KIRTAN INTENSIVE
DAY RETREAT
Sat 26 May
11 am 6.30 pm
Greville House, Hazelmere Close, Feltham, TW14 9PX 07554 446739 [email protected]
KIRTAN INTENSIVE RETREAT
Kirtan is an ancient Vedic tradition which is quickly becoming a popular fad in modern day culture.
Essentially kirtan is a natural expression of praise and loving appreciation for our divine source, from which all the beauty, wonder, and glory of this world has manifest. Kirtan is unique in that it transcends caste, creed, and culture, or any designations drawn from this limited world, and can bring persons of vastly differing backgrounds together in expressing their mutual appreciation for the divine.
Nowadays kirtan tends to be somewhat of a styled affair; here at the Bhakti Yoga Institute we put emphasis on simplicity, substance, pure expression of heart, and joyful, loving companionship.
We invite you to join us.
Sincerely,
Vishakha dasi
Monk and life-long bhakti-yoga practitioner Our kirtaniyas
Nitai Vira Pandita Shyama
Of Spanish and Dominican heritage, Nitai Born in India to Swedish and Venezuelan Pandita was born and raised in Amsterdam by Shyama, of Indian and Venezuelan grew up travelling with his bhakti-yogi bhakti-yogis, Vira grew up in the UK her mother, a devoted bhakti yoga descent, grew up between Venezuela parents around India and Nepal, finally immersed in the Bhakti Yoga tradition. As practitioner. After high school, she and the UK in a family of bhakti-yoga settling in the UK. He spent two years as a young teenager he took vows of celibacy travelled to India to spend time with her practitioners, and also spent long spiritual master and dive more deeply in the a full-time monk and is now raising his and lived as a monk in an ashram for periods of time in India. She recently bhakti tradition. A talented editor and artist, devoted family in the principles of Bhakti. several years. Today he raises his family in Pandita now lives in London and works in settled with her family in London, and Nitai participates in kirtan whenever bhakti yoga and regularly participates in publishing. She is a committed member of the in addition to raising her young possible and is also known for his lively kirtan events and programs at the Bhakti BYI team and also regularly participates in daughter and participating in kirtan explanations of Bhakti principles. Yoga Institute. kirtan and discussion. whenever possible, she works as an illustrator and graphic designer.
KB Dayanidhi
Born and raised in the UK by bhakti- Originally from the Dominican yoga practitioners, KB spent long Republic, Dayanidhi has spent most periods in India as a child in close of his life in London and is known for company with his spiritual master. his unparalleled singing and mridanga With many years experience as a playing, and his sweet nature. musician KB is also a professional Dayanidhi is also a patient teacher and photographer and regularly offers his in fact he trained most of our young talents in service at the Bhakti Yoga kirtaniyas. Institute. Our guest speakers
Devashis Swami B.N. Shanta Born and raised in Britain, Devashis Originally from Orissa, India, Swami B.N. came in touch with the Bhakti Shanta, PhD, today travels India and various tradition from a young age and has venues worldwide, mainly speaking to been practising for over forty years. university audiences on the relationship Devashis is known for his profound between science and spirituality. and eloquent explanations of Bhakti principles. Schedule
11 am Welcome and intro with Vishakha Dasi & Nitai
11.30 am Kirtan led by our sweet kirtaniyas
1.30 pm Arati ceremony
2 pm Lunch and break
3 pm
3.30 pm workshops on playing traditional Bengali instruments (mridanga (drum) and karatals (cymbals))
4.45 pm
5.15 pm Kirtan with Dayanidhi
6 pm Arati
6.30 pm End Please feel free to join at any point throughout the day, or attend only whichever event(s) interests you. Cost: Free donations are welcome
Getting here The retreat will take place on the premises of Greville House, the s beautiful Grade II listed building, which is located in the vicinity of Bedfont Lakes and Virginia Water.
Address Bhakti Yoga Institute, Greville House Hazelmere Close, Feltham, TW14 9PX
Contact Saraswati (Manager): (0)7554 446739 Tel: (0)208 8909525 [email protected] facebook.com/bhaktiyogainstitute.london/
Tube Stop: Hatton Cross (Piccadilly Line) Bus: 203, H25, H26 to Hazelmere Close (3rd stop; 4 minutes) Walk: from Hatton Cross Tube Station 15 minutes down Hatton Road
Namaste
We look forward to welcoming you here
“Sound vibration can work miracles; sound has the highest capturing potency. Sound can make or mar. It can do anything; it has such intrinsic capacity. It comes from the subtlemost plane, beyond the ether. That universal sound is absolute sweetness and goodness. How much power is there—how it can capture us! Like a blade of grass, we may be played by the current of that sweet sound in such a way that we cannot even trace out our own personality. We may lose ourselves there, but we do not die; the soul is eternal.” Swami B.R. Sridhar