We combined contemplative endeavors like yoga nidra, deep breathing, pranayama and meditation along with periods of gentle, flowing movement & restorative positions – all done to Anthony’s wonderful, melodious playing.

Actually Anthony normally comes with his sitar; this seminar was planned for his guitar. And what a musical endeavor it was. Anthony played classical western music the first hour and then he switched over to a different guitar and played classical Indian music – which sounded very much like his sitar playing. I have included an audio sample below for your listening enjoyment.

So the music was done to perfection and all practitioners were wholly involved in their sadhana. The entire ambiance of the room became totally serene. The sentient vibration was palpable, allowing for deeper periods of meditation and deep relaxation.

I have much gratitude for Anthony’s playing and everyone’s sincere engagement as together it really made for a smooth & wonderful session.

About the below audio sample: Here is Mr Anthony Malatesta on guitar playing classical Indian music. There are three separate clips. The second starts at 1:40 and the third at 3:21.

The above musical composition and video was tweeted to me this afternoon from J.M. Quintana Cámara of Spain. He has his first album coming out and thought our yoga community might enjoy this piece. We thank him wholeheartedly for sharing his gift and wish him well on his musical journey.

You can find Mr. Cámara on-line on youtube or twitter.

The east and west certainly did develop differently and this contrast is most stark when comparing India and the US. Now trends and ideas are mixing more freely between the two, but for centuries and centuries the outlook was incredibly different and this applied to the world of music as well.

About the kanjira from Wikipedia:

The kanjira, khanjira or ganjira, a South Indian frame drum, is an instrument of the tambourine family. It is used primarily in concerts of Carnatic music (South Indian classical music) as a supporting instrument for the mridangam. The kanjira have been used since 1880′s, and was added to classical concerts during the 1930s.

Similar to the Western tambourine, it consists of a circular frame made of the wood of the jackfruit tree, between 7 and 9 inches in width and 2 to 4 inches in depth. It is covered on one side with a drumhead made of monitor lizard skin (specifically the Bengal monitor, Varanus bengalensis, now an endangered species in India), while the other side is left open. The frame has a single slit which contain three to four small metal discs—often old coins—that jingle when the kanjira is played.

Read more…

These guys are known as Turf Feinz (Oakland, CA) – a neighborhood group trying to make a difference in their area. We all know the scene: They’re surrounded by varieties of difficulties that can plague inner city life. Yet here, instead of giving in or giving up, they are out to make a difference by expressing their creative light that shines within – and they are sharing that with all…

The significance of this particular video is that this street corner is the site where one of their friends was killed in a car accident. They wanted to honor his memory.

Here is what they say about themselves on their Facebook page:

We organize dance battles to organize young people, provide a safe space for entertainment and continue the advancement of turf dancing as a street culture and a recognized art form.

Sun Oct 24, 2p – 4p

Galesville Memorial Hall

$20 by Oct 20 // $25 after Oct 20

Read More ~ Register Now

Tour some of the more remote and inspiring places on this earth, contemplating the link that unites us all.

For a full screen, high resolution viewing, click here.

“The melange of sitar and violin that manifests in Neel Murgai Ensemble’s “Space Twang” represents fusion at its best.” – NPR

What do you think? Is this not yet another neat blending of east and west.

For the full article on NPR and more about Neel Murgai, please click here…

Anthony Malatesta played the sitar beautifully and via those soothing & mystical sounds, we ventured into yoga’s more meditative side. Yes we did a range of physical poses, but more than that we explored sadhana practices like yoga nidra (deep relaxation), svarshastra (science of breath control), pranayama (specific breathing techniques), and more.

Sometimes all were lying down with their pillows and eye pillows gazing within, and other moments striking a pose of challenge. Mostly though it was about the meditative approach.

As a teacher, it was a sweet joy to be part of this collective as everyone delved deep into the introversial flow – i.e. exploring within.

Diane Burr of the Chesapeake Current was also on hand and she plans to do an article in the near future about the program. Please watch for it.

All in all, the program went well and everyone reached a state of peace and realization. All got what they wanted – except for one. A faithful & long-standing member of the Tuesday morning abs class asked if from now on the 20 min abs intensive could incorporate the relaxation elements of the yoga-sitar program – the answer was a firm “no”. We have our standards after all!!

The live sitar and yoga is a special gathering and we certainly hope you will consider coming out for the next one!!

In the above video, the world famous sitar player Ravi Shankar (born 7 April 1920 in Varanasi, India) performs on the Dick Cavett show a few decades ago.

He is accompanied by tabla player Alla Rakha (left). By the way, that is George Harrison of the Beatles sitting on the couch at the beginning of the clip.

On Sunday July 11, we will have our own live sitar & yoga seminar at Galesville Hall. Click here to register.