Sean Johnson And The Wild Lotus Band: News

Most people in the west associate the practice of yoga with Hatha Yoga, the branch of yoga that works intentionally with physical postures and breathing. Hatha Yoga is in fact the most popular form of yoga today in the west. Yet, there are many other branches in the glorious and abundant tree of yoga that should be recognized in order to have an informed vision of the full spectrum of yoga. The beautiful thing about this diversity of yoga paths is that each works in a different way to unite individual consciousness with universal consciousness. These branches include: Raja Yoga (which focuses on meditation), Karma Yoga (which emphasizes selfless service), Mantra Yoga (the yoga of working with energy-based sounds), and Tantra Yoga (which focuses on ritual). In this month's column, the focus will be on the emotion-driven spiritual practice of Bhakti Yoga, the yoga of the heart. Bhakti Yoga: Doorway of the Heart Bhakti Yoga is the passionate yoga of the heart, the yoga of devotion, of channeling our emotional energy into our connection with spirit. In this form of yoga, practitioners are encouraged to experience a deep, heart-felt relationship with the divine in all things, and to let this spiritual relationship inform interactions with all creatures. "Bhakti yogis express the devotional nature of their path in their every thought, word, and deed-- whether they are taking out the trash or calming the anger of a loved one," says Yoga Journal columnist Mara Carrico. Traditionally many Bhakti yogis would perceive the divine in a personified form in order to awaken their hearts and stir a deeply emotional connection with God. This passionate connection to God is apparent in many spiritual traditions. Renowned yoga teachers Sharron Gannon and David Life, in their book Jivamukti Yoga, tell us that the Catholic mystic Saint Teresa of Avila told of her ecstatic relationship with her beloved Jesus, and the thirteenth-century Sufi mystic and poet Rumi who described himself in poem after poem as a drunken lover intoxicated by the kiss of the Divine. As opposed to other branches of yoga that emphasize solitary spiritual disciplines, Bhakti Yoga often expresses itself in a celebration of love and spirit within the sensuality of daily life as well as working with the creative arts as a form of spiritual offering. One of my most influential teachers Bhakti musician Jai Uttal, says, "In Bhakti yoga, we keep our minds concentrated on the eternal, but we lead with our hearts. We sing, we dance, we play music, we write poetry, we cook, paint, make love and do it all as part of our dialogue with our eternal beloved." One of the most essential practices of Bhakti Yoga is chanting simple, sacred mantras in a practice called kirtan. Kirtan is a way of releasing emotional energy, from anger to love, through the vehicle of vocal sound. It is a deceptively simple practice which involves pouring emotional expression into the singing of repetitive melodies which has the effect of washing away the chatter of the analytical mind. Uttal says, "Bhakti Yoga brings us into the world of mystery, a realm where the dissecting , discerning qualities of the intellect are powerless next to the vast ocean of feelings. Bhakti is about surrender; surrendering our personal heart into the Great Heart, offering our self will and all our efforts and actions to that vast Consciousness, to God. Not my will but Thy will be done."

With the stratospheric rise in popularity of yoga in recent years, more and more Americans are returning to the practice of chanting mantras as a form of meditation and spiritual expression. Chanting is likely as ancient as humanity itself and is heard in nearly all the spiritual traditions of the world. Christian monks and nuns sing the heavenly melodies of Gregorian chant in Latin to praise God. In Jewish temples, cantors lead worshippers in melodious Hebrew scriptures. In Islamic communities, each morning the Imam awakens Muslims with the Arabic call to prayer followed by the intonation of verses from the Koran. Brahmin priests lead Hindus in worship by reciting the Vedas, the oldest scriptures of India, often called "the song of God." Buddhists utter powerful mantras as a form of meditation and a means to cultivate compassion and loving kindness. Native Americans raise their voices and drum to attune to the powers of nature. In indigenous African traditions, chant is a means to connect with the soul of the world. But, what is it about this primal act of chanting sacred sounds that continues to capture the imagination of people in our contemporary, technologically-oriented society? Following are some possible answers. The World is Sound Perhaps contemporary chanters are intuiting what our ancestors took for granted-that the fabric of the world itself is comprised of sonic vibration. We can find references to the power of sound and speech in the creation stories of many cultural and spiritual traditions. The Judeo-Christian tradition says, "In the beginning was the Word..." (John 1:1,14) and "God said, 'Let there be light,' And there was light." (Genesis 1:1-3) In the Ethiopian cosmology, God created the Universe by calling out his own name, and Egyptian and Babylonian myths tell similar stories. The aboriginal people of Australia say the world and its creatures were sung into existence. In the Vedas, India's oldest scriptures, the mantra "OM" is described as the vibrational force that forms the essence of all creation. We could choose to dismiss these stories as fables devised by unsophisticated people trying to explain their world, were it not for the fact that contemporary science, in its own language, tells similar stories. Today's physicists state that subatomic particles in all matter-even the hardest, densest material-is in fact vibrating. In this light, we can see that both the poetic narratives of our ancestors and the empirical data identified by science are telling us that the world is sound. People who chant are deliberately participating in the song of life. Chanting is Good for Your Health The pioneering French doctor Alfred Tomatis, lauded for his breakthroughs in auditory neurophysiology, made significant discoveries about sound and chant. In 1967, Tomatis was asked to come to a French Benedictine monastery where many of the monks were experiencing a bizarre exhaustion and illness. Tomatis discovered that a new abbot had recently taken the helm of the monastery. In this post-Vatican II climate of change, the new abbot ordered the monks to cease chanting the Divine Office, the traditional six-to-eight-hour-a-day chanting practice, because he believed chanting was no longer useful. After Dr. Tomatis convinced the monks to return to their ritual of chanting seven times a day, their health and energy magically improved. The revitalized monks resumed their prodigious work schedule. As a result of this study and others, Tomatis proposed that certain sounds, particularly higher frequencies, charge the brain with electrical potential, and are capable of creating more physical and mental vitality. He actually referred to sound, particularly self-created sound in the form of chant, as "nutrition for the brain." According to chant expert Robert Gass, author of Chanting: Discovering Spirit in Sound, chanting improves one's health for many reasons: the repetition of the chant slows down and deepens the breath; the sound vibrations resonate and massage the body from the inside out; brain wave patterns are measurably altered, creating states of relaxation or heightened creative energy; muscle tension relaxes; skin temperature changes; blood pressure and heart rate go down. Chanting Quiets the Mind and Frees the Spirit "Mantra," comes from two Sanskrit words that translate "to set free the discursive mind." People who chant a mantra over and over again often report that the repetition of the sound washes away their distracting thoughts and creates a peaceful clarity that is difficult to achieve in daily life. Others find chanting to be an extremely effective way of entering into silent meditation. In the Indian tradition, chanting is called by the Sanskrit word, "kirtan", which has its roots in the Bhakti tradition, the yoga of devotion. Kirtan is a heart-centered spiritual practice, in which people pour their emotions into prayerful song. In this style of chanting, the notion of musical or vocal "talent" is thrown out the window. Contemporary chanter Jai Uttal says, "There is no right or wrong way to sing kirtan. Kirtan can be breathtakingly beautiful, the music can be stunning and masterful; and it can be cacophonous, dissonant, and almost painful to the ears. Aesthetics don't matter. All that matters is the spirit, the feeling . . . Kirtan is an oil well digging deeper and deeper into the heart . . As we sing, we immerse ourselves in an endless river of prayer that has been flowing since the birth of the first human beings, longing to know their creator."

Kirtan, the ancient Indian practice of spirited group chanting, is becoming more and more popular in the West especially with the rising interest in yoga. Time Magazine recently did a story on this growing phenomenon featuring some of the more prominent chanters spreading the seeds of this heart-centered yoga practice by blending the traditional sounds of kirtan with American musical sensibilities. Following is an introduction to the art and practice of kirtan, and includes a suggested listening guide for people interested in exploring more deeply how this form of participatory musical prayer is awakening hearts from East to West. The practice of chanting exists in all the world spiritual traditions in different forms. Gregorian Chant, praying the Rosary, and gospel music are more familiar examples of chant and musical prayer from the Christian tradition. Chanting is also a common way to pray or meditate in Jewish, Islamic, Buddhist, and many native traditions. Kirtan is the practice of singing sacred mantras over and over again in a simple melodic and rhythmic format, accessible to anyone. The word mantra comes from Sanskrit root words whose meaning is "to set free the chattering mind". Each mantra is often associated with a particular spiritual energy that we can awaken from within through heartfelt chanting. The practice of kirtan can be approached simply as a form of meditation, whereby the repetition of the mantra cleanses and clarifies the mind. And, if it's your intention, kirtan can be a spectacular form of prayer and means to awaken spiritual consciousness. The great Hindu saint Ammachi says "To gain concentration in this spiritually dark age, kirtan is better than meditation. By loud singing, other distracting sounds will be overcome and concentration will be achieved. If kirtan is sung with one pointedness, such songs will benefit the singer, the listener, and also Mother Nature." One of the most popular ways of practicing kirtan is in a call-and-response fashion. The chant leader will sing the mantra and everyone else in the group will respond. As the chant is sung back and forth, often accompanied by lively musical instruments and drumming, the energy shared among the group becomes more and more powerful. Kirtan provides an opportunity to set free emotional energy stored in the body, and that release can be quite liberating. Chanter and recording artist Jai Uttal says "Walls constructed long ago come crumbling down. Wounds that we never knew were there begin to heal. Long submerged emotions, both joy and sorrow, come to the surface to be offered up into the chant. And somehow, effortlessly, we move into a meditative state that creates a safe, calm haven for the flower of the heart to unfold." What I love most about chanting is the freedom I feel when I sing and the serenity that comes afterward. Sir James Barie said, "If you cannot teach me to fly, teach me to sing." When the chant is concluded, participants often feel deep peace, renewed energy, and a measurable sense of aliveness and sensitivity that was not there before. According to chant expert Robert Gass, author of Chanting: Discovering Spirit in Sound, chanting improves one's health for many reasons: the repetition of the chant slows down and deepens the breath; the sound vibrations resonate and massage the body from the inside out; brain wave patterns are measurably altered, creating states of relaxation or heightened creative energy; muscle tension relaxes; skin temperature changes; and blood pressure and heart rate go down. If you are interested in listening to the power of kirtan, the following kirtan recordings, which integrate Eastern and Western music, will provide a wonderful introduction: Krishna Das is one of the most popular of American chanters. His voice resonates a warm, deep devotion captured in all his recordings. I highly recommend "Live On Earth," a double CD live kirtan recording. He also does a wonderful segue way from mantra to the gospel classic Amazing Grace (with harmonies by Sting) on the album "Pilgrim Heart". One of my favorite chanters is Jai Uttal, who was nominated last year for a Grammy, for his kirtan-inspired music. Jai has a bold and passionate voice full of longing, shaped by years of studying Indian Classical and devotional music. He recently released an excellent double CD called "Kirtan: The Art and Practice of Ecstatic Chant." He also has another wonderful kirtan album called "Nectar." South Indian musician Russill Paul presents a potent and distinct approach to kirtan in his interactive CD set The Yoga of Sound, and AM and PM Yoga Chants which includes suggestions for interacting with the recorded chants. Other popular musicians who are integrating kirtan into their work include Deva Premal, Bhagavan Das, Dave Stringer, and Wah! There are also numerous recordings of traditional kirtan recorded in India and available on the web. Listening to kirtan can be quite uplifting, but there is nothing like the experience of unifying your voice with fellow seekers in a group setting. To experience the thrill of kirtan near you, inquire with local yoga studios. No musical experience or "talent" is required, just a desire to open your heart through song. 

Putumayo Presents Yoga (U.S./Canada release date September 14, 2010)

 

A soothing collection of songs for yoga, meditation and relaxation

To be released on September 14^th, Yoga is Putumayo ’s first CD release featuring a collection of songs selected to accompany yoga practice and also serve as a relaxing soundtrack for daily life. Rooted in ancient Hindu, Buddhist and Jain traditions, the practice of yoga has evolved over the past 5,000 years.  Adopted by millions of people around the world, yoga provides a vehicle for greater health and spiritual awareness.  Music has long had a close relationship with yoga, particularly in the Bhakti tradition, which incorporates musical chants into its practice.

With his extensive background as a yoga instructor and musician, Sean Johnson, founder of Wild Lotus Yoga studio in New Orleans, collaborated closely with Putumayo on this project. Combining songs used in his classes with Putumayo ’s global research, Yoga creates a musical flow that works as well during yoga practice as at home for meditation or relaxation. Sean’s expansive liner notes, including a glossary of yoga terms, will help people better understand the practice of yoga and its relationship to music.

Yoga features renowned musicians from around the world. British-born, South Indian artist Susheela Raman duets with Kenyan singer Ayub Ogada on the harmonious “O Rama.” Krishna Das, who is the best-known US performer of traditional Indian kirtan-style music, demonstrates call-and-response chanting on “Hanuman Baba (Dub Farm Remix).” Costa Rican group Amounsulu create a serene atmosphere by blending sitars and glass bottles on the song “El Bosque Eterno de los Niños (Children’s Eternal Rainforest).”  On “Bolo Ram” celebrated western devotional musician Wah! sings a tranquil verse that is believed to bring bliss to all who chant it. Sean Johnson and the Wild Lotus Band are known for their beautiful, melodic chanting as displayed on “Om Hari Om/Sharanam Ganesha (Refuge).”

Yoga also features the collaborative world fusion group, The Lucknow Project, US kirtan artist Gaura Vani And As Kindred Spirits, renowned producer/musician Ben Leinbach and percussionist Geoffrey Gordon, bhajan and kirtan singer Karnamrita Dasi and British producer Niraj Chag. Swedish musician and teacher Yogini, Senegalese singer Ablaye Cissoko with German trumpeter Volker Goetze, husband and wife duo Shantala and Bhutanese monk Lama Gyurme with French pianist Jean-Philippe Rykiel round out this eclectic collection.

For more info visit www.putumayo.com

The band's song "Ram Sita Ram (Union)" from Devaloka was chosen as the lead track on a special yoga compilation released by Yoga Journal in Germany. The compilation also features songs by Krishna Das, MC Yogi, Jai Uttal, Alexi Murdoch, Wah!, Dave Stringer, and more.

Sean and the band's song Shiva Shankara is featured in a new video produced by Yoga Journal to promote their yoga conferences. The montage features John Friend, Richard Freeman, Rod Stryker, Shiva Rae, Rodney Yee, Krishna Das, B.K.S. Iyengar, Ana Forest, Judith Lasatar, Sharon Gannan and David Life, and many more. Sean will be teaching and the band playing at the Yoga Journal Conference in Hollywood, Florida November November 11-14th. See the video here.

 

Sean And The Wild Lotus Band along with Wah! have been invited to headline the annual kirtan at The Telluride Yoga Festival Friday July 9th in Telluride, Colorado.  The kirtan is sponsored by Bhakti Fest. The Telluride Yoga Festival is the weekend of July 8-11th. Yoga teachers include Aadil Palkhivala, Mark Whitwell, Richard Freeman, Tias Little, Chandra Easton, Amy Ippoliti, Scott Blossom, Chandra Easton, and Lama Tsultrim Allione. In addition the festival will bring the best of yoga instructors and Buddhist scholars from around the country to lead workshops in Astanga, Jivamukti, Anusara, Purna, Prajna, Tibetan Heart, Yin, Hatha, and Buddhism as well as offer a series of public events designed to unify the yogic community and raise awareness of environmental issues. www.tellurideyogafestival.com

 

Join Sean and the band at the 2010 Florida Yoga Journal Conference November 11-14th.  The band will lead a kirtan celebration on Friday night November 12 and a bhakti/chanting workshop for yoga teachers on Saturday November 13th. Other teachers presenting at the conference include: Seane Corne, Jason Crandell, Eddie Modestini and Nicki Doane, Lilias Folan, Cyndi Lee, Tias Little, Kino MacGregor, Vinnie Marino, Dharma Mittra, Aadil Palkhivala, Natasha Rizopoulos, Desiree Rumbaugh, Cameran Shayne, Rod Stryker, Laura Tyree, Patricia Walden, Rodney Yee, Colleen Saidman, and more.  http://www.yjevents.com/florida/johnson.php

Sean, Alvin, and Gwendolyn will be returning to play and teach at The German Yoga Conference in Cologne, Germany the weekend of May 29-30th. They will play a kirtan celebration for all conference attendees on Saturday night May 29th and offer a bhakti and chanting workshop for yoga teachers on Sunday May 20th. Other teachers presenting at the conference are: Dana Flynn and Jasmine Tarkeshi, Gurmukh, Todd Norian, Bryan Kest, Rod Stryker, Jason Nemer and Jenny Sauer-Klein, Ganesh Mohan, Rusty Wells, and more. The band will also be doing a two week tour across Germany before the conference. For more details visit www.yogaconference.de/en/index.php

Catch Sean and the band at the 2nd annual Bhakti Fest in Joshua Tree, Ca the weekend of September 9-12th. This evolutionary spiritual event in the desert features non-stop kirtan, yoga classes, meditation, seminars, fire ceremonies and celebration. A who's who of kirtan artists will be there including Krishna Das, Jai Uttal, Bhagavan Das, Wah!, Donna DeLory, Dave Stringer, Shantala, Karnamrita, Govindas and Radha, David Newman and Mira, MC Yogi, Gaura Vani and As Kindred Spirits, Girish, Wade Imre Morissette, and many, many more. Yoga teachers include Shiva Rae, Dana Flynn, Saul David Raye, Mark Whitwell. Annie Carpenter, Seane Corn, Sianna Sherman, Duncan Wong, Ashley Turner, Steve Ross, Sara Ivanhoe, Micheline Berry, Lorin Roche, Hemalayaa, Felicia Tomasko, Debbie Steingesser, Kasey Luber, and many many more. Ram Dass will also be delivering a special message to Bhakti Fest attendees from his home in Hawaii, via dvd.  www.bhaktifest.com

Sean and the band have been invited to play the 2010 New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival. They are the first kirtan band to ever be booked to play the iconic annual festival, a two weekend mecca of music that draws fans from across the globe. They will be playing on the Lagniappe Stage Thursday April 29th. Time TBA.  

This year's headliners include: Simon and Garfunkel, Pearl Jam, Van Morrison, Widespread Panic, BB King, Gipsy Kings, Elvis Costello,  Lionel Richie, Anita Baker, Allman Brothers Band, My Morning Jacket, Dr. John, The Black Crowes, Steel Pulse, Baaba Maal, George Clinton and Parliament/Funkadelic, Blind Boys of Alabama, Wayne Shorter, The Neville Brothers and many more......

Join Sean, Gwendolyn, and Alvin at The Ojai Yoga Crib- a wonderful yoga festival in the Ojai Valley, Ca. Built on the rich Spiritual Tradition of the Ojai Valley, the yoga sessions, meditations, and evening events take place in some of the most historically significant and sacred spots in the Valley.  Sean and the band will be offering a kirtan celebration for the whole Crib community on Saturday night October 21st and also teaching vinyasa yoga and bhakti workshop with the live accompaniment of the band. Other presenters include: Erich Schiffmann, J.J. Gormley, Ravi Ravindra, Saul David Raye, Patricia Sullivan, Jason Crandell, Laura Tyree, Noah Maze, Uma Goswami, Jill Miller, Sean Johnson, and Kira Ryder.  www.ojaiyogacrib.com

In addition to touring lots of yoga studios and many other alternative venues, Sean and the band's 2010 Appearances also include:

New Year's Eve Celebration at Kripalu Retreat Center, Lenox, MA

Feb- Texas Yoga Conference, Houston, TX

March- Bhakti Weekend Retreat for Yoga Teachers in Ojai, CA

April- New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival

May- German Yoga Conference, Cologne, Germany

July-Telluride Yoga Festival, Colorado

September- Bhakti Fest at Joshua Tree, CA

More event announcements coming soon!

Sean, Alvin, and Gwendolyn just finished two months of cd release concerts culminating in a mesmerizing costume Halloween kirtan party in downtown New Orleans.  They'll be playing again in New Orleans the weekend of November 20-21st at The Wild Lotus Chant Fest featuring Dasi Karnamrita, Kamaniya and Keshavacharya Das and at The New Orleans Festival of The Chariots.

The band will be headlining the Kripalu Center in Lenox, Massachusetts for their annual New Year's Eve Celebration on December 31st before embarking on an extensive tour through the northeast and southeast in January. Below is a preview of where the band will be for the first 6 months of 2010. See events link for cities and venues.

Early January: Northeast and Southeast

Late February: Texas and Northern California

Early March: Southern California and Pacific Northwest

May: European Tour

For bookings contact manager Jackie Dobrinska at SeanJohnsonAndTheWildLotusBand@Gmail.com

Join Sean and the band for an evening of mantric fireworks in the beautiful Berkshire mountains in Lenox, Mass for Kripalu's annual New Year's Eve Celebration. This is the second time the band has been invited to call in the new year at Kripalu with a joyful evening of kirtan. Thursday December 31st, 2010. www.kripalu.org

Nūtone Music has partnered with Whole Foods for the release of A Collection of Kirtan Chant --a collection of music for health and wellness which creates peace of mind through the ancient practice of Kirtan and Sanskrit mantras. Designed for those who desire to achieve wellness through meditation, health and yoga in today’s busy lifestyle, A Collection of Kirtan Chant exclusively features the best new musical offerings from an array of Nūtone Music recording artists: Krishna Das, Wah!, Jai Uttal, Donna De Lory, David Newman, Sean Johnson and the Wild Lotus Band, Wade Imre Morissette, Bhagavan Das and Reema Datta. The compilation features the top musicians from the worlds of chant and yoga and is now available in Whole Foods stores nationwide.

“This is a well-balanced compilation from some of the top artists in the music genre most often heard in Yoga classes,” explains NŪTONE MUSIC founder and Nettwerk Music Group CEO Terry McBride. “It’s a blend of Eastern chants with Western melodies that is relaxing and conducive to the flow of Yoga. Whole Foods is an amazing Wellness retailer and that aligns really well with the theme of the music on this compilation. It simply makes sense for us to join forces.”

Visit Whole Foods Markets nationwide to purchase. More details will be available on the product page of their site later this month. www.wholefoodsmarket.com.

We are excited to share the news that our new cd Devaloka comes out today on Nettwerk/Nutone Records.

We've been waiting a long time to share this new music with you. We recorded the album in New Orleans from winter into spring. Hope you enjoy! You can listen to clips and purchase Devaloka  at I-Tunes, Amazon, and many other sites online including Borders and Barnes and Noble. If you enjoy it, we'd love to invite you to help us by writing a short review on I-Tunes and/or Amazon to help spread the word.  If you feel inspired, you can also include songs from the album on your published I-Mixes to enhance the rating of the album. And please let your friends know about the record. Thanks so much!

On our press page, read the first official review of Devaloka written by Lloyd Barde, music editor for San Francisco's Common Ground Magazine. 

 

Sean and the band's new cd titled Devaloka on Nettwerk/Nutone Records hits the streets on September 1st! The album can be pre-purchased online at Amazon.com. Downloads will also be available online as well. Sean and the band will be hosting a series of CD Release parties around the country in September and October including in Las Vegas, L.A. San Diego, San Francisco, Portland, Seattle, New Orleans and many other cities. Visit the calender link to see the full list.

Bhakti Fest is a three day music festival celebrating devotion through chanting, yoga, meditation and community. Joining Sean and the band will be many wonderful kirtan artists including Jai Uttal, Wah!, Wade Imre Morrissette, Dave Stringer, Donna DeLory, MC Yogi, Girish, and many more. Yoga teachers and other presenters include Shiva Rea, Coleman Barks, Ram Dass (via satellite), Saul David Raye, Mark Whitwell, and more.

50% of profits go to charity.
Don't miss this incredible event!
www.bhaktifest.com

Sean, Alvin, and Gwendolyn finished a 6 month stint recording their new album "Devaloka". Devaloka means "world of radiant beings". The album will be released in September on NETTWERK/NUTONE Music. Over the last nine months, NUTONE has released great albums by Krishna Das, Jai Uttal, Bhagavan Das, Wah!, David Newman, Donna DeLory, Wade Morrisette, and Reema Datta. We encourage you to support these fellow chant artists by purchasing their latest albums. We'll be announcing cd release dates for DEVALOKA soon!