The images of the Japanese Tsunami and Earthquake reawaken our memories of Katrina and other disasters. It’s hard to know how to take action, how to help the world. Can Kirtan open our consciousness and change the world? Maybe not, but Kirtan Konsciousness just might.
What is Kirtan Konsciousness? To me, it’s all about being aware of our own consciousness and how we can, both as individuals and collectively, make differences in the changing global environment, through Kirtan — the call and response form of chanting. Through chanting sacred Sanskirt mantras, we can send out vibrational healing energy in the form of love and light to those in need.
Chanting has a profound effect on the heart chakra (Anahata), which is the control center where feelings of love emanate. It is also known to associate with other virtuous emotions, such as joy, happiness, honesty, respect, compassion, understanding, and generosity, and with loving oneself in a sincere, non-egotistic way.
One of the artists on the cutting edge of the Kirtan Konsciousness movement is David Newman (AKA Durga Das), who recently premiered his new video featuring the song, ‘Stay Strong: Keep Your Faith Alive,’ at Bhakti Shala, the Santa Monica yoga studio known for its ultimate Kirtan “scene,” bursting with flavor and featuring an eclectic menu of Kirtan artists.
David and his wife Mira created The Stay Strong Project, as an environmental charity in conjunction with Gobal Green USA. These two Kirtan musicians organized over 30 Chant and yoga luminaries to produce a video with a concept similar to the “Feed the World” videos. David and Mira brought together Yogis and Kirtan artists such as Krishna Das, Seane Corn, Jai Uttal, Wah!, Sharon Gannon, Snatam Kaur, Sean Johnson, Donna De Lory, Gaura Vani, Dave Stringer, Girish, Shantala, Shyam Das, Govindas and Radha, Suzanne Sterling, Kirtan Rabbi, Saul David Raye, Bob Wisdom, and Radhanath Swami, who each took a turn singing David’s simple, heartfelt ballad.
Following the screening, David performed ‘Stay Strong: Keep Your Faith Alive,” accompanied by his wife, Mira playing the Cajon, Philippo Franchini on guitar and Mark Gorman on bass.
I asked David about the song, his charity work and his inspiration.
ST: How did such a laid back musician get involved in organizing such a complex project?
DN: During the Gulf Oil Spill in the summer of 2010, I noticed in my travels that many in the community were feeling hopeless and helpless to lend a hand to those affected by the spill and to bring healing to our planet. With that in mind, I composed the song ‘Stay Strong: Keep Your Faith Alive’. Upon writing it, I felt the song had a strong message and it could be used to raise funds for the Gulf Coast Recovery. From there, it seemed natural to invite others to join the project. We could demonstrate solidarity within the chant and yoga community and accomplish a far-reaching effect through our joint effort. The Stay Strong Project was a “’We are the World’ concept for the chant and yoga community”
ST: How did The Stay Strong Project affect your songwriting and musical career as a Kirtan artist?
DN: “Stay Strong” is an expression of a side of my songwriting that seeks to tap into a more global sentiment. The song reaches out beyond the inward and personal nature of my music— it’s a more community based and globally orientated. Stay Strong is my desire to communicate to others that “we’re not alone in what we’re going through.” I wanted to uplift people through music.
ST: When you say “uplift through music,” you’re talking about more than just positive emotions and a catchy tune?
DN: I wanted to create a Global message that shows the community coming together through music, song, and prayer. Music is a way to unite and uplift people and strengthen their ability to help in times of need.”
Released as a song and video, 100% of the proceeds from Stay Strong: Keep Your Faith Alive will go to Global Green, USA. Global Green USA is an organization involved in supporting efforts for the Gulf Coast recovery and other environmental and humanitarian concerns, including: green building, climate solutions, security and sustainability and clean water projects. www.globalgreen.org.
To watch the official Stay Strong music video and to donate to this worthy cause, you can visit http://www.staystrongproject.org/
If you’re interested in making a global difference, visit The Stay Strong Project website at: www.staystrongproject.org. You can also “friend” the Stay Strong Project on FaceBook as well and receive updates on David and Mira’s travels as they spread their loving work from state to state and across the global.
To learn more about David’s music, you can visit him at: http://www.davidnewmanmusic.com
Until the next Kirtan, “Stay Strong & Keep the Faith Alive,” when you’re faced with a challenging moment and know that we’re out there wishing you love and light.
Jai Ma Jai Jai Ma!
Images by Kat Stimac
Kat Stimac is a photographer and yogi who specializes in detailed photographs of Flora and Fauna, landscapes, sky-scapes and textures. Kat applies the mindfulness of meditation to her photographic technique, capturing wildlife in unguarded moments of stillness or repose, stunning moments in time or breathtaking vistas to create a state of transcendence in the viewer.
Sony Trieu is a Yoga teacher and Thai Yoga Therapist, who specializes in Slow Flow Vinyasa, Yin and Restorative style classes and the application of ancient healing techniques. Sony is passionately committed to exploring and sharing healing modalities through her work and writing.
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I appreciate your concern to save the world through kirtan. Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu advented himself 527 years ago to accomplish just this goal. It is stated in the Vedic literature that the appearance of Lord Caitanya’s Kirtan movement would create a golden age for the next 10,000 years and bring light to this dark age of Kali, and it is !
If we were sitting in a room at dawn, and the room became filled with light, we would not say , ” Oh look at all the shine in the room”, rather , we would say something more like ” the room is filling with sunshine”. Similarly, consciousness also has an original and personal source. In this article, you have stated, ” it’s all about being aware of our own consciousness”
Most yoga practioners accept the Bhagavad Gita as an essential treatise on the philosophy of yoga. In Bhagavad Gita 15.7, it is stated by Lord Krishna :
“The living entities in this conditioned world are My eternal fragmental parts. Due to conditioned life, they are struggling very hard with the six senses, which include the mind.”
So to be Krishna concious, means to be “aware of our consciounsess”. It is due to a lack of Krsna consciousness that so many calamities are taking place in the world today. The Supreme is not just a white light or amophous energy, but the energetic source of everyting is the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Bhagavan Sri Krishna.
One who is Krsna consciouss will not identify him or herself with a particular nation and then create an artificial economy based on industry and greed , as opposed to sustainable vegetarian farming. The viscious mentality gives rise to wars, famines, droughts, earthquakes, pestilence etc….especially when we participate in breaking the laws of karma by slaughtering animals, supporting the drug industry ( including alcohol, coffee , meds , etc…)
As Gandhi said ” There is enough for man’s need but never for man’s greed”
The best way to purify and utilize greed is to become “greedy” for Kirtan, and Lord Caitanya has taught that the most powerful and effecasious mantra that can be chanted in this age , in order to develop pure love of God, is the Hare Krishna maha mantra, so I look forward to meeting each and every one of you to join with you in Kirtan !
Namaste , my respects to all of you healing kirtan leaders. May you all be empowered to bring illuminating light to the darkness that surrounds us. In the words of George Harrison , he once wrote in his Introduction to the Krsna Book, “All You Need Is Love ( Krishna ) Haribol ! “