“They say the name and what is named are not different. Which means if we are actually paying attention, and our karmas where ripened enough that we could bring 100% of ourselves to this moment and focus on that name. That name would then open us up. We would be opened up to our own divinity, our own beauty.”
Chanting is a truly sustainable practice, with benefits reaching far beyond the present moment. Through the repetition of these sacred names, we are invited and encouraged to uncover our basic goodness. We bring our fractured minds to a single point, and are then able to operate from that space of loving awareness. The name itself is often mysterious, but the presence that we discover is decidedly familiar
Episode Outline:
• One Pointedness – When we bring our minds to one point, we then have the primary vote in how we choose to live
• The Name and the Named (Not Different) – If we can offer our complete being to the moment, to the Name, then it will open us to our own divinity
• Revealed Names – These names are introduced into the world by beings as am doorway into Truth
• Sustainability of Chanting (Planting Seeds)– Chanting has immediate, as well as long-term benefits to those who practice. We are always planting seeds with our actions – which seeds do we choose?
• What’s in a Name? – The name isn’t merely a label, it’s a bonafide mystery. Through the repetition of these names, gradually but inevitably, our inner presence is uncovered. It’s not a process of creation, but a discovery of what is already there
• Basic Goodness (Our Natural State) – This is can be difficult to process, as it reveals that our defense mechanisms (fear, anger, selfishness etc.) are our own creation – we have to take responsibility for these emotions
• Only Through Practice (Whichever You Choose) – The discovery of our true nature will only manifest with practice. Find out what it is that you want to do, but do something – even if it’s just a few minutes a day
• Slowly but Surely – We slowly begin to pull back from the external chaos of our lives, and we start to look forward to the practice, As we quiet ourselves, we are better able to identify the factors that hinder us from turning inward. We take action in ways that promote our growth, rather than prevent it
• Direct Experience – This is not a new experiment; it is a continued tradition for a reason. But we have to experience it for ourselves to believe it
• The Chant Remembers You – The chants seem to have a mind of their own, and once practiced, they begin to appear without conscious effort. They begin to occupy space that was previously reserved for our neurosis
Stuff from this episode:
Krishna Das Live in New York City Vol. 1DVD
Kirtan Wallah CD
Heart As Wide As The World CD
Live on Earth CD
Photo via Flickr