Krishna Das Makes Everything Better

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I recently told friends, “Krishna Das makes everything better!”  A big statement:  How could a kirtan singer from Long Island be expected to do quite so much?  And yet, over the last several months, as the music of Krishna Das has started to play a bigger and bigger part of my life, it has very much felt like there’s nothing Krishna Das’ music can’t fix, can’t make better.  Getting to see him perform this past Sunday at the Warfield was an amazing experience.

I’ve listened to Kirtan music off and on over the last three years.  My first exposure to the genre was with Bronwin Rhodes’ Bhavana CD not long after it came out in early 2007.  Over the years, I’ve listened regularly to Dave Stringer (the rock and roller of the kirtan world), Jai Uttal, the Wertheimers, and the incomparable and very non-traditional MC Yogi.  They are all amazing practitioners of the art of kirtan.

Kirtan – a form of devotional or bhakti yoga – is the call and response chanting of mantras.  These pieces will often begin slowly, contemplatively, and then crescendo through an almost wild, ecstatic expression of the mantra at the height of the piece, before settling back into a meditative quality before the conclusion.  Thanks to the iPod, kirtan is available to me anytime I need it:  a more meditative piece, perhaps, during my commute to work in the morning, to help keep me grounded before entering the craziness and distraction of the office.  Over a walk at lunch, listening to kirtan helps provide a much needed break away from the routine and helps me to pause and ensure I am savoring the day.  When I’m pressed for time and might not be able to practice?  Kirtan is my much loved substitute for asana in a pinch, my way to reconnect with the feeling of balance and bliss the practice brings me.

This Sunday’s performance at the Warfield, then, was something I’d been looking forward to for a while.  What I hadn’t expected, however, was what seeing Krishna Das in person would be like.  From the moment he stepped out onto the stage, he exuded the deep presence and peace of the accomplished and dedicated practitioner.  I think the only comparison I can think of was the experience of seeing John Friend speak in person.  Both are master teachers in their chosen yogas – and both radiate the deep, profound wisdom and love that is engendered by such dedication.

Before each mantra, Krishna Das spoke a little bit about the mantra or about the practice of kirtan generally.  Regarding the recitation of mantra as the recitation of the names of God, Krishna Das said that by the recitation of mantra, “the presence [of God] within ourselves is uncovered.”   I loved this sense of unfolding within our hearts to reveal the light contained there, and the idea of the recitation of mantra being part of the unfolding, layer by layer, down to the true nature of our hearts.

Prior to his song, “Jesus on the Mainline,” Krishna Das told a story about an incident that took place once with his own teacher.  A newer student was told to meditate “like Jesus.”  Krishna Das explained that he and the other students were perplexed.  Many of them were Westerners with their own relationships to Christianity.  Finally Krishna Das’ teacher explained:  “How did Jesus meditate?  He lost himself in love.”

He lost himself in love.

I won’t be giving up my asana practice anytime soon, but if I ever have to choose a discipline to replace asana as my primary path, I’m not sure I could come up with a better idea than meditating by losing myself in love.  You can bet Krishna Das will be the soundtrack for that journey.

Related posts:

1. The Radiance of Yoga with Carlos Pomeda
2. MC Yogi at Esalen’s 6th Annual Yoga Festival