Weekend blends music, chant, breath control, movement

By Pat van den Beemt

North County News, Baltimore, MD

A world-renowned musician, spiritual teacher and author is coming to Monkton for a weekend that is meant to entertain, inspire and instruct people of all ages.

Russill Paul, a former Benedictine monk who grew up in India, is offering "The Yoga of Sound: Exploring the Therapeutic Effects of Mantra" on Nov. 3, 4, and 5 at Camp Puh'Tok. The weekend blends music with chant, breath control and movement as a way to reduce stress while increasing energy. It includes a concert by Paul and three Indian musicians Nov. 3, workshops Nov. 4 and 5 and a Teen Gathering Nov. 5.

The event was put together by Katina LaFond, a licensed clinical social worker who offers therapy to families and children in her Parkton office.

LaFond said Paul's workshops are inspiring and will be helpful for teens who are good kids who self-medicate with things like drugs, alcohol, shopping or video games to make themselves feel better."

"I wanted teens and people of all ages to be able to experience Russill Paul," she said. "They will leave feeling good, feeling powerful and having tools to help them reduce stress."

This is Paul's first visit to Maryland.

After offering workshops for adults for 18 years, this will be the first time he is holding a special session for teens. He said today's teens face tremendous pressures from their peers and stress from the academic achievement needed to be accepted into good colleges.

Paul described the Yoga of Sound as a "powerful spiritual system that unifies the healing principles found in yoga and music." He said it requires neither the physical flexibility of yoga postures nor the complexities of music, but combines the best of those worlds.

The Yoga of Sound is a holistic approach to health and spirituality that integrates sound, posture, breath, movement and consciousness, he said.

"Health is not simply the absence of disease. It is a condition of soul that invigorates our being, enabling us to derive the most from life."

E-mail Pat van den Beemt at mailto:northcountynews@patuxent.com