Byron Bay part two

the gayatri mantra...

recently we received an angry message:

“...I was just browsing through youtube and I was appalled to see the "singing" of the Gayatri mantra. This is not the correct way to chant the Gayatri mantra. Such a powerful mantra can have adverse effects if not chanted according to the vedas with the proper intonations. Chant it correctly or do not chant it and please don’t sing it like a song. The chanting was completely flawed. This is not my view but the view of all sages, that every mantra has to be chanted with the prescribed methods.
Vedas are Eternal...”

I just want to say here, that we have no wish to offend anyone, and our intention is only to spread the blessings of the gayatri as we have received them.
it is obvious that our singing/chanting the gayatri has had untold blessings - on us personally, of course – but also, on the many of you who have shared it with us.
my feeling is that sometimes concentrating on the ‘correct way’ of doing things can create a prison, rather than an opening.
so...with respect, at the risk of upsetting pundits and traditionalists, we will continue to share the gayatri in our own way.

there was a time when the gayatri mantra was a secret prayer, known and chanted only by a select few.
now, it is known, shared and loved by people all over the world.
this, we feel, is a good thing.
it is there to liberate us after all.
...especially in these dark times, the healing light that shines forth through the gayatri is needed on this planet, more than ever.
deva and i feel the power of the mantra itself transcends all religious dogmatic issues.

we recently had the honour to attend a ta ke ti na workshop, facilitated by founder and creator, reinhard flatischler and his wife, cornelia.
it was revelation.
‘ta ke ti na’ is transformation through rhythm.
we recommend everyone to participate in this work, whether you are a musician, or not.

reinhard is a master musician, but more than that, he is a great teacher.
his evolutionary work, through the medium of rhythm is truly inspirational.

as for cornelia, she is also a master drummer in her own right – creating the solid rhythmic pulse throughout the process, for reinhard – and the group in general, to explore the wonderful, silent, spacious, and wild world of rhythm.
i wish we had some pix from their workshop, but we were too engulfed in the music to think about taking photos.
you can see some on their home page

here’s a pic taken on their visit to us

i love drummers.
i’ve always had an affinity to them and am awed by their craft.
i guess it’s because, basically, they’re like me – crazy! – in the best possible sense, of course!
reinhard is no exception – a beautiful being absolutely sensitive to sound and silence, with a great sense of humour and a deep reverence for life...and at the same time...crazy!!

deva and i - with deep respect - just about fell in love with them both

so, that’s just about it for now.
we’ll do our best to get some pix from the upcoming chant retreat, and then we’ll see you in europe for the spring and summer tour.
rainer scheurenbrand, guitarist extra-ordinaire – now known as roshan – will be joining us for some of the concerts, so look out for him!

see you all down the road!
with love from beautiful byron bay...

Comments

[Harry]

Deva & Miten,

loved your concert at the Byron Community hall, it was so uplifting. thank you so much.......Harry