Krishna Das – Deepen the Loving Presence Within & Develop Inner Strength Through Devotional Chanting

If we find a better way to go through these days, it will reverberate throughout our lives.
— Krishna Das

In this opening module, KD will lay out the foundation of this course and begin sharing his experiences on the spiritual path. Your understanding of life will expand, and the possibility of living each day with powerful joy will unfold for you.

He’ll share teachings he’s received from Buddhism, Hinduism, Tantra, and more. And you’ll discover how there will be a LOT of spontaneity as KD responds in the moment to the group dynamic and its needs… beginning with a powerful guided chant.

In this module, you’ll:

• Start this session (as you will every session!) with the Hanumat Stawan — a prayer, invocation, and mantra all in one
• Gather in the virtual heart space with your fellow participants to experience new breakthroughs
• Learn how KD’s time in India profoundly influenced him, providing a whole new context for living in the world
• Explore different wisdom traditions and practices KD has been immersed in over the last 50 years — including how these varied wisdom streams influenced him, complementing each other as they filled the lake of his heart
• Participate in a guided chant, “Sri Ram Jai Ram,” “Hare Ram,” or similar

One of KD’s most beloved chanting practices is Repetition of the Name — meaning the Divine name (or names) of God.

In this module, he’ll share how every aspect of his life has been positively affected by this powerful practice.

He’ll also explain how many of the spiritual benefits of this practice can’t be explained using the intellect — instead, you’ll feel it from within as you expose yourself to all the different aspects of practice.

During this session, you’ll explore:

• How the Sacred Names are revealed names that come from within — and have been spoken in this world, revealed by the Great Beings who manifest Truth
• The practice of Kirtan, chanting with melody, music, and quiet recitation
• Powerful devotional poetry chosen in the moment, for the moment — perhaps from Kabir, Namdev, Rumi, Mirabai, or Tukaram
• How taking refuge in the depth of your own heart can conquer fear, anxiety, and suffering
• The underlying philosophies behind Repetition of the Name, illuminated by stories of these saints: Sri Ramakrishna, Ramana Maharshi, Neem Karoli Baba, and Anandamayi Ma

In this class, KD welcomes a special guest and friend, Dr. Robert Svoboda — who’s been immersed in Indian spiritual culture for many years and is the first Westerner to graduate from a college of Ayurveda and become licensed to practice Ayurveda in India.

Throughout this module, the two will share how the spiritual culture of India has impacted their lives. You’ll hear stories about their gurus and teachers… and how they still feel these presences intimately in their lives.

During this module, Robert and KD will guide you to:

• Understand why the Ramayana, a sacred ancient text, still provides a framework for living your life in this day and age
• Explore short readings and chanting prayers, including Sita’s Prayer and Rudraashtak
• Develop the “wiring” for unconditional love through the practice of devotional (Bhakti) yoga
• Explore the recognition and ripening of Real Love — a love that transcends romantic or emotional love
• Receive practices for opening your heart, calming your mind, and developing altruistic intentions towards all beings, including yourself

In this class, you’ll dig deep into one of the most revered hymns of the Indian devotional tradition, the Hanuman Chalisa… and how chanting its 40 powerful verses can align you with a deep flow of Grace — an inner presence that can remove obstacles on your path, fill you with divine energy, and allow positive desires to be fulfilled.

As you’ll discover, many people who’ve heard KD chant the Hanuman Chalisa live or in his recordings have made it a part of their own regular practice — and you may decide to bring it into yours, too…

As KD guides you to study the Hanuman Chalisa, you’ll explore:

• What it means that this prayer is also mahamantra
• The powerful story of how KD was encouraged to learn the 40 verses of this transformational prayer
• Why chanting the Hanuman Chalisa has been the most powerful root practice in KD’s spiritual work
• KD’s pronunciation recording and transliteration text to help you recite this chant
• A guided chanting as KD leads you to sing the Hanuman Chalisa with musical accompaniment

Get immediately download Krishna Das – Deepen the Loving Presence Within & Develop Inner Strength Through Devotional Chanting

How to transcend the ego and find a way to live in the world that is deeply fulfilling. By studying Hanuman, we can learn what service meant to Him and develop the same strength that He has through devotional practice.

How did Hanuman look upon Ram, who was Ram to Him? How is it possible to be fully active in the world with all its negativities and difficulties, and still be completely and still be immersed in Love? We’ll engage in spiritual practices that will develop this ability.

In this session, KD will share:

• His understanding of the mystery of “All One”
• Powerful stories of Hanuman that will deepen your connection to Hanuman as the Breath of God
• Discussion of the many different forms of Hanuman: baby Hanuman, 5-faced Hanuman, Warrior Hanuman
• Guided devotional chants to Hanuman that expand on the Hanuman Chalisa
• Guided spiritual and meditation practices that will open you to being fully engage in life and immersed in love
• The way in which being with his guru Neem Karoli Baba opened his understanding of these spiritual realities

In this class, you’ll discover the power of puja and prayers. Puja, long-form mantra chanting, can be formal and ceremonial, done in a group — or it can be part of your personal practice.

As you’ll discover, doing puja offers a way of entering into deeper communion with the Universe by invoking and bowing to the presence of Great Beings.

These beings radiate love and compassion and can help lift the veil of illusion — showing you the beauty of your true being.

In this module, you’ll explore:

• How doing puja is a way of collecting the mind, creating an atmosphere of sincerity and whole-hearted intention
• KD’s experience of doing puja in the temples of India
• KD’s stories about the  Tewaris, his Indian parents — and what he learned from them about living in a spiritual way
• Powerful lessons from Devi (Goddess) puja, including prayers, verses, and hymns such as Narayani Stuti, Sri Argala Stotram, and Devyaparadha Kshamapana Stotram
• A guided chant with KD

In this class, you’ll explore the Loving-Kindness practice and how it’s been so useful to KD over the years.

To lead you in meditation and share powerful insights about this practice, KD will welcome meditation teacher Sharon Salzberg, a central figure in the field of meditation, New York Times bestselling author, and co-founder of the Insight Meditation Society.

As you’ll discover, Loving-Kindness is a uniquely powerful practice for Westerners who suffer from self-loathing, negative self-image, and similar struggles.

In this module, KD and Sharon will share:

• Sharon’s crucial role in bringing meditation and mindfulness practices to the West and into mainstream culture
• The story of how Sharon and KD met in Bodhgaya, India in 1970 at the site of the bodhi tree where the Buddha was enlightened
• Sharon’s guided Metta (Loving-Kindness) meditation and teachings about this practice
• How Metta and devotional practices complement each other and move you more deeply into your own heart

In this closing module, KD will share the ceremonial closing of a puja, with arti (a ritual in which light is offered to a deity)… and sing “Jaya Jagadisha Hare,” a song taught to Western devotees by K.K. Sah, a dear elder and Indian devotee.

As you bring this exploration to a close, you’ll:

• Participate in a longer guided chanting session
• Review past modules and explore how to put all these teachings into practice — including a chance to ask anything you’ve been wondering during a Q&A session with KD
• Discover how the puja, prayers, and chants that KD’s been doing all these years continue to deepen and ripen his being… and how they can do the same for you
• Receive KD’s guidance for continuing your own spiritual practice

Night after night, in ashrams and temples, cavernous cathedrals and modest community theaters around the world, Krishna Das sits down behind his harmonium, flanked by his band of supporting musicians, greets the crowd that has gathered to sing, closes his eyes, and begins. And with his opening Om, everyone in the room sets off together on a priceless evening’s journey along the path of devotion.

Heart Full of Soul is a double album recording of just such an evening and just such a journey. It is rich with the burnished treasure of the Divine Name, passed back and forth, back and forth between KD and the audience, as they travel together the varied terrain of the heart: from the funky rhythms of “Radhe Radhe Shyam” through the intense longing of “All One (Hare Krishna)” and the balm of “Jaya Bhagavan,” and ending with KD’s joyous version of the gospel classic, “Jesus on the Main Line.”

This is not a single night’s performance caught in amber, but a gift that’s fresh with each listening, drawing us in to join in with Krishna Das in the compelling practice of Namakirtan over and over, again and again, whoever and wherever we happen to be.

KD has been asked time and time again to provide music for his chants! We are happy to offer you this mini video tutorial, straight from KD’s living room, to help you, the practitioner, get that unique “Krishna Das” sound. This is not so much “how to play harmonium,” but rather how to play Krishna Das chords if you have some familiarity with playing music. You will find the video indicates the chords as KD plays, as well as the lyrics so you can chant along.

Krishna Das is happy to be able to share this recording of the repetition of the Om Shri Matré (Maatray) chant (or Japa). We invite you to take some time for yourself to relax, listen, and chant along if you feel called. With this audio, you’ll receive more than 90 minutes of continuous chanting from KD.

Here’s What You’ll Receive

An Unprecedented Opportunity to Join the Deepen the Loving Presence Within & Develop Inner Strength Through Devotional Chanting With Krishna Das Online Training

We feel honored that Krishna Das has chosen to partner with The Shift Network to offer this exclusive online training. This is a unique opportunity to learn from a worldwide icon whose powerful insights and pioneering work are helping us heal and awaken ourselves and our world.

If you’re serious about embracing your loving inner presence and becoming more at ease, resilient, grounded, and compassionate through devotional chanting, then you owe it to yourself, your loved ones, and our world to take this one-of-a-kind training.

If you’re ready to take the next step in evolving yourself, click the register button below to reserve your space now.

About Krishna Das

Layering traditional Kirtan with instantly accessible melodies and modern instrumentation, Krishna Das has been called yoga’s “rock star.” With a remarkably soulful voice that touches the deepest chord in even the most casual listener, Krishna Das — known to friends, family, and fans as simply KD — has taken call-and-response chanting out of yoga centers and into concert halls, becoming a worldwide icon and the bestselling Western chant artist of all time. His album Live Ananda (released January 2012) was nominated for a Grammy in the Best New Age album category.

KD spent the late ’60s traveling across the US as a student of Ram Dass. In August 1970, he finally made the journey to India, which led him to Ram Dass’ own beloved guru, Neem Karoli Baba, known to devotees as Maharaj-ji. Given the name Krishna Das, KD began to chant as part of following the path of Bhakti yoga, the yoga of devotion.

He took solace in music, finding peace and strength in both his Bhakti yoga practice as well as in such heroes as Ray Charles, Van Morrison, Steely Dan, and Bruce Springsteen (whom he laughingly calls “the Bodhisattva of New Jersey”). KD also co-founded Triloka Records, a California-based label specializing in world music, releasing such artists as Jai Uttal, sarod virtuoso Ali Akbar Khan, and legendary jazz musician/composer Jackie McLean.

In 1994, KD started to lead chanting at Jivamukti Yoga Center, NYC, with an ever-growing audience of yoga students that has led him to chant with people all around the world. In February 2013, Krishna Das performed at the Grammy awards in Los Angeles, which was streamed online to millions of viewers. The award-winning film One Track Heart: The Story of Krishna Das, which has been shown in over 100 U.S. cities and in more than 10 countries, is available on DVD everywhere.

KD’s 16th album, Peace of my Heart, released in October 2018 on behalf of the Kirtan Wallah Foundation, offers nearly two hours of deeply moving, meditative, and artfully restrained new recordings born out of a request from a yoga teacher who works with children on the autism spectrum. Forgoing the ecstatic tempo changes so common to temple-style kirtan, these five new tracks move slowly and deliberately. The song-to-song steadiness is both striking and soothing, and as emotionally impactful as ever.

“The chanting just hits you and you want to be a part of it,” KD promises. “That’s the point of this whole thing. That’s what cuts through all the ‘stuff.’ You get lit up. You don’t have to know what it means.”