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AUGUST TRAVELS AND NEW CD
September 4, 2004
The month of August began with a weeklong seminar on
Hinduism for Doctor in Ministry students at the University
of Creation Spirituality in downtown Oakland, CA. In the
mornings we studied the Vedas, the principal Upanisads, the
Bhagavat Gita and Tantra. During the afternoons we
practiced mantra and the elements of Tantric worship. It
was quite a powerful experience for us all.
The Hinduism seminar was followed by a weekend retreat at
San Damiano a beautiful Franciscan retreat center in
Danville, CA. Titled “A Holistic Sense of the Sacred” this
was a team presentation that included my partner Asha,and
our dear friend and colleague Wayne
Teasdale, who would have taught comparative religion if his
health had permitted. It was a pleasant switch from
essential Hinduism to cross cultural spirituality and
inter-faith dialog between Hinduism and Christianity, a
subject that has been very central to our life and our work
for many decades. We had a strong gathering of about 40
participants.
This Hindu-Christian theme continued the following week,
when I co-presented a retreat with mystical firebrand
Andrew Harvey at the Mercy Center in Burlingame, CA,
another gorgeous retreat facility located a few miles south
of San Francisco International airport. This weekend was an
opportunity to recover my passion for music, chant and
mysticism and share it with others in emotionally charged
sessions. “Living your Sacred Passion” drew 75 participants
from around the country. Andrew was born in South India and
shares a deep love for Hinduism, mysticism and a common
spiritual father in Bede Griffiths who had impact on both
our lives. He is the author of over 30 books on
spirituality and mysticism.
On Aug 19, I traveled to Vancouver in beautiful British
Columbia, Canada, first of all to do a lecture and
book-signing at Banyen Books & Sound. If you are ever in
Vancouver, be sure to visit this marvelous New Age
bookstore that is almost a mid-sized library.
Next, I embarked on a rather arduous journey. The awful
weather created by a sudden thunderstorm made for a
perilous coastal airplane trip which was followed by a
harrowing water-taxi ride on the ocean. We were slapped
down hard by the waves for over 50 minutes, a journey that
usually took just half that time, as we were transported to
Cortes Island. This pristine environment that houses a
sparse population of just 900 residents is a haven for
wild-life and environmentally conscious residents. Here, on
this island, I taught a 5-day workshop on The Yoga of
Sound. It was a fabulous experience chanting in a teepee
like classroom, its conical ceiling culminating in clear
glass that opened up to the sky and the tall confers of the
surrounding forest. It was like looking out through your
crown chakra.
In the midst of all this travel, we were excitedly
developing a re-release of an album that I worked on with
Arlo Guthrie about 10 years ago. The music is the same, but
with an all new cover design and inside foldout. Be sure to
get your copy right away while it's hot off the press.
Our summer schedule is over. My fall schedule starts out in
Las Vegas in the third week of September. I hope that
you’ve had a good summer and that your transition into the
fall is smooth and filled with many wonderful delights of
the spirit.
Om Shanti
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