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Embodied Love - Online Conference

Devotion is a phenomenon more universal than any particular tradition, for devotion can be as varied as love itself.  In the dharmic traditions, the term for devotion is bhakti. As Bhakti Yoga, it is a form of practice characterized by devotion to a deity. The more popular forms of bhakti are Vaishnava, Shaiva and Shakta in character (devoted to Krishna, Shiva, or forms of the Goddess, respectively). In all of these traditions, bhakti is both a form of religious and contemplative practice since love for a particular form of God/Goddess is widely accepted as one of the most effective ways to focus the mind.  

In this free online conference, we will discover both traditional and non-traditional forms of bhakti. We will explore the ways in which devotion transforms our world, from the inside out. Just as falling in love has the power to shape and renew one’s worldview, becoming a Bhakta transmutes our vision and refines our heart. Love for the divine further empowers the devotee to transcend aspects of mundane existence, as it challenges common and selfish expressions of love.  By dedicating our practice to a principle or deity that transcends the ephemeral, we can begin to taste the fullness of embodied love and its liberating possibilities.  

This conference, as with all programming at Embodied Philosophy, will seek to strike a balance between scholarship and practice. Each participant has been invited to share embodied bhakti-informed practices as well as scholarship and research relevant to Bhaktas and the various Bhakti traditions.

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We will learn about:

  • The history of Vaishnava Bhakti

  • The teachings of the Bhagavad Gītā

  • How to live the life of the heart

  • The yogic practices of devotion

  • The character of Hanuman, the personification of devotion from the Ramayana

  • How Bhakti yoga differs from other forms of yoga

  • Why serving the divine will save the world

  • The relationship between the Bhakta (or practitioner) and Bhakti

  • The relationship between the human and the divine in Vaishnava Bhakti

  • Stories from the Indian tradition that are central to Bhakti

  • Sri Krishna

  • The 9 Practices of Vaidhī Bhakti

I am so pleased to be included as a presenter in this free online event coming up Oct 4 to 6, 2019.

Sign up here!
https://www.embodiedphilosophy.org/a/17738/tSca2zU2

Mindrolling Podcast – Raghu Markus with Nina Rao on Nina's Anubhav CD

Nina Rao visits the Mindrolling Podcast for a chat with Raghu about the transformative power of mantra and the fruits of pursuing a spiritual path.

Nina learned traditional chants from her grandfather in a village in south India when she was nine years old. The chants quietly stayed with her until she rediscovered chanting with Krishna Das in New York in 1996. For many years Nina has been Krishna Das’ business manager and assistant, often touring with him playing kartals (cymbals) and singing. In January 2013, she released her debut album, Antarayaami – Knower of All Hearts and her sophomore album, Anubhav, in 2018. Nina regularly leads kirtan, chanting of the Hanuman Chalisa, and sings for yoga classes in her hometown of Brooklyn, NY and beyond. Keep up with Nina Rao at ninaraochant.com.

Listen to this episode from Mindrolling with Raghu Markus on Spotify. Nina Rao visits the Mindrolling Podcast for a chat with Raghu about the transformative power of mantra and the fruits of pursuing a spiritual path.Find show notes and resources here: https://beherenownetwork.com/mindrolling-ep-258-nina-rao/

Summer Retreat With Nina! June 22-24

OCEAN OF CHANT AND MANTRA
 

We are so exciting to be doing this again, this summer. Here is some information. Come join us!

This retreat is for everyone; no chanting experience required!
Immerse yourself in the sacred practice of chant—from the spiritual traditions of India—to quiet the mind, open the heart, and most of all, feel connected. Whether you are an experienced chanter or just beginning, come explore practices that transform you from the inside out, including

  • Japa (mantra repetition)

  • Asana practice led by Keli Lalita, connecting body and mind with breath and movement, accompanied by live chanting and music 

  • Group chanting of prayers and kirtan (call-and-response chanting of Divine Names) with the bhakti band

  • Recitation of prayers including the Hanuman Chalisa, Devi (Goddess) prayers, and Krishna bhakti tradition prayers

  • Puja (devotional offerings)

  • Optional early-morning guided meditation.

Take time out to retreat into the hridaya, the cave of your own heart, and create a sustainable personal practice that fits into your daily routine. Word sheets are provided, as well as reading and audio lists for support after the retreat. Come spend time with like-minded seekers and practice together as you strengthen your own practice and find that inner place of refuge to which you can always return.

Yoga will be taught by my dear friend Keli Lalita Reddy. 

Evening Event
Saturday, June 23, 7:30–9:30 pm
Nina Rao and Friends
Free for program participants and in-house guests; no general public tickets available.

REGISTER HERE

Mantra: Sounds Into Silence Movie @ The Rubin!

At Bhakti Fest West, in 2015 we interviewed Nina Rao. It was so interesting to hear her story about how she came from India to the West and how she re-discov...

I had the pleasure of leading kirtan at one of the first New York screenings of this film on Sunday March 18
Happy to share a few photos from the evening and a short video of some “Devi Pranamah” at screening of Mantra - Sounds into Silence at the Rubin Museum of Art Noah Hoffeld on cello, Tom Cucinotta on mridanga, and Keli Lalita Yoga and Kirtan in kartals and responses.

If you would like to find out more about the film and upcoming screenings across the US, click here.

Mantra — Sounds into Silence is a feature-length documentary, that, through the eyes and ears of its’ protagonists, explores the new music and social phenomenon of chanting. It showcases both intimate Kirtan gatherings and large concert performances by artists like Deva Premal & Miten with Manose, Krishna Das, and Snatam Kaur, to name just a few. We also learn about the artists paths to chanting and we hear in depth stories from some of the many people who have benefited from Kirtan. It’s a film about spirituality not religion, it’s about people reconnecting with their true selves and finding ways to navigate through life more peacefully. 

If you are interested in bringing Mantra movie to your city, community, and friends please click here for instructions on how you can do that!

Puraka Project Interviews - Nina Rao on Inspiración (Inspiration) and Práctica (Practice)

Nina Rao, cantante de kirtan y mánager de Krishna Das, habla de su infancia en la India y de su relación con los cantos devocionales.------------------------...

Nina Rao, cantante de kirtan y mánager de Krishna Das, habla de su infancia en la India y de su relación con los cantos devocionales.
Nina Rao, kirtan singer and manager of Krishna Das, talks about her childhood in India and her relationship with devotional singing.

Nina Rao, cantante de kirtan y mánager de Krishna Das, habla del canto devocional como forma de práctica. ---------------------------------------------------...

Nina Rao, cantante de kirtan y mánager de Krishna Das, habla del canto devocional como forma de práctica.
Nina Rao, a kirtan singer and manager of Krishna Das, talks about devotional singing as a form of practice.

SHAKTI HOUR Podcast: Nina Rao on Spiritual Practice - Ep. 14

Hi Y'all, Sharing with you here some ramblings from me with Melanie Moser on the Shakti Hour from Be Here Now Network of podcasts. Feel and share with your friends. Jai Ma |
~Nina
 

LISTEN HERE

Nina Rao with Sri Siddhi Ma

Nina Rao with Sri Siddhi Ma


Show Notes: 

Stepping into Sādhanā (Opening) – Nina talks about coming into her spiritual life and shares her life-changing introduction to Krishna Das and Neem Karoli Baba. She and Melanie discuss the pull of spiritual practice and the importance of finding Satsang.

 “I think on some level, maybe I had a hunger for spiritual practice. When I did eventually meet people along the way, even before meeting Krishna Das, I realized I was being pulled very quickly into the essential feeling of sacredness around practice, whether it was meditation or yoga.” – Nina Rao

The Man in the Blanket (32:55) – We learn about Nina’s relationship with Neem Karoli Baba and how that connection has informed her life. She talks about the lessons she learned around listening to and trusting in her heart.

“As I started to read those books, Maharaj-ji’s miracles were not so much what pulled me. It was that the connection that people felt with him when he was in the body felt like the same connection I had with this being I didn’t know, it didn’t feel any different.” – Nina Rao

Listen to Krishna Das tell the story of his first experiences with Maharaj-ji on Ep. 1 of the Pilgrim Heart Podcast.

The Guru Will Find You (40:05) – Nina talks about her first encounters with Siddhi Ma and how that changed her perception of the Guru/student relationship.  She shares the relationship that blossomed between them and what Siddhi Ma’s passing was like for her.

“When I met Siddhi Ma, my memory was not really of seeing her, but I felt the same feeling that I had when I chanted with Krishna Das and when I was reading the books about Maharaj-ji. It felt as if we were all sitting in this vast presence that we called Maharaj-ji. Including her, I didn’t see Siddhi Ma as a separate entity, she was all part of that presence.” – Nina Rao   

Wisdom for the Path (1:08:08) – Nina shares a few pieces of wisdom for young women to take with them along their spiritual paths.

“Just go for it! Pursue your path, find your practice, own that practice and do it.”  –  Nina Rao