Late Night Kirtan
In April this year I was playing with Mike Cohen, here from the US, doing some Kirtans around the city. We accompanied Jeannine Woodall leading an asana yoga class at Buddha Body and led the main Kirtan event at the TorontoYoga Show, then a funny little thing came along - Mike was asked to lead Kirtan at an after -hours raw chocolate party at a place called Loft 404 / The Ambrosia Hub.
I was not prepared for how inspiring this experience was. Besides our chanting room, the extended event covered several other areas. There were some chilled brothas in the ambient DJ room, a raw chocolate bar, drinkipoos in a groovy semi-industrial kitchen, and various smaller rooms coming off the main hallways - all furnished with eclectic, conscious, plant-filled velvety/woody vintage . Being in Kirtan / meditation mode we weren't inclined towards drinking alcohol, and it was a bit odd to be doing our sacred ritual in a sort of club atmosphere. But it wasn't all that clubby - no loud music, no smoking, calm peaceful behavior- in fact it was kind of an enlightened vibration - like a nightclub for evolved beings, or something along those lines.
The people there were pretty "awake" types, each in their own way. Here you would certainly meet yoga people and meditation people, but also artists and others from various backgrounds -the joining factor was calm, smart and open.
Our host was the very beautiful, eclectic, heart -wide Genna Bauder, who is the founder of Loft 404. http://www.loft404.com. It was rich just to meet her and some of her friends/guests.
Proprietor Genna Bauder with guest
Eddie Bullen Music Producer
DJ Adam Nathan
The Illustrious Josie Dacrest
Yoga and Tantress Ground-breaker Dee Dussault
Yoga and Tantress Ground-breaker Dee Dussault
Wearing white garb and mala, and having brought the makings of a small altar for our Kirtan - I began to notice how entrenched in "Dharma" ways I have become. That is a very specific world that not everyone relates to. I love that world and love to be around monks and practitioners, doing their practice with them - but most people have not been exposed to that, and it doesn't mean they are not exploring peace, inspiration and spiritual expansion. This event was truly evidence of that.
Among the gusts who attended, I met, and re-met some wonderful people. A big moment was reacquainting with Muhtadi Thomas, a cornerstone of Toronto arts, culture & spirituality. I hadn't spoken with him for about thirty years, other than a quick bumping into here and there. A couple of years back we attended a community djembe drumming class he runs at Wellesley Community Centre. In 2005 we attended Afrofest in Toronto where he was the co-ordinator of the performances. But I was remembering back to about thirty years ago a when Muhtadi was operating a venue for African drumming teaching and performance out of a space on Ossington avenue, just starting to penetrate the Toronto music scene. I believe he had recently arrived from the West Indies.. We had wonderful talks back then. He was always wise and warm, beyond his years, even as a young man. One of those Trinidadian/Guyanese Creolese kind of personalities who has bare feet touching the earth and a mind smiling to heavenly realms at all times.
Muhtadi has made a name for himself as a major Djembe drummer, educator and cultural event producer. At his lessons and on stage in between songs, he gives what you could call genuine Dharma talks - spontaneous, resonant and deeply insightful. He moves slowly and deliberately. He has become a wise elder brother, sitting quietly in the shadows, ready with deep words when you need them, always with a playful smile - but never superficial -Muhtadi speaks frank and true. It was a special moment to be with him and let him see this kind of chanting we are into.
Here are some other pics of the event: http://www.facebook.com/#!/photo.php?fbid=192685187452530&set=a.192684870785895.68918.153960137991702&type=1&theater
This is a short film about the Ambrosia Hub space and what Genna is trying to do with it. This was filmed about a week later during an open house where I facilitated a chanting / meditation / yoga event along with Sivanada Vedanta yoga instructor Kathryn Brunner. The open house went from 9 a.m. to 10 p.m., with many offerings: various kinds of dance, healing and arts things to meditation, a lecture on social media and more. .The film touches on some highlights of the open house and the intention of the space in general.. See below.
Peace Peace Peace -may we all learn to see beauty in all genres. Joy, purpose and spirituality is everywhere in everything!
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