The Path of the Heart: Chanting, Stories, & Discussion

The chanting of Sanskrit mantras is a powerful ancient practice aimed at opening up our subtle awareness and entering into sublime states of consciousness. Krishna Das has been deeply steeped in the heart-centric practices of Bhakti yoga for almost half a century, since he met his guru, Neem Karoli Baba, in India in August of 1970. Once a student and later a beloved friend to Ram Dass, Krishna Das has carved his spiritual path through playing devotional music and sharing the wisdom stories of Indian gurus to seekers all over the world. This course with Embodied Philosophy marks a rare opportunity to connect with Krishna Das, to receive his heart-filled transmission, and to authentically immerse ourselves in one of the most potent yogic traditions of the Indian subcontinent.

Krishna Das offers a real-world approach to the teachings and practices of yoga– these are tools that can be used to help us live more gracefully and richly in our day-to-day lives. In each module, Krishna Das will be chanting some of his favorite devotional pieces and breaking them down so that students can access a deeper context and more meaningful experience of the words and music. In addition to chanting, KD will be weaving in stories of his guru and other gurus of the contemporary era, to help transmit their perennial teachings and how they can be a guide for us in our own lives and spiritual journey. Each module will also contain time for Q&A, where students on the live call can ask their questions and receive answers directly from Krishna Das.

When we allow ourselves to open up to the possibility of a deeper way of loving and living in the world– that liberation from sadness, fear, and confusion is not simply a dream– it can be a powerful and potent opportunity to alter our habits and behaviors and make a shift toward a more compassionate and joy-filled existence. This is what the path of the heart is all about!

Chanting

Krishna Das will be leading the group in powerful devotional chanting practices designed to open up the subtle channels and expand the experience of loving-awareness. He will also be demystifying the words and music, explaining the meaning of the chants and the purpose and goal of a Bhakti yoga practice. By gaining a richer understanding of the chants, we can enhance their effectiveness and provide a foundation for a more meaningful yoga sadhana, or practice.

Stories

Krishna Das is a renowned storyteller! He brings with him over 50 years of spiritual practice and study with some of the East and West’s most well-known teachers and yogic masters. The stories of the mystics can serve as a template and guiding light for us on our own spiritual path. They open us up to the possibilities of the true miracle, finding the love that lives within us as our own true nature, becoming a good human being living more graciously in the world.

Participants in this course will learn:

• Listen and chant along with one of the West’s most well-known kirtan artists of all time.
• Gain a deeper understanding of the Spiritual Path
• Access a more robust context of the devotional chants– the words and the music.
• Hear rare stories of Neem Karoli Baba, and other Indian gurus from Krishna Das’ personal experiences studying and learning from these great masters.
• Get a chance to interact with and ask questions directly to Krishna Das on the live class Zoom calls
• Gain practical tools that can help all students and seekers live more gracefully and joyfully in their day to day lives.

Important note:

This course is a recording of live sessions offered online in 2021. All mentions of live Q&A are therefore no longer available.