying or in need of support. When the phone bills got too high, they sold their house to keep the project going. For decades they regularly corresponded with thousands people who were seeking spiritual guidance, giving freely to those in need, many of whom were sick or in the final years of their life.

The circle has now come around, allowing us the opportunity to give to these two life-long givers. We hope to raise several hundred thousand dollars in small and large donations to help them through this time.

Caring for friends and teachers is an essential part of any spiritual life. As we age, spiritual friends are more important than ever. Stephen and Ondrea have been dear spiritual friends to us and to thousands of others through their books, workshops, and correspondence.

If you are one of these people and are moved to give, below are three ways to donate to the Levine Fund at Bread for the Journey. Bread for the Journey informs us that donations are tax deductible.

With gratitude and love,

Jack Kornfield, Ram Dass, and Sharon Salzberg

Mail: Send to: Bread for the Journey, 267 Miller Ave., Mill Valley, California 94941. In the letter, please enclose a note indicating that your gift is for the Stephen and Ondrea Levine Fund and in the note section of your check write "Levine Fund." In honor of the immeasurable gifts Stephen and Ondrea have given to the family of the earth, Bread for the Journey has generously offered to manage the fund with 100% of your donation going to the Levine Fund.

Phone: call 415-383-4600 with a credit card number.

Online: Designate the donation to the Levine Fund at: http://www.justgive.org/giving/donate.jsp?charityId=3583&isRecurring=&

For questions and other means of giving, contact SorenGordhamer@gmail.com.

* Please feel free to post this letter on blogs or forward it to individuals or groups you know who may wish to hear news of Stephen and Ondrea.

Podcasts: Let the World Rejoice!

Many are the podcasts I have podcasted.  And that leads me to ask, "How many Pods would a Podcaster cast, if a Podcaster could Pod Casts?

Podcasts from "Letters to My Friends: A No Guarantees Guide to Awakening"

News Worth Spreading

Paula Byrne is leading a dance retreat, One Dance: Journey into Trance, at Breitenbush Hot Springs, here in Oregon, from Thursday, January 31 to Sunday, February 3. Dancing at Breitenbush with Paula sounds like heaven to me. I am scheduled to host a Saturday morning community kirtan at Breitenbush while Paula is there. I hope she comes to it. Paula, if you read this, I’ll pay you a dollar.

One of my favorite teachers will also be hosting a retreat at Breitenbush from Friday, January 24 to Sunday, January 27. Buddhist teacher, Noah Levine, author of Dharma Punx, will present Finding Freedom in a workshop that will include, I am sure, meditation, laughter, more meditation, and more laughter. And, yes, I will be hosting a community chant on Saturday night during that retreat.

And last but not least, Maureen Clyne of Prasada Yoga will be sponsoring the CD release party for Sri by Shantala on Saturday, February 16 at 8 PM with a reception starting at 7 PM in Portland. As you probably know, Heather and Benji Wertheimer are Shantala. What you may not know is that Maureen Clyne is a blessing to Portland. She sponsored Krishna Das the last time he was in Portland. And she sponsors Jai Uttal and Gina Sala. I can guarantee you that Maureen works long hours to bring us the joy of kirtan. She is an angel.

Blessings,

John C. Conley


Baba Speaks about Das!

Baba Ram Jahn: I have a question for you, my Daughter. Why is the Das in Krishna Das spelled with one "S" and the Das in Ram Dass spelled with two "S's"?

Questioner: Is this a koan, Father?

Baba Ram Jahn: No, I was just curious.

Questioner: Well then, Das is the German word for the. So we have, translating literally, "the Krishna," whereas Dass is the plural in German for Das. Therefore we have, once again following a literal translation, "the the Ram."

Baba Ram Jahn: That tells me nothing, Child. You have learned well. I think it is time for you to be a guru and go forth and confuse people.

Questioner: But you are not confused, Baba.

Baba Ram Jahn: I, Daughter, am in a state of perpetual confusion. Therefore it is impossible to confuse me. Do you understand? Questioner: No, but it sounded wise.

Baba Ram Jahn: Then you are definitely ready to be a guru because I have no idea what I meant either.