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Lift Your Hearts!

Conversations with Ananda choir directors and singers

Note: This is an ongoing project. Other interviews will be added. Your

suggestions are welcome! If you know of Ananda music resources not listed at the
end of this document, please let me know. Thank you. – Rambhakta
(nayaswami.rambhakta@gmail.com)

VERY IMPORTANT: Please don’t post any part of this on the Web – we’ll be using
these interviews for a Web project related to Swamiji’s books, and we can’t have
the same material appearing in two places. Thanks for understanding.
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Contents

Swami Kriyananda: Uplifting the World Through Music .............................. 1

Asha Praver ................................................................................. 2

David Eby ................................................................................... 2

Karen G...................................................................................... 2

Mari Baughman ............................................................................. 2

Ramesha Nani .............................................................................. 2

Raghu Clark ................................................................................. 1

Cindy Gottfried ............................................................................ 1

Krishna Dewey.............................................................................. 2

Chaitanya Mahoney ........................................................................ 2

Chaitanya: A Syllabus: Conscious Devotional Singing................................. 2

Nirmala Shuppe ............................................................................ 2

Dambara Begley ............................................................................ 2

Anjali Gregorelli ........................................................................... 2

David G ...................................................................................... 2

Dharmadas Schuppe ....................................................................... 2

Rambhakta Beinhorn ...................................................................... 2

Rambhakta: How I Learned to Practice ................................................ 2

Resources ................................................................................... 2
Swami Kriyananda: Uplifting the World Through Music

The Ananda communities share divine harmony through song.

(from a talk)

An emperor in ancient China would tour his helps people understand high truths directly. When
provinces once a year to see how they were faring. you teach people with words, they can stand back
He never inquired about the honesty of the officials, and say, “Yeah, well, but what about this over here,
nor did he try to find out how things were being run. and what about that?” And so the mind comes in, and
He didn’t even ask to see their financial records. their doubts take over. But when you express it
Instead, he listened to their music, because he knew through music, they understand it more directly.
that if the music was right, it was a sure sign that Our singers have performed in many places
everything was going well. But if some disharmony where we couldn’t talk openly about our teachings.
had been allowed to creep into the music, some For example, the choir sang at one of the biggest
dissonance, some element that was contrary to the churches in Assisi, Italy, and the priest there was at
higher laws of harmony, then he knew that there was first very stand-offish. He was saying, “Well, let’s
cause for concern. get it over with.” But after the concert he did
A nation that loves martial music is bound to something that priests in Italy never do. He bowed
go to war. A nation that loves sensual music is bound and said, very sincerely, “Wonderful!”
to fall into decadence. It’s much easier to change When I write music, I never say, “Let me see
people’s hearts through music than through words. how I can do it.” Never! I pray, “God, show me what
And if we can introduce into our civilization a kind You want me to do. Tell me what You feel will
of music that expresses harmony and divine joy, we express these wonderful teachings in music!”
can have a great impact.
Let us try in all humility to open ourselves as
The music that’s popular today gives us channels for God’s love and peace to all mankind.
cause for a certain amount of fear. The violence On wings of music, let us bring the harmony, light
they’re expressing is centered in the lower chakras. and joy that God has given us, and make it a living
It’s very disintegrating, and it’s getting worse all the reality that people can deeply feel. For even if they
time, to the point where I can’t see it ending can’t believe, yet experiencing God’s love directly,
anywhere but in a big bang. who can doubt it?
We’ve got to introduce something different.
Ananda’s music is a wonderful ministry, because it
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Asha Praver

(Asha is co-director, with her husband David, of “Who is Master?” “Who’s really in charge here?” “I
Ananda Sangha in Palo Alto, California.) don’t like authority.” And so on.
Q: You talk to many people who come fresh to Listen to the music. If you like the music,
Ananda. What’s your impression of how the music you’ve met the man. And if you like the music,
affects them? you’ve met the ray that he represents.
A: I’ll go back a bit in time to answer your Q: In Q: Swamiji has said that consciousness is
the late 1970s and early 1980s, Swami Kriyananda feeling. It is not the intellect. Do you think the music
asked me to go out on the road and give talks about may be even more central to his expression of
our teachings. So I began driving mainly up to the Master’s ray than his books?
Northwest to talk at our centers in Portland and A: It is. We are made of Aum, and music is a
Seattle. But I would never go without at least one of direct expression of Aum. The ideas are the wisdom
our Ananda singers, because I knew that it would be aspect of God, and heaven knows, we do need to
impossible for people to really grasp Ananda without open ourselves up to God through all dimensions of
listening to our music. our being, including the mind. Here in America at
I traveled with one of our experienced singers, this time, when there are so many crazy ideas
usually Agni Ferraro or Lakshman Simpson, both of floating around, finding true ideas is a tremendous
whom sang and played the music beautifully. I used blessing. Nevertheless, he doesn’t say “If you want
to joke with them, “I’ll talk for 90 minutes and I’ll be to know me, read my books.” And again, it’s because
lucky if I can bring people to the same point you can the music gives a direct transfer of consciousness.
bring them with a three-minute song.” Even if you spoke only German, I could sing these
songs to you in English, and you’d have a good
Words have to be interpreted by the mind, but
chance of knowing what I was singing about.
music reaches us directly. When people hear the
music, they can very quickly sort out for themselves Q: Swamiji has remarked that the melodies of
whether this path is for them. When I went out and certain popular songs have a lovely feeling – he’s
gave talks, I knew that if they could feel what mentioned “Moon River,” for example. But much
Ananda is, they would be able to hear what I had to modern music seems cold-hearted, whereas there’s a
say, because they had experienced Ananda’s quality in Ananda’s music that feels deeply true and
vibration. of the heart.
You couldn’t possibly love this music unless A: It’s very sincere. Swami made the statement
there was something about this path that resonated that he’s never written a note that wasn’t utterly
with you. The music expresses our vibration very sincere. He’s never written for effect, and he’s never
precisely – it’s very specific to our path that way. written from a purely mental concept. Every single
People occasionally have issues with this path when note is a sincere expression of his consciousness, of
they first learn about it – either the ideas are his feeling.
unfamiliar, or they resist religious organizations, or Q: If the music is an expression of Master’s ray,
they question Swamiji’s authority, and this and that – does that mean it would be helpful for people who
but they nearly always love the music. And that’s want to get in tune with that ray to become involved
why Swami said, “If you want to know me, listen to with the music by singing it?
my music.” The music is his way of helping people
cut through their mental doubts – “Who is Swami?” A: Oh, there’s no substitute! Swamiji has
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commented a number of times that he wants so that other people would get involved and develop
everyone to sing the music. You can listen to it, but a performing group.
it’s very different when you sing it, because then He more or less had to insist that we sing his
you’re using your voice, and those tones are running music. At the time, people were interested in lots of
through your physical body. Really, it’s a form of other kinds of music. His insistence was
“sound healing.” controversial in the community, because people
At one point, Ananda got involved with a were saying “Why do we have to sing only his
woman who was an innovative sound healer. She music? There’s lots of other good music.”
would read “sound auras” the way other healers read I remember him delicately saying, “Lots of
auras of light, and then she would add the “missing” people sing that music, and no one else sings this
tones by using her voice. She discovered her talent music, so this is something we can specialize in.” He
when her daughter was severely injured at a distance had to try hard to get people to accept that the music
from a hospital, and she realized that when she toned was a central focus of our service.
in a certain way, her daughter stopped bleeding. So
she “toned her” all the way to the hospital and kept I remember that he would interrupt the singers
her from bleeding to death. during Sunday service. If they were singing badly, he
would stop them and correct them. I watched this
Quite a few people of Ananda were interested in happening, and I realized he was telling the singers
her work, and it was lots of fun, but in the end it went that it isn’t enough to sing halfheartedly, because
nowhere, because it was a difficult skill to transfer to you have to concentrate, and you have to do it right.
others. And also, after we had been involved with He felt obligated to help them perform the music
this for several months, she casually remarked, “Oh, right because he had heard it. He hadn’t created it; he
you don’t need this, because you have your music.” had heard it, and there was a specific way it needed
She said, “Your music does the same thing I’m to be done.
trying to do.”
Mukti Deranja is a talented pianist at Ananda
When we sing it, it heals us. It fixes our sound Village. She was learning Swami’s sonata, and at
aura, and when your sound aura is fixed, it helps heal one point he sat with her at the piano while she
you from within, physically and emotionally and played it. He went over it with her phrase by phrase,
spiritually. telling her, “No, it needs to be a little bit more like
Q: Not long after I joined the choir, I asked this…”
Chaitanya, “How are you able to sing the high notes He told her, “Forgive me, I don’t mean to be so
so purely?” And he said, “Singing this music picky, but I heard this, and this is what it sounds
changes your voice.” like.” He said, “It wasn’t possible to include these
When I work through a song, it seems to etch nuances in the score.” But he had a crystal-clear
new grooves in my brain, so that the song becomes memory, note by note, of what it was supposed to
easier from then on. I’m sure it “etches grooves” in sound like, and he felt a sense of divine obligation to
my consciousness so that I’m vibrating with the play it that way, because it isn’t his music and any
blessing of that particular song. Dambara told me slight change alters the vibration.
that when he’s facing a difficult issue or question in Lakshman told me recently that someone had
his life, a phrase from a song will often come into his asked Swamiji what his greatest accomplishment
awareness and help him know what to do. was, and he said, “Love is a Magician.”
A: In the 1970s, Swami was the only one Q: “Love is all I know, sun rays on the snow…”
performing the music. But then he stopped singing,
A: Yes. After he wrote “I Live Without Fear,”
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he called me on the telephone and sang it over the Swamiji. In my talk, I said that Swami always writes
phone. He said, “If I had never done anything, or the melody first. When he read the transcript, he told
never do anything else in my life, this song will be me that it’s almost always true, with the sole
enough.” exception being the recitatives for the Oratorio,
where he had to write the words first, because he had
I think the music is ahead of its time. The
a story to tell, the story of Christ’s life. Otherwise,
vibration of the music is too refined for this age. It
the melodies come first.
will probably be a long while before it captures the
public imagination. But music is so ugly now that When he was writing the Oratorio, David and I
eventually there will be a reaction, and people want went on a lecture tour to the Northwest. We were
something better. living in what’s now the guest house at Crystal
Hermitage. Before we left, the builders began
Another thing that is lovely about the music is
remodeling Swami’s apartment in the hermitage.
that he wrote it so that anybody can sing it.
And when he came back from wherever he’d been,
Q: Almost none of his songs are hard to sing. probably Italy and the Holy Land, his house was a
They can be a bit tricky to learn, but after you’ve mess.
practiced for a while they pose few technical
We had moved into our house a couple of weeks
difficulties. A bare handful of songs come to mind
before, but someone said to Swamiji, “Oh, well, you
that are a bit trickier, because the parts are subtle –
can live at Asha and David’s, and they can move
I’m thinking of the tenor parts of “Memories” and
over here” – in this cave of a construction site. I
“Where Has My Love Gone?”
really didn’t want to do it. It was one of those times
A: He did it on purpose, because he wanted to where I just didn’t want to. And he felt it – he kept
create music that everyone could sing. He remarked saying, “No, I can’t possibly do that.” I was silent for
that a great deal of music is written so that people can a day, and when I finally mastered myself I said, “Of
proudly say “Hah – I can sing that!” But this music is course he can have this house.” So I went over and
the opposite. Anybody can sing it, if they have basic said, “You should move into our house.”
skills.
“No, no, no.”
Q: What’s your advice for somebody who wants
“You should move into our house!”
to join the choir and start singing this music fresh
and new? “No, no.”
A: I think they should keep in mind that it isn’t “Sir – move into our house!”
about performance. It’s sadhana – spiritual practice. He knew exactly what I was doing. And then he
And the most important thing about sadhana is that said, “Okay.”
we enjoy it. And to pay attention to the details. Pay
attention to the meaning – really hear and be This is all just back story. But while we were
conscious of what you’re singing. away in the Northwest, not only were they doing this
construction, but a pipe burst and flooded the whole
As a “word person,” I find an extraordinary downstairs. So by the time we returned, it was bare
thing about the music is the power of the words, and floorboards. The rug had been ruined, and all the
the unity of the words and sound. I would advise new furniture was stacked up in a corner. There was just a
people to be deeply conscious, all the time, of what tiny livable space with a throw rug, and it was the
you’re saying. dead of winter, and the stove didn’t work.
During an Easter retreat one year, I gave a class Anyway, we were living there and he was
on the Oratorio. Since then, I’ve given it every year. staying in the guest house, and he was working on
Somebody transcribed that first class and sent it to
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the Oratorio day and night. One night, at about one in “No, listen carefully – oh, there it is – see how my
the morning, he called and asked me to come over. I heart speeds up to 180 and calms down again? Did
went over, and he was writing “You Remain Our you hear that, Peter?” (laughs) Nobody can just say
Friend.” He showed me the words, and he said, that when their heart is in fibrillation – they react to
“What do you think?” it.
The words were okay, but I could see that he Q: They’re upset emotionally.
was strained, and you have to be delicate when A: Yes. Peter said that with Swamiji, he had to
somebody’s doing creative work. You have to be be more like a veterinarian, because a horse can’t tell
honest but supportive, and it’s a delicate line. So I you what it’s feeling, and Swamiji didn’t respond
said, “Well, you know, sir, it’s all right. Not every from personal emotion.
song in the Oratorio will be your best song.” He said,
“That’s what I wanted to know.” And by morning he Swamiji says the reason Ananda is so
had it worked out. harmonious is because of the music, and the reason
Ananda is unified around the world is because of the
His commitment to complete the Oratorio was music. The reason the culture of Ananda is able to
amazing. He never really stopped. Devi remarked at transplant so easily to other countries, other
the time that Swamiji was so immersed in the music languages, and other cultures is because of the
that whenever he looked at people, you got the music.
feeling he was trying to figure out if they were a
B-flat or an F-sharp. It was as if he couldn’t think in Because we sing the same music, we’re on the
words, because he could only feel the music. He same wavelength. If we didn’t have the music, the
nearly died – he got congestive heart failure, and his culture wouldn’t be as strong, and aberrations would
body was retaining fluids. But he said, “Satan’s soon set in. It’s astonishing to see how, as Ananda
trying to stop me.” has expanded from city to city and country to
country, people’s spirit has been the same. And
He said, “If I have to, I’ll die trying to write this, Swami said it’s all because of the music.
but I won’t stop. Whenever I try to do anything
important, Satan tries to stop me.” The success of our colony in Palo Alto has been
due to the music. That’s always been clear to me. I
Q: For ten years in the 1980s and early 1990s, I don’t think we could have accomplished a fraction of
did medical transcription for Dr. Peter Van Houten at what we have, without the music, especially in this
Ananda Village, and I was flabbergasted at Swami’s area, which is so mental. The music has been able to
medical chart. At the time, it was thirteen pages of cut right through that. It has brought everybody into
serious ailments, and I’m sure it’s much longer now. a sense of unity.
A: Of his thousands of patients, Peter says that I didn’t give Sunday service yesterday, and so I
Swami’s case is far more complicated than anyone sat in the congregation. I like to sit in the back and
else’s. And Swamiji’s responses weren’t always feel what the service is like when I’m not giving it.
what you’d expect from most people. You can often And it was interesting to me how sweet the music
tell the seriousness of a person’s symptoms by their was, and how it was filled with the power of the
emotional responses, but with Swamiji, Peter inspiration that Swamiji received. Here in the middle
couldn’t tell. He gave the example of when he was of Silicon Valley, you have this sweet innocence,
examining Swamiji’s heart, and Swami was saying, and I know it touches people and changes them.
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David Eby

(David is the music director at Ananda Village.) musicians who are brimming with frustration.
Q: You’ve had a long career as a cellist and It was a rude wakeup call. I went home to my
music teacher. Did your involvement with music dorm, and I said, “My gosh, what am I doing? I want
begin at an early age? to make a difference in this world. I don’t want to be
stuck playing in a rinky-dink orchestra for
A: My Dad is a Presbyterian pastor. When I was
octogenarians!” I didn’t even have a choice of what
growing up he was in charge of the youth group. We
music I could play, and I dreaded being stuck playing
would have gatherings at our house, and I well
music that I didn’t like.
remember these evenings, and all the young voices
singing beautiful, heart-opening songs from I’ve never been a classical music aficionado.
Godspell, Pass It On, and Prepare Ye The Way Of (laughs) That’s been a dark secret of mine – don’t tell
the Lord. This was when I was about five or six, and anybody! I’m kidding, of course, but I would go to
I loved being in that energy. orchestra concerts and I would feel, “Well, it’s okay.
It’s all right. It’s a nice way to pass the time.” But I
A strong seed that was planted by the music that
never felt “Oh! I have to listen to this Mahler
made me feel so good. When I was six, I had an
symphony, because it will change my life.”
incredible experience at a production of Godspell.
After the performance, I got to meet the cast, and the Don’t get me wrong, there are incredible pieces
character who played Jesus knelt and gave me one of that can move me to tears and take me to a new level
the balloons he was handing out. In that instant, I felt of consciousness. But they are far and few between
an energetic connection pass from him to me, and it for musicians in orchestras.
was an incredibly inspiring moment in my Nowadays, there’s an effort in the classical
pre-musical career. music world to get new music out, in order to show
Not long after that, still at age six, I started the continuing vitality of orchestras. But a lot of the
playing cello. I don’t have a clear recollection of music isn’t filled with inspiration. It’s mostly written
saying “I want to play the cello because it’s shiny, from the brain. Early in the twentieth century, there
and because there’s a bow.” It was always just a was a reaction against the Romantic period of the
feeling – “That’s my instrument. It’s what I need to 1800s and early 1900s, and a tradition was set that
play.” when it came to composing music, the brain was the
way to go. Composers were suddenly saying, “Okay,
I stuck with it, and I ended up going to Eastman
we’ve expressed as much as we can from the feeling
School of Music and getting my bachelor’s in cello
of our hearts, and now it’s time to tune in to the
performance, and then I went to Indiana School of
brain.” So they began composing all this twelve-tone
Music for a master’s.
music, and they thought it was the way of the future.
In my junior year in college, I suddenly woke up But it charted a course for classical music, so that if
to the fact that not everybody will have a brilliant you were asked today what style you wrote in, and
solo career, accompanied by fame and fortune. I had you said, “Oh, I write tonally,” they would look at
had opportunities to play in a couple of smaller-town you and say “Hmm – that’s not music.”
orchestras nearby, and I did not like what I saw as a
I was looked down on by other musicians,
possibility for my future. The orchestras were not
honestly, for wanting something that wasn’t all from
filled with joyful, exuberant, happy people. In fact,
the mind. At one point, I was in a new music
many orchestras are full of cynical, burned-out
ensemble where we were playing all this really
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strange stuff, where you have to count like crazy and storytelling troupe in southern Indiana, called Tales
play these weird, obscure notes all over the place. & Scales. There were seven of us, and we would tell
And after a concert I remember saying to a friend, stories with our instruments while we acted out
“How did you like it?” She said, “Well…it was various parts. I would have a cello strapped to me,
interesting.” (laughs) I could tell she was a person and we would do The Pied Piper, where I was the
who could tell things like they were. mayor of Hamlin, walking around playing my cello
while we were moving and dancing. We performed
Intellectually it was fine, but it wasn’t
in lots of school gyms and libraries and museums.
something that moved me. So here I was in my junior
And that really took care of my need to help save the
year, thinking “My gosh, what am I going to do?”
world through music. Because I’ve always seen
I confided in my teacher about my angst. I said, music, and my musical career, as a way that I wanted
“Should I join the Peace Corps? I want to make a to serve.
difference in the world. I see that I’m good, but there
I remember a conversation I had with the artistic
are lots of good players.” In fact, the number of jobs
director of the group. I said, “I think we should do
for musicians is diminishing as we speak, because in
something that has a really good moral, and that can
tough financial times music is among the first things
really speak to the kids.” The director looked at me
to go. Also, musicians are getting better and better as
strangely, and she said, “David, what we’re doing is
the teaching improves. So there’s an ironic situation,
art for art’s sake. We don’t need a moral.” And I
where the demand for classical music is diminishing
knew at that point, okay, this is the beginning of the
as the number of really excellent players is rising.
end. And before long I decided to call it quits.
My teacher said, “Well, David, you have to look
I had grown up with the Suzuki method, which
in your heart, and you have to do what your heart is
is a fabulous ideal. Shinichi Suzuki did a great
telling you to do.”
service for humanity, and especially for his country,
I wondered, “What? What are you talking in developing the Suzuki method. One of the things I
about? My heart? I don’t want to go in there.” love about it is that he said, “We are not out to create
When you’re growing up, you have all these professional musicians. We are out to create
wonderful heart-opening experiences, and then beautiful people with beautiful hearts through
somewhere along the line, usually in music.” And that ideal deeply spoke to me.
pre-pubescence, something happens that makes us So I got some training, and I made the transition
lock up our feelings. And, well, I wanted to try to be to doing a lot of teaching. In fact, I got to teach at
at least approaching cool in some way. So I locked some Suzuki institutes. But I was very disheartened
up that special part of me. It would come out once in to find that not everyone was on the same page.
a while, but it wasn’t really until I came to Ananda There were a number of typical music teachers who
that it opened again. happened to call themselves Suzuki teachers because
I said, “Well, okay, I’ll take a look inside my they used the method, but they weren’t living that
heart.” And I had no idea what I would find in there. life of inspiration.
But I opened up just enough to see that, yes, music So I felt like that soldier in a story that Swami
was a good thing to continue to follow, and I should loves to tell. This man was in the Army and behaved
keep doing it. very strangely. He would walk around the post all
So I kept going, and I went to graduate school. day, picking up pieces of paper and saying “This
(laughs) And then, once again, that nagging worry isn’t it.” Finally, the camp psychiatrist recommended
hit me, “What am I really doing?” Fortunately, at him for a medical discharge, and when he got the
about this time I connected with a musical paper he said, “Yep, this is it!”
 3
When I finally got to Ananda, I walked into a incredible vibration of awareness, energy, and
Sunday service one morning and I just cracked wide consciousness. My consciousness had changed so
open. From the instant I walked in the door, I knew I dramatically! And, here I’d been playing for thirty
was home. During the chanting, my eyes were years and nothing had changed me so dramatically
streaming with tears. And then I heard Swami’s and instantaneously as that simple song did.
music. There were six or eight people in the choir, I thought, “Oh…kay. I really need to find out
and I thought, “Oh, how nice that this man Swami what is going on here!”
Kriyananda wrote some nice music.” And, “Oh, it’s
really sweet.” But, you know, I didn’t think much of And so I went home and I started diving in, just
it. singing songs and playing them on my cello, and
diving as deep as I could. And I discovered this
Then I thought, “Well, maybe I could join the wealth of consciousness. And I really knew that I
choir and give them some help.” Little did I know wanted to commit my life to discovering why music
that I would be the one who needed help. Poor Mari can change our consciousness, and how it changes
Baughman had to put up with my endless musical our consciousness. Because it can’t just be this
nitpicking. “Excuse me, but this is a dotted eighth specific set of notes – there has to be something else.
and sixteenth, whereas we seem to be singing it in
kind of a triplety way…” You know, just really Soon after that experience, I attended a class that
technical, and she didn’t know what to do with me, Agni gave, and I remember sitting in the front row
because I was still so much in my head at that point. and hearing him sing all these songs of Swamiji’s.
He would sing a song, and he would say, “Okay, now
But we would give concerts, and I would notice feel for the energy. Feel for the inspiration behind the
that the people standing next to me might not even be song.” And I could feel different resonances for each
singing in key, but they were in joy, and here I was, song, whether it was a dynamic sense of opening in
thinking – “I’m trying to sing all the right notes, and my heart, or more in my throat chakra, or just a
they’re just kind of singing away and feeling joy, but beaming stream of energy up in my spiritual eye.
they aren’t even really singing very well. What am I
supposed to do?” For each song it was slightly different. But I was
thrilled to find that there were all these songs that had
I knew at that point that I needed to open my genuine inspiration in them. If we truly believe that
heart. And the real change came when I was driving inspiration is like a waterfall, and that its highest
home on night after a horrible rehearsal. I was source is at the top, and here we are listening at the
playing with the Portland Opera, and the orchestra bottom, then the possibility of tapping into that
had been down in the pit for hours, suffering under inspiration as a performer, and climbing even higher
this horrible conductor who didn’t know how to to consciously bring ourselves to that place of
inspire us, and everybody was just in a funk. inspiration where Swamiji first felt these songs – that
So I was driving home, and I thought, well, I’d must be our true goal.
better practice my solo for the concert. It was As I’ve worked with the choirs, I’ve come to
Swami’s song “This Is My Son.” And I sang it, and understand that the notes are simply a means to an
it’s maybe a minute long. It uses eighth notes, in the end. If it were doing something else besides singing,
diatonic scale, and it could have been written by an we would be doing that, if it would bring us to the
elementary school kid, given those notes and those same place of inspiration, and help us feel that
rhythms as building blocks. It’s just very simple. But change in consciousness.
at the end of the song I nearly had to pull off the road
because my consciousness had changed so Of course, the music is important. And of course
dramatically that I felt my energy rise up with an it’s important to present it as best we can, and to
 4
bring out the meaning of the words, and shape the So I’ll sing a melody, and I’ll stop and feel, and
notes, and shape the phrases. But underlying all that I’ll sing it again, and it goes deeper and deeper. And
is the inspiration. And it’s truly the inspiration that the more I tune in to that inspiration, the easier it is to
gives us this direction, and that gives us the music its hear the direction, and to know intuitively “No, no –
intelligence. don’t do so much on this note; go a little bit less on
that note, and a little bit more on this one.” The more
Chaitanya has spoken of this as well. I was
I sing or play, the more my intuition and receptivity
amazed to hear him say things like, “It’s the
open up to that ability to channel the inspiration
inspiration that can show you how to do things.” But
clearly.
I’ve learned that it is entirely true, because the music
increases our intuition. Sometimes I’ll forget to work with the choir this
way, and it doesn’t go nearly as well. We’ll sing
As I’m conducting, I could say “Well, okay,
through a song, and we’ll start to feel it, and we’ll
let’s see, in this part you go up, and then, well,
sing it through again, or just take a phrase and dive
maybe we’ll go down. And, oh, it would be really
deeper and deeper into that phrase. And then I don’t
interesting if we were soft here…” But I no longer
have to say “Okay, get louder…get softer…slow
approach it like that, because I’m trying to listen
down…speed up.” It’s an incredible timesaver. But
intuitively to the inspiration and how it should speak
I’ve had rehearsals where I’ve forgotten to do that,
to me and through me, and how it’s asking the choir
and we’ll just dive into a piece from the technical
to sound.
side, and the inspiration isn’t nearly as deep. But I’ve
So that’s always the leading force. After we sing seen in working with these Ananda choirs that the
a song, we always make it a point to sit down and technical roughness tends to be self-correcting when
feel the energy. Because not only do we need to we do these things to attune ourselves ever more
practice singing the notes, but we need to practice deeply. It’s been an incredible new approach for me,
increasing our receptivity so that we can dive deeper and it’s amazing to see the results.
and deeper. And if we were to spend the whole
I feel very blessed to be able to offer my musical
evening just practicing the notes, we would be
experience in this vein. Having done just about
developing only one part.
everything in the music world, I value so much what
So for someone who’s learning to sing this we are doing, because I feel it’s one of the most
music, that would be one of the highest priorities I important things going on in the world today.
would suggest, to take the time to feel. One of the
We gave a concert in Seattle several years ago
things I love is to practice a song, then sit for a
where Swami was present. And after the concert, we
minute and feel the vibration of energy start to
were applauding him and he was taking a bow, and
awaken.
in an instant I had a realization of how empty my life
It’s like a musical phenomenon called would be without this music. That instant of
sympathetic resonance. Sympathetic resonance is revelation brought me to tears, because I was so
where a musical string will vibrate in sympathy thankful that we have these tools.
when you play a note on another instrument. If I sing
Q: If someone wants to start singing this music,
into a piano with the sustain pedal down, I’ll hear my
do they need to have any special qualifications? Who
voice resonate in the piano, because the string says
can sing the Ananda music?
“Ooo, I know how to vibrate like that note.” And we,
as vibratory beings, can vibrate with the inspiration A: Everybody. Swamiji said, “If you want to get
of this music. I like to think of it that way – that as we to know me, listen to my music.” In other words, if
begin to vibrate, and as we start to feel our chakras you want to know his consciousness, sing this music.
vibrate, we can dive ever deeper into that inspiration. He also said that he would like everyone at Ananda
 5
to sing the music, because it would be very helpful Dewey who’s the director. In Palo Alto, they can talk
for their attunement. with Karen Gamow, who directs the music there.
The choir is truly a microcosm of community. I highly recommend Ramesha’s online voice
Somebody said, “Well, what if I don’t want to blend lessons. (See http://livevoicelessons.com.) It’s a
my voice? What if I don’t want to blend my wonderful source for learning to sing well. Also, we
energies?” I said, “Well, that’s what we’re doing.” are in the midst of creating a CD of the parts for the
Because there are lots of venues to sing solos, where songs, with binders of sheet music for all the songs.
you don’t have to worry about blending. But we’ve We’ll have separate binders and CDs for sopranos,
had incredible experiences through blending our altos, tenors, and basses. For information about this
voices, and it actually expands our awareness. And it project, see _________.
begins to happen when we start listening to the I would also recommend, as an easy way to start,
voices around us – “Oh, there’s somebody standing that people buy two Ananda music CDs, Windows on
next to me, perhaps I could blend my voice with the World and An Evening in Italy, and just start
them.” “Oh, there’s somebody over here, too.” “Oh, singing along with Swamiji. If you aren’t an
it’s a whole choir!” experienced singer, it’s easier to start singing
A fun thing we do in choir practice is we’ll pair melodies than parts. But it’s a wonderful way to tune
up and one person will start singing while the other in to his inspiration, and to get in tune with the songs.
person sings and tries to blend with their voice. Then Years ago, Swamiji asked me to write a book
we switch and the other person leads. Then they’ll about music and consciousness. Another book I
both lead and co-create at the same time. Then two would love to write is tentatively titled The Spiritual
pairs will get together, and you go around and one Path of Music, for classical musicians. There’s so
person leads each time. Then one pair leads and much that meditation has to offer to musicians. What
another pair blends, and then all four create a blend are we really doing as musicians? Are we just
at the same time, and then eight, and then sixteen, playing notes for notes’ sake?
and then the whole choir, until we feel that we’re all
creating this together. When I was new on the path, I was on fire for
Swamiji’s music, and I remember telling a friend
We all have individual voices, but the source of about it. She looked at me and said, “But, David, all
inspiration is the same for us all. To be part of a huge great music does that. All great music leads us to
orchestra is one of the greatest joys, because you can higher consciousness.”
feel that sense of expansion. And, of course, any time
we’re expanded, we feel much better, and it’s more I could tell that Divine Mother was trying to
enjoyable for us. So I absolutely highly recommend speak to me, because I like to urge people to explore
choir for anybody who can sing. this music, because I love it so much. But people
need to have bridges so that they can understand
Q: How can someone get started? Say, if they’re where this inspiration comes from, and how to get
a person with an adequate voice but they might not greater joy out of performing, as well as how to
have sung formally. develop and use intuition, and how to get beyond the
A: Here at the Village, the first thing would be to ego.
connect with the training choir, and talk to Krishna
 2
Karen G

(Karen is the music director for Ananda Sangha It took years for me to really get involved with
in Palo Alto, California.) Ananda’s music. In part, I think that’s because the
music scene wasn’t very well organized at the
A: My parents were professional musicians. My
Village to include new people. But at a certain point I
father was a violinist and my mother was a pianist
organized a new ensemble so that there would be a
and violist. I was introduced to violin very young,
second group. And through that I began to enjoy the
about age four.
music more. Singing in a smaller group allows so
My father taught me a simple way to read music, much more nuance in the expression of the music
by associating the notes with numbers. It was a very than a big choir does.
fast way to begin to associate 1 to 3 as a third, for
I’ve sung in ensembles ever since, plus quite a
example. I may have had an inclination for music,
bit of choir singing. What I’ve noticed most over the
but as I reflect now, it seemed like a great way to
years is that no matter how many times you sing
learn to sight read.
these pieces, as simple as they seemed when I first
I was performing occasionally when I was five. heard them, they retain their power. I’m never bored
Children rarely are self-conscious at that age, and for with them, and it shocks me a bit, because I’m bored
the most part performing was anxiety-free. That very easily. But not by Swami Kriyananda’s music.
early experience no doubt made standing in front of
So the music grew on me gradually. I loved
an audience easier, even as I grew into adolescence
hearing Swami sing, but honestly, listening to music
when self-consciousness strikes with a vengeance.
isn’t nearly as interesting for me as singing, and the
At around nine or ten, I became interested in the more I sang, the more deeply I was touched by it.
piano. I taught myself for a year, and then my parents
Q: What effect did it have on you?
realized I was serious and found me a teacher.
A: For lack of a better word, it was uplifting.
So I’ve been immersed in music for a long time.
When I sang it, I felt a sense of expansion. When I
When I was a baby in a basinet my folks used to play
sang certain songs I often felt a shift in mood. I was
classical quartets in the living room, so music has
particularly drawn to the minor-key, Indian-flavored
been very much in my consciousness, from my
songs, like “I’ve Passed My Life As a Stranger,” and
earliest years.
“Mother of Us All.” When I sang those songs, I felt a
Q: When you came to Ananda, did you lot of devotion, more than I would normally be able
immediately jump into the music? to generate on my own.
A: Not right away. Swami Kriyananda’s music Q: As the choir director, you work with new
seemed a little simple to me. Classically trained people. Do you find that getting involved with
people often come to Ananda and say the same thing. singing Swami Kriyananda’s music is good for
It was beautiful music, but it seemed kind of simple. them?
But then I got involved with singing, I think this was
A: From what I’ve seen, it’s good for people.
around the time Swami was composing his Oratorio,
I’ve seen people benefit from the music, perhaps
Christ Lives. That was about a year after I arrived.
more than they initially expected. One of our newer
Asha had heard that I sang, and she made every
sopranos is a good example. She was relatively new
effort to include me in the group that was learning
to singing when she joined the choir, and she comes
the Oratorio – it was the very first group that
whenever she can, because she loves how it makes
performed that music.
 2
her feel. You can see the effect it has by looking at That’s the musical end of it, but the other side is
people’s faces when they sing, which is one of the working with people and whatever training and
pleasures of being in front of the choir as the ability they have. Bringing out the best in them,
director. given their limitations as singers, and not being
disappointed if they can’t produce more.
One of our newer tenors also loves it. After his
first Oratorio performance, Graham said, “Let’s do it Swami Kriyananda says that the only way we
again – the whole thing!” can be authentic is by coming from our origin, from
our spine, from our center. I think choir singing is
It wasn’t until we moved to the Mountain View
like that. But, at the same time, once you’ve
community that Chaitanya asked me to take on
identified your core and you’re in your spine, you’re
directing the choir. I’ve had the choir for about three
also expanding your sound, until it’s merging with
years, and it’s been a big shift for me to focus more
the sound of your neighbors. You don’t want to
on people, and less on singing myself. But I love
express your own sound without taking that other
coaching. I love seeing people go through
sound into account.
experiences that are personally transforming for
them. I love seeing them get better in their musicality So “ears as big as an elephant’s,” is what I
and their expression. would advise new singers who join the choir. You’re
generating your own beautiful sound, but your ears
Being a director brought my own music
are all around the choir, until you feel you can’t
experience to a higher level. It’s fun to sing by
really identify the boundary between your voice and
yourself, but I find it’s really fun to help other
the voices around you. That’s the joy of choral
people.
singing, when you can expand beyond yourself.
Q: What is it like standing at the director’s Most choir singers wake up to that along the way.
podium? They’ll say “Wow, that was great – I disappeared!”
A: It’s coaching. A good conductor is, I would Or “I became bigger than I thought I was.”
say, in most cases an enthusiastic coach. It’s not an easy thing to do, because people tend
Q: You’re very accurate about the music, but to be critical, and so their minds are thinking “Oh,
you seem able to enjoy the challenge of making the she was flat,” or “I don’t like their voice.” But those
best use of the talent that’s available. things just hold people back. If you love your
neighbor, and you open up, suddenly something
A: Yes, you work with the available materials. huge can come through.
You don’t pound on the details harder than people
can take. Many of Ananda’s choir directors are Q: Can you talk about the two sides of the
trained on instruments, like David Eby, who’s a music? One being the work of learning the notes, so
professional cellist, and Cindy Gottfried in Seattle, that you can sing well technically, and the other part
who’s an excellent guitarist. Instrumentalists have an being how to prepare yourself.
awareness of flow and phrasing and expression, A: Everyone has their own way of preparing.
more so than vocal singers usually do, because in I’m a very technical musician, so I like to warm up
instrumental music it’s all you have. You have your my voice as if it’s an instrument. Nothing fancy – I
instrument, and it’s your job to make it express. just sing. If you hear my voice before I warm up, it’s
Directors who don’t have that training aren’t always raw and gravelly. And you want to move all the
able to bring it out of the choir. As an “gravel” out and sing a bit until the voice has a pretty
instrumentalist, it’s been important to me that the tone and you can move seamlessly from one note to
phrase is moving and the notes are alive, and that the another. When I get to the point where it’s all
music is going somewhere energetically. seamless, then I’ll sing the piece. If it’s a solo that I’ll
 3
be performing, I’ll sing it over and over until I get the much not easy. When you’re doing instrumental
nuance of expression just right. music, the mood of what you play is supposed to
convey hidden meanings. But it’s so easy for the
It can take some time. In “I, Omar,” for
audience to miss it. With classical music, the
example, there’s a quatrain – “The moving finger
audience’s experience will be very subjective, but
writes, and having writ, moves on, nor all thy piety
with Swami’s music, there are words, and it defines
nor wit…”
the meaning more clearly.
And, well, do you breathe after that phrase, or
David was saying something quite beautiful to
do you hold it out to the end? Because the sentence
me about singing with Anand, who lives in the
keeps going: “…shall lure it back to cancel half a
Ananda community in Italy. Anand joined our group
line, nor all thy tears wash out a word of it.” It’s an
for a while when we were there, touring with a group
unusual quatrain. The last two words are quite
around Europe. We has only the two of them on bass.
un-beautiful to sing – “of it.” I breathe or break right
Anand has a beautiful voice, and David was singing
after “wash out,” because people are thinking about
with him, and he felt Anand’s consciousness
the meaning of the words, thinking about their
reaching out to him, trying to find him. And he felt so
regrets for things in the past. And I want a break
joyful about it – he just felt it was the most fun you
there to catch their attention. But Chaitanya would
could have when you’re singing: to feel the person
probably sing it completely differently.
next to you reaching out to you, in a sense embracing
I’ll run it, run it, run it, until I feel – how would I you with their consciousness and trying to sing
say it? – what has the most power to convey the idea together.
to the listener. And so those are some of the things
Q: I’ve felt that with Chaitanya. Of course, it’s
I’ll think about when I’m getting ready for a solo.
not hard with him, because he has such a magnetic
Q: Can you share a bit more about how you try presence when he sings. Butt I’ve wondered if this is
to give the audience the meaning of the song? a regular part of what we’re doing in the singing
A. When you perform a song, you want to sing it groups. In my research for a fitness book that I wrote,
in a way that lets the audience hear it fresh, as if I found some studies showing that people’s
somebody were reading it dynamically to them. The heartbeats tend to synchronize their rhythms when
words to Swami’s music are as important as the they’re standing at a distance of up to five or six feet
music. He doesn’t want us to get up and sing without apart. There are many examples of this phenomenon.
thinking about the meaning. Some of his songs are It’s known as “entrainment,” and the concept was
packed with meaningful words, and it can be hard to first described in the West by a Dutch scientist in the
keep up with the meaning. “Truth Can Never Die,” 17th century, Christian Huygens. He had two
for example, or “To Death I’m a Stranger.” “Some pendulum clocks on a wall, and he noticed that the
men call it progress – down with those who doubt! pendulums would synchronize their movement, due
To join the causes others join, and shout when others to vibrations carried through the wall. Since then,
shout!” The meaning is dense. You have to work there have been many discoveries of how things
hard on your own understanding. synchronize through such obvious physical or other
means – for example, female college roommates
Q: Or even “The Christ Child’s Asleep.” “Our whose periods become synchronized. But it
pleasures, our pains, our losses, our gains, have kept reinforces Master’s admonition to keep good
us long bound. The ropes of yearning hemmed us company, because bad company can bring you
round…” down. It often feels that when we sing, that there’s a
A: It’s true. That one, at least, is slow enough certain synchronization that’s happening. But that
that you have a hope. But, yes, it’s not easy, it’s very leads to the thought that there may be certain things
 4
we do that prevent us from having that experience, as still have to smooth out their voices when they
well as a certain combination of attention and effort practice. That tells me that the rest of us aren’t
and relaxation that helps it to happen. condemned to stay as rough as we are forever.
A: Knowledge, too, because when you’re A: No. You’ve probably heard Swami talk about
building your knowledge of the music, it’s less likely vocal quality. He says he can listen to somebody’s
to happen. I couldn’t have done it during my first few voice and tell how their meditation practice is going,
years of singing the choir music, because I was so how they’re doing psychologically, and what path
busy learning the words and the parts. But once you they’re on.
start getting those under your belt, it’s easier. A great deal gets reflected in our voice, and I
Q: Dambara and Chaitanya have created imagine we can work at it from both directions – we
practice recordings for the tenors, and listening to can work on our consciousness, and our voice will
them is wonderful, because you can feel yourself improve. And we can work on our voice as a way of
gradually synchronizing with the way Swami improving your consciousness.
Kriyananda wants the music to be sung. A lot of it is breath support. But, for Swami, he
A: It’s something I’d like to do with the choir, also says that he draws the energy of his voice up
some exercises along those lines, to help people over his heart chakra, like a violin bow being pulled
avoid remaining only in their own awareness, and over the heart, and it creates a lot of beauty and
experience the music in a more expansive way. resonance in his voice.
Q: Another quality that I’ve noticed in I don’t know if very many people consciously
experienced singers like you and Chaitanya and do that. I use the instrument I have, and I do the best I
Dambara is that you seem to be right on the money can. Sometimes it sounds really good, but sometimes
with your placement of each note, and with the it doesn’t sound quite as good, and it’s fun to
feeling of the song. It sounds very concentrated and experiment with it.
one-pointed. I wonder if it comes partly from long Q: When people join the choir, how much time
practice. do they need to put into improving their singing?
A: I think that’s part of it. Those guys are natural A: Not very much. It’s good to warm up for a
singers. They’ve sung since they were kids. I have, few minutes just before they sing is good. Also,
too. I was singing when I was tiny. In fact, I got many people speak with low energy. So you’ll hear
thrown out of my first choir, because we were more gravel and creaks and moans in their voice. But
supposed to sing in unison, and I made up a part that if you speak as Swami speaks, really fully letting the
I thought would make it more beautiful. And they air come all the way through, and you really relax the
said, “Oh, bad girl! Out of the choir!” throat, your voice completely changes. That takes
Q: Oh gosh, they dumped on your creativity. energy, but if you do that all day, I imagine your
vocal quality will be beautiful, because you’re
A: As far as unevenness of tone, you can smooth
practicing all day. You’re using your diaphragm and
it out over time by working at it. But I’m sure some
fully expressing the sound, without hesitation,
people have an instrument, a vocal instrument, that’s
through the vocal box.
a very good one, you know, without any kinks in it,
so that the sound comes out more easily. Q: Swamiji says he hums all the time. Another
“trick” I’ve noticed comes from an experience I’ve
Q: You’ve said several things that I’m sure will
had over the years as a runner. I find it’s extremely
be encouraging for people who are relatively new –
helpful to work hard to straighten my upper spine,
that you can work out the fuzziness in your voice,
because I’ve noticed that blocks there are fatal. And
and that even experienced singers such as yourself
 5
I’ve found that it helps my singing also – that when I better because my consciousness has been expanded.
can get really clear through that area, to where the Also, if I’m chanting something by Yogananda or
energy can flow more easily, that not only can I run Swamiji, it has their vibrations in it, and if I sing it
more easily, but I can sing better, with less hesitation for a long time I’m basically running Paramhansa
or impairment of feeling. Yogananda’s or Swamiji’s vibrations through my
body, my brain, and my heart for a long time. Which
A: That is good advice. I like that. We don’t talk
is not a bad thing to do.
about posture very much. But of course Swami sings
with perfect posture. And you run in that way, you A: That’s a wonderful warmup. Chanting is
can feel the difference? fantastic.
Q: Yes. I try to breathe energy into the area of Q: But I’m learning to warm up now by singing
the heart. Because I’ve done all this research on the the songs as well, because it seems important to try
importance of harmonious feelings for health and to get saturated with Master’s ray as it comes
exercise and sports performance. Researchers at through these songs, as a service to the people in the
Heartmath Institute discovered that it’s very audience.
important for physical health, emotional well-being, A: The songs, to me, are so complex. You have
and spiritual awareness to harmonize the vibrations to work at it – the left brain has to work at it, whereas
of the heart. They’ve also found that the physical with chanting, you hardly have to, because they’re
heart can function far more efficiently when our simple.
feelings are harmonized.
Q: Ishani suggested that when people practice in
The heart changes speeds continually, and the the studio, they can put the headphones on and sing
pattern of those speed changes accurately reflects along to the mp3 part recordings. I had never thought
our feelings. In the presence of expansive feelings of that.
such as love, compassion, and kindness, the heart’s
speed changes make a lovely, regular, A: It’s a great idea. Everybody is so individual.
sine-wave-liked curve. But when our feelings are Most of the choir members benefit from technical
negative, the heart speeds up and slows down work to improve their hearing, improve their singing
chaotically, waylike a car that’s running out of gas. quality, things like that. One of the things Swami
For an athlete, it means that harmonious feelings said to the small singing group that toured Italy some
allow the heart to work harder, so that we can years ago, right off the bat, was that we all needed
exercise harder with a sense of ease. professional training. All of us. ALL of us. He
looked right at me when he said it. He said, “You all
Also, the heart’s electrical power output jumps need lessons from a pro. You’re singing for the
by up to 500% in the presence of expansive feelings, public, and you should learn to sing properly.” So we
compared to negative feelings, or even relaxation. all did. We took lessons from Jody Mori, an
These findings are quite amazing, and they apply to American woman living in Florence who teaches
singing as well. professional singers and is a long-time Ananda
I’ve noticed that totally in running – I can run member. We would all drive two hours to Florence
more easily and faster when my feelings are and see her, and she was wonderful. I’ve never been
expansive. But it seems that for singers it would be with a more supportive, encouraging voice teacher.
useful to know as well. I’ve noticed that if I go out on I had the most training of anyone in the group,
the freeway and sing or chant for an hour in the car and she was deconstructing my voice the most of us.
before we sing with the choir or in a small group, and She said, “I want you to sing with a natural tone.
if I’m able to chant and sing successfully, with You’re doing too much with your voice. You’ve had
sincerity and energy and focus, I can sing so much
 6
too many lessons. You’re doing too many amphitheater. The amphitheater was full, and Swami
techniques, you’re contracting, there’s too much was there. I was going to sing “John Anderson,” and
tension. I want you to just let it rip, just let it flow.” I was sitting off to the side as I waited to come up.
And it was hardest for me, I think. She loved David’s And as the time draws close, sometimes your nerves
voice. He has this nice, easy, resonant sound. She start getting a little frazzled. But I was so surprised
gave him a little bit of instruction, but not much, by this nervousness, and quite angry with myself.
really. And I found that very interesting. Silently, I said, “I am completely sick of your
self-involvement!” I said, “I’ve had it!” I closed my
Q: What kind of lessons did she give you? Did
eyes and visualized a sword, and as fast as you can
she run you through exercises?
imagine, I cut myself to bits, until there was nothing
A: Yes, she gave us simple exercises. Just left.
“Ah-eh-ee-oo-uu-ee-eh-oh-ah.” Like that. I don’t
It was a very powerful experience. And when I
remember exactly the vowels. But she would vary it
was done – it didn’t take long – I felt fabulous.
depending on people’s needs. With one of our
Whatever was left felt fabulous. As I went up on
singers, she had her just do long “aaah” sounds, with
stage, “I” was completely non-existent, and the song
no change in vowel. And with others she had them
just came through, and it was beautiful – beautifully
change vowels as they went along, because maybe
felt, beautifully expressed.
certain aspects of their expression were tense and
needed to be loosened up. So a good teacher is a There was a break in the concert, an
great thing. intermission, and someone came running up and
said, “Swami wants to see you right away.” So I went
Q: In the mid-eighties I had an experience with
over and knelt down in front of him. His face was
Swami. I wanted to take some good portrait
filled with tears, and he said, “Karen, I just have to
photographs of people at the Village. Which turned
tell you, that is the most beautifully I have ever heard
out to be not a very good use of my money and time.
you sing. And it’s the most beautifully I have ever
But I got hold of a book by a top professional beauty
heard that song sung. Thank you so much.”
photographer named Nancy Brown. She’d been a
model and was working as a successful studio Why? Not because I sang it so well. But because
photographer. And she was earthy in her approach, God was finally the doer.
and her technique was completely simple. But I Interestingly, that night, I heard from more
borrowed her methods and took some photos of people than ever (before or since) how touched they
Ananda people that turned out well. And at about were by the song. Swami wasn’t the only one who
that time, Swami remarked during a satsang that could feel the difference.
Ananda can borrow from methods that people use for
worldly ends, and apply them to serve Master’s So that’s the advice I would give singers who
work. want to sing Swami’s music as soloists, is to take
seriously Swami’s advice to let “God be the doer,”
A: Swami is a fan of expertise. You might not and find a way to move the ego over enough so that
think so, because he’s always encouraging people to God can really come through.
come from their center and not copy. But he was firm
about our need to learn, and to do this properly. Swami said that sometimes you have to do
violence to the ego. I don’t think everyone has to do
Well, I have one last story to share. I hope it will violence to the ego, but I don’t know. Unfortunately,
be helpful to others. it’s hard work to move out of it, to the extent that it’s
I was scheduled to sing a solo at the Village. It no longer in your way. But it’s good work, and it’s
was at an event that was outdoors in the what we’re here to do.
 7
Another approach can be through devotion and interesting to learn how other singers do this, like
love, which help us move beyond the ego without the Chaitanya or Dambara. I look forward to reading
need for more drastic methods. It would be their interviews!
 2
Mari Baughman

(Mari is the music director for Ananda Sangha A few years later, the Joy Singers touring group
in Portland, Oregon.) was out touring on the road a lot, and there needed to
be a new “home team” to sing at Sunday services.
Q: Tell us about your background in music.
They held auditions, and that was when I started
A: My Mom said that I started singing before I singing, probably in 1984.
started talking – so it was obviously something that I
I was incredibly moved by the music. It became
came in with. In fact, singing was when I always felt
my closest connection to God, and it has always been
closest to God.
the place where I have felt His presence the most
As I was growing up, singing was my church. I powerfully in my life.
went to church to sing. I sang all the way through
Q: In the Ananda music?
school, and when I left school I sang with
community choirs, but I always felt something was A: Yes. I learned the music and sang with this
missing, and I stopped singing for a time before I small group for five years. We then moved to an
found Ananda. Ananda center, where I was asked to direct the music
ministry. I took it step by step, because I didn’t have
When Hanuman and I met, we were both
any formal training, but had just picked up the kind
coming out of relationships in which our spiritual
of tips you get from good choir directors. But mostly
quest wasn't understood. So we were very
learning to direct came by grace.
consciously looking for a spiritual relationship – in
fact, a number of our first dates were to satsangs and After I had been directing for some years, we
kirtans at the former Ananda ashram in Atherton, on were asked to return to the Village, and for several
the San Francisco Peninsula. years I just attached myself to Jeannie, who directed
the music. Jeannie took me to the lessons where she
At one of our dates, the Joy Singers from
helped the singers, and she basically taught me how
Ananda Village performed, and I was deeply
to teach.
touched and inspired by the music. I remember
asking Nirmala afterward, “What do I have to do to Q: That must have been a wonderful
get to sing this music? I’ll do anything – just tell me apprenticeship.
what I have to do!” A: It was amazing to learn to put in words what I
She looked at me so sweetly and said, “Oh, just had formerly done by intuition. It was the most
hang around for a few years…” (laughs) It was very fulfilling piece of the puzzle, to learn to share the
sweet, and it was probably the best answer anyone music, and share it deeply. It’s been my joy for the
could give me then, because I needed time for my last 12 years.
attunement with Swamiji and the music to grow and I still direct a little, but I’m mostly teaching
mature. When the time came that I was given the singers to use their instruments now. It’s an
chance to sing, I appreciated it more deeply than I eye-opener for many beginning singers when they
would have, had it been given to me right away. start to understand why Ananda places so much
Music had always come easily to me, and I think emphasis on music.
that having to wait several years to be part of the I’ve also enjoyed learning how to teach
music was good for me spiritually. It made me directors. Usually, by the time it becomes a person’s
stronger, more disciplined, and focused on my dharma to lead a group, they’ve already made a
spiritual path.
 2
strong connection to the inspiration of the music. tend to make singing more work than it has to be.
Then learning to bring out the inspiration through A: That’s why I stress that we’re not actually
others brings a deeper appreciation for the music and here to sing. Getting to sing is the icing on the cake,
its role in our lives, as a tool for self-transformation. but the important thing is the practice of getting our
Q: Are there particular methods you use when selves out of the way, learning to become clear
you teach directors? channels, and allowing God to flow through us.
A: The most important things aren’t technical, People can get too caught up in the details. It can
but vibrational. Ananda’s other directors know this, be hard for people who’ve had formal training. I find
because it’s the key for what we’re doing. We all it’s important to stress letting go of the details and
discover that the details will take care of themselves feeling the music, to get an experience of stepping
if the inspiration is there. But, having said that, there out of the ego and letting God flow through us,
are lots of tricks for helping people learn to use their instead of trying to push the energy out to fill the
instruments, without having to understand music room. I encourage singers to practice taking their
theory. The thing we emphasize most is tuning in to egos out of the picture, and see what it feels like to
the vibration, and feeling what a particular piece of relax and be God’s instrument, in the moment.
music is trying to say. There was a time when I was sad that I didn’t
I encourage people to take the music into their have more musical training before coming to
meditations. I suggest they take a song into Ananda. Now, I appreciate that I was able to learn
seclusion, and spend a whole week going ever more to use my intuition first, and then fill in the details
deeply into it, and feeling it. It can be an awesome later.
practice. Q: Is it more about singing with the heart than
Q: I remember a meditation where I sang one of the mind? Or singing as a whole person?
Swami’s songs mentally, and it took me very deep. A: It is actually about getting out of the way.
A: I spent a week in seclusion once, singing and People can get stuck in their hearts, too. When that
meditating on “Emerald Isle.” It was wonderful. happens, they tend to sing, and live, with lots of
emotion. And where there’s too much emotion, they
In teaching singers, I think I’ve had the most fun
can really stir up the world around them. We focus
helping them get past the form of the music. Once
on singing with devotion instead of emotion, by
that happens, we begin to realize that the true reason
feeling the energy flowing up the spine, just as when
we sing this music is that we are learning to fine-tune
we meditate. As it flows through each chakra, the
our instruments as tools for transformation. For
energy and consciousness can take on the positive
many people, it’s a new concept, and it takes a while
qualities of that chakra. Then we offer it to God at
to truly begin to believe in it. But it’s fun to watch
the spiritual eye. That way, the heart quality and
when that light bulb goes on.
devotion can flow through us as an expression of
As far as taking it deeper, I think it’s partly a God’s pure inspiration.
question of realizing that the exercises we do in choir
There’s a tool I use that I find most people can
are basically the same ones we do when we meditate.
easily connect with. I’ll have them focus their energy
We’re learning to use our emotional, physical,
so that they’re in their center, in their spine, and think
mental, and spiritual bodies consciously to transform
about the song, the vibration of the song, and the
ourselves into a connection to the Divine. I find it so
message that is trying to come through the words and
inspiring, watching people as they begin to
music. Then I’ll ask them to take a physical step to
understand this.
one side, and as their feet rest on the floor, feel that
Q: Ramesha remarked that beginning singers
 3
they’re stepping out of their ego self, their little self, A: I’m looking forward to hearing what the
and stepping into that piece of music. others have said. The more ways you can describe
something, the more likely you’ll be able to reach
The physical movement, combined with the
people quickly. If I say it one way and people can’t
conscious thought of leaving the little self behind,
relate to it, perhaps one of the other directors has
can be very effective in helping people understand
figured out a way to say it that they’ll be able to get
the difference in how it feels to sing with ego, versus
right away, and there won’t be that lag, of trying to
letting the Divine sing through you.
figure out “What does she mean?”
For me, that was one of the most important
I believe that learning to use our instruments is a
concepts I needed to learn, and I feel it’s important to
lifelong task. I am constantly understanding new
share with others.
depths in this music, and how to use my own
Another puzzling concept, for me, was instrument, and understanding it in different ways. I
something that directors usually say. “Fill the room think this point is really important for new people to
with your music,” or “send your energy out to fill the hear. It’s not something that you take a class in, or
room.” that you sing in the choir for a few years, and then
It just didn’t make any sense to me. It felt like you’ve suddenly “got it”. It’s a process of unfolding
reinforcing the ego’s control, to think of pushing out layer upon layer of deeper understanding.
and filling the room that way. But I finally realized Q: When Ramesha and Chaitanya talk about the
that it means exactly the opposite – instead of filling process of getting out of the way, they’re describing
the room with your own energy, you must get your the same experience but their approach is slightly
self out of the way, so that the divine energy can different. Ramesha’s focus is on helping singers
expand outward through you. It’s a small difference learn to relax their throat, as a step toward being able
in how you say it, but the feeling is completely to let the Divine sing through them. He said that
different. when you’re relaxed and the throat is open, it’s
Q: Are you able to describe how that feels? almost like doing Kriya. Chaitanya talks about
relaxing and letting the energy rise through subtle
A: One day I had the experience of feeling channels into the back of the head and beyond.
myself open and very present in the moment as I
sang. I could feel the flow of energy moving through A: The physical posture we use when we sing is
me and expanding outward into the room. It was a very similar to when we meditate, particularly when
pivotal moment, the kind that gives you goose we practice Kriya. We use our spines and lungs the
bumps. It’s the difference between pushing and same way. We form the inside of our mouths the
relaxing. If you’re pushing your energy out, you can same, and we focus our attention in the same place.
be pretty sure that you’re doing it with your ego. But Once you realize this, it becomes very clear that
if you can relax, and visualize that flow of energy singing isn’t just something we do for entertainment.
expanding through you, allowing yourself to be the Singing is something that we do to find God. For
instrument, that’s letting God sing through you. those of us who vibrate with singing, maybe it’s a
little bit easier for us to understand it in these terms.
And people do get it, over time, on deeper
levels. Once they get the sense that the ego isn’t what So it is really important. Feeling the energy
we’re working with, that the ego needs to be set in rising in the spine as we sing helps us get our egos
the corner for a rest, then it comes much more easily. out of the way and place our voices properly. The
more relaxed we are, the easier it is to sing. It’s the
Q: Among the people I’ve interviewed, their same thing we tell people when we teach them to
approach to getting rid of the ego seems to vary. meditate: “sit upright with a relaxed posture...”
 4
(laughs) have a different approach. Once singers are really
able to get themselves out of the way and share
I believe that if I can help others understand how
without nervousness or anxiety, they can act as
to better use their instruments when they sing, they’ll
channels to consciously offer the vibration of the
be able to meditate that much better, as well.
song to individuals in the room, sharing on a level of
Q: Do you ever suggest that Master will help soul to soul, like saying “Namaste” as they sing.
them get out of the way if they pray to him?
If people are dealing with anxiety or
A: I use a number of visualizations to illustrate nervousness and feeing self-conscious, I suggest
this. One is to feel Master standing with us, inside us, they pick a point just over the audience’s heads.
surrounding us, filling us, and let him sing through There’s a picture of Master on the back wall of our
us. It’s another way of getting ourselves out of the temple, and I’ll say, “Sing to Master. Consciously
way. You can’t be there as your little self, when give it to him.” That way, the energy is flowing
you’re filled with Master. across the whole room, and it can help take away
When we’re getting ready to sing, we pray that some of their anxiety.
Master help us get out of the way, and use us as his Q: You have three directors in Portland. How
instruments. We do put a lot of emphasis on that. It’s does that work for you?
good to have it in the front of our consciousness
A: Our music program has been growing, and
before we begin to sing.
what has evolved is a team of five. We all have our
Q: Do you suggest that the singers think of the areas of expertise, and we work well together with
audience? That they visualize one person, or the great results. It’s wonderful because it gives us the
whole audience? Or should they bother about that at wealth of information that each person’s experience
all? brings to the table.
A: It depends on how we’re singing. If we’re One of us will do a warmup to help get the
singing as a choir, which means we’re being group’s energy together, and perhaps give the choir a
directed, I ask everyone to focus on the director, and tidbit of technical training at the same time. Then the
allow the director to be the channel through which director will take over to run through the songs. We
the energy flows. Have you seen the lovely painting ask each other for feedback about what we can do as
of Krishna as he drives the chariot for Arjuna? a choir to improve our connection to the vibration of
Krishna is the director – he’s holding the reins. We the song.
as singers are the horses. We can decide to give the
Q: Are there other areas of the music that you’d
director the reins, or we can hold on tightly to them
like to address?
ourselves! If there’s resistance to letting the director
have the reins, we talk about consciously giving up A: We use a technique given to us by Swamiji,
our control and letting the director guide us. that he formulated into five steps. It’s called
“Say-Singing.” I’ve found this technique works
When we sing, we visualize the energy, or the
wonders for helping singers tune into the music very
vibration of the song, going out from our spiritual
quickly. It also “cures a world of ills” as far as
eye. The director can then act as the focal point for
helping us learn the technical aspects of singing, in a
the vibration expanding outward into the room. In a
very simple way.
choral group, I don’t suggest that people focus
directly on an individual in the congregation, Many of our choir members haven’t sung much,
because as soon as one singer’s eyes wander, it can but they’ve tuned in on some level to how special the
be a distraction to the audience. music is. It’s a group where a purely technical
rehearsal would sail over their heads, and they’d be
In our small groups, and in solo singing, we
 5
deeply bored and would probably leave. (laughs) singers from other Ananda communities. It
coincided with the opening of our new community at
It’s wonderful to have rehearsals focused
Laurelwood, and that fresh influx of energy.
primarily on tuning into the vibration of the music.
It’s amazing, and really lovely – the sound that’s With the growth of our directing team, we now
coming out, the attunement the singers have. We have the potential to share the music in more ways.
form deep soul friendships singing together. One of the things I’d most like to see is the start of a
sing-a-long group, for those who want to sing the
The music seems to be touching people here
music, but may not have the inclination or the time to
deeply, in a way that it rarely has before. It’s exciting
memorize and sing in parts. A children’s choir would
to see this level of interest. Our choir has doubled in
also be such fun! The more ways we can share the
size in just the last three months, since March!
inspiration and soul-growth that comes from sharing
(laughs) We had an Oratorio concert here in
this wonderful music, the better the world will be.
Portland, conducted by David Eby. The Ananda
Seattle singers joined us, along with a smattering of
 2
Ramesha Nani

(Ramesha and his wife, Bhagavati, are full-time choir was so important.
singers and musicians and part of the LA Joy Singers Then, in 2002 Bhagavati came to Lugano on
based in Los Angeles. Ramesha offers singing tour with a singing group, and in 2003 I was in Assisi
lessons through his website www.vocalbliss.net. and we became good friends. When she found out I
Q: How did you get started in music? was a musician, she said, “Wow, you have to come
back for the Festival of Joyful Arts in July!” she told
A: When I was four or five, we lived in Lugano,
Shivani I was a violinist, and Shivani got excited and
Switzerland, and I decided I wanted to play guitar.
wanted to put on Swami’s string quartet. The quartet
My parents bought me a toy guitar, but I wanted a
needs two violins, a viola, and a cello, but there was
real one. And so I started taking lessons.
only one violinist floating around Ananda at the
When I was 13, some friends of our family had a time, so they’d never been able to perform it.
son who was an accomplished violinist (he’s now
Neither of them knew that I hadn’t played for
very well-known in Europe), and I was inspired by
many years, and for me to put together the First
hearing him practice. So I decided to switch to
Violin part of the string quartet was an endeavor, let
violin. And an interesting thing is that my violin
me tell you! I practiced for a whole week, there in
teacher was the one who introduced me to
Assisi, and it was hell, because after nine years
Paramhansa Yogananda. He was a disciple of
without playing I was very rusty. It wasn’t perfect,
Master’s through SRF.
but we managed to get through it somehow.
So through a series of serendipities I became
Swamiji came up north with some people from
interested in the path, and I took the SRF lessons and
Ananda Assisi to give lectures in Milan and Como,
got more involved. I didn’t find Ananda until I was
and I went. Bhagavati was there, and they were
26 or 27, but I took Kriya through SRF and was
struggling to arrange some music for the program at
pretty well engaged with the path.
the last minute, but they didn’t have enough singers.
When my violin teacher left to pursue his career, So I learned the tenor parts for some of the songs and
I had various other teachers until I was 25 and performed with them, and that was when I began to
graduated from the conservatory. In the meantime, I take more of an interest in singing Swami’s music.
had started taking voice lessons from an
It was through Bhagavati, I have to say, that I
accomplished opera singer, and I studied with her for
got more involved with Ananda and the music. I had
about seven years, until she passed away.
a job in Lugano, so I couldn’t move to Assisi, but I
Singing became my main passion. Of all the would travel down there often, and Bhagavati and I
instruments I had learned, it was the one that felt got to know each other better and we became
closest to my heart. After graduating, I didn’t touch engaged and got married. We lived in Lugano for a
the violin for about nine years. It had taken so much couple of years, but we would travel to Assisi to help
energy and will power to finish my studies, that I just with the music and the events that Swami would put
felt I was done with it. on.
In about 1996 I discovered Ananda. I would After a time, we felt guided to go to the U.S. and
visit the center in Assisi, but I never told anybody I I took a year’s sabbatical from my job. After we had
was a musician. I remember listening to the choir and been in California for a couple of months, Jyotish
thinking, “Oh, that’s cute.” It was pleasant to listen and Devi asked if we wanted to move to the Village
to, but for the longest time, I really didn’t get why the and help with the music. So it gradually became
 2
more and more my dharma, and we never left. I I realized that if I could help people make their
finally resigned from my job, and here we are. singing easier, then their experience of being a
channel for inspiration could be deeper, because they
Last summer, Swami asked us to move to Los
could focus on that, and take for granted that their
Angeles to help build the music ministry there,
instrument would respond in the right way to any
because there was no music here at all – not even
technical challenges that a certain song might have. I
chanting. They were doing great things, but the
realized I could help them get to a point where they
music was totally neglected – they couldn’t even do
didn’t have to be worrrying – “Oh my God – that
the Festival of Light on Sunday, because nobody
high note is coming!”
could play the songs.
All of the singers are meditators, so of course
Q: By the way, every person I’ve interviewed
they’re engaged in trying to sing with devotion.
who has a professional background in music has said
However, I realized that sometimes it can be more
the same thing – they came to Ananda and heard the
dynamic if, besides that, you can open up and deeply
music, and they thought, “Oh, that’s nice.” But they
focus on the meaning of the song, and let the song
didn’t feel how central it is to the teachings and to
“decide” how it wants to be sung.
Ananda’s work. Was there a landmark moment for
you, when you began to take it more seriously? It’s a way of singing where you’re focusing on
what you’re saying. You focus on the energy that’s
A: Bhagavati gave me a couple of CDs of her
behind the words, and try to open up as you sing, and
playing the flute, and that’s when I started to actually
let it flow through you.
hear the music. Then the Oratorio that really got my
attention, because it was so deep and powerful, and When I’m able to do that, I find that I can feel a
the more I listened to it, the more I began to stream of consciousness flowing through me, and
understand what the music is about. I’m no longer aware “Oh – I’m singing – I have to
make this happen.” No, no – the song has an
When we got married, and Bhagavati moved to
intelligence of its own, because Swami wrote it with
Lugano, she started a choir at the center, and I began
that consciousness. And if we can open up and tune
singing and playing guitar. By actively doing the
in to that consciousness, realizing that every word
music, rather than just listening to it, I started to
and every note is there for a reason – then there’s no
understand more deeply what it meant.
way we can sing the song “wrong.” Because what
To some extent, I have to admit that, even now, I we’re doing is what’s trying to flow through us.
don’t think I “get” the full scope of it. So I guess it’s
But in order to do it, you have to get rid of the
a learning curve.
burden of all these worries – “Oh my God, how am I
Q: On the website, you say that you’ve begun going to sing that high G?” You know, because that’s
exploring ways to help people deepen their totally of the ego.
attunement to the inspiration in the music.
On one side, you focus on your technique and
A: Living at the Village, I’ve worked with lots try to get the most out of your instrument, and on
of singers, many of whom have sung this music other side – okay, you’ve practiced the technique,
much longer than I have. Yet I realized there was and now you can forget about it and focus on the
something I could help them with, and that’s how to inspiration, knowing that your instrument will
use their instrument better. respond because it’s trained to do that.
I realized it’s possible to be inspiring even if you Q: An obvious question presents itself: How can
don’t have solid technique, but you might not be able people practice that? In your online sample lessons,
to go as deeply into the inspirational flow if the where you sing “Life Is a Dream,” you sing it with a
technical aspect is getting in the way.
 3
very round, rich and relaxed tone. It feels as if you’re should sing the music. Can you share your thoughts
opening your instrument consciously so that the song about why he says that, or how people can benefit
can “sing itself” through you. Do you think it’s a from singing the music.
question of people doing a volume of that kind of A: I think that singing Swami’s music is a form
singing, until they get used to it? of sadhana. At the Village, people like Seva have
A: On the technical side, yes. It’s about been singing this music for 40 years. I used to think,
physically opening up, and trying to stay as relaxed “Boy, don’t they get tired of singing ‘Life Is a
as we possibly can. Dream’?” But I realized that it’s a form of sadhana.
Ninety-five percent of the people who try to sing If you can think of the music in this way, then
make the mistake of doing too much. They put out you never get tired. “What is trying to flow through
more energy than is necessary, and then the first me, and through the song? What kind of
thing that happens is that the throat gets tense. consciousness is trying to spread out to the world
You’re trying so hard, but the harder you try, the through this music?” You never get tired of doing
worse it sounds. So the whole training in singing is Hong-Sau every day, because you can always go
basically about relaxing. Relaxing and trying to deeper, and it’s satisfying.
create a sound that is round and smooth. But in order Chanting is between you and God – it’s a form
to produce that kind of sound, you have to open your of devotion, but it doesn’t matter how you sing, since
throat and stay relaxed. you’re focusing on the words and going deeper in
If you could analyze the spectrum of frequencies them. But singing Swami’s music is translating
that your sound has, you would notice that the more spiritual communities into music.
your throat is relaxed and open, the richer the sound Whether you sing in the choir, or as a soloist, the
becomes. So that’s really all there is to it – as far as purpose is to tap into the inspiration of communion
the technical aspect goes. with God, but not go so deep that it’s only between
And it’s a training, you know. It’s not that I can you and God. You have to share it. You have to
simply say “Okay, relax your throat.” It doesn’t work connect with your inner Self as deeply as you can,
that way. It takes time to develop the ability to use but then you have to stay very alert and not let
your voice with that relaxed throat. yourself go too inward, but open up to share that
vibration with everybody.
For some reason, most of us are conditioned to
use the voice with a certain strain. If you listen to If you’re singing in a choir, it also means tuning
Swami, his voice is always full. He’s the only into the realities of the people around you. It’s what
speaker I listen to that I never have to adjust the we do when we blend. We expand our aura to try to
volume. Whether he’s speaking softly or loudly, you match the energy and consciousness of the people
can always hear him. Why? Because his voice is around us. So we aren’t saying “Okay, I’m singing
open and free to flow, so it can project outward all pretty well, see you later – I don’t care what other
the time. people are doing.” But we’re trying to blend with
them.
This is where the technical aspect of singing
merges with consciousness. Not only does Swami It’s amazing to see how it can be a sadhana.
have a very refined technique, but he’s obviously There’s no limit to how deep you can go in it, and get
inspired, too. This is what I’m trying to help people even more out of it.
understand. You must develop your technique, but Q: Can you talk about what you offer people in
try to open up also in a deeper way. terms of helping them learn the Ananda music. For
Q: Swami has said that everybody at Ananda example, if someone loves the music and wants to be
 4
part of it, but they haven’t sung formally. Or they’re more advanced, it’s a matter of refining their
more advanced, and would like to deepen their technique. For example, I’ve been working with
technique. Dambara. He has one of the most beautiful voices in
the Ananda world, and I’ve always thought it would
A: For those who’ve never sung, and maybe
be wonderful if he could learn to use it a little better,
they’re a bit shy about singing, I would say that
because it would make such a big difference for him.
singing this music is not about how well you sound.
It’s not about how beautiful a voice you have. It’s For somebody like Dambara, who is already so
really about tuning into something bigger and advanced in singing, and so deep in the music, all it
becoming an instrument for it. takes is to learn a few tricks to help them use their
instrument better, and get more out of it with less
It might sound like I’m contradicting everything
strain. Because that was his problem: he couldn’t
I do with my teaching! But I’m really not.
sing for very long before he would get tired and his
I run into so many people who are shy about throat would get sore.
trying to sing. They would love to, but they don’t
It’s interesting to me how Chaitanya was able to
dare. Who knows – maybe because when they were
solve lots of technical problems by himself. Which, I
in school somebody told them they had an ugly
must say, is very rare. In my experience, very few
voice, and they’ve carried that rejection all these
people discover these things by themselves. But he
years. But I always try to convince them that even if
was following his intuition, and it guided him very
they can’t carry a tune, they should try it anyway.
well. He can go up high in a very relaxed way that’s
It’s really not about how well you sound. As I so pleasant to hear. It took me years of training with
said, it’s about opening up to a flow of my teacher before I could understand it. So it does
consciousness, and the music can be such a powerful happen, but it’s rare.
flow in that way.
So far, of the people who’ve come to me for
So that’s the first thing I would say. Then, after training, I can remember only one, where I thought,
they gain a little confidence and they think maybe “I don’t think I can teach him anything.” It may
they would like to try, then I’ll offer them basic vocal sound presumptuous, but unless somebody is a very
training, which is doing some exercises to help them accomplished singer, there’s almost always
develop their voice, get to know their voice, and something that I can help them with.
learn to use their instrument.
Most singers are only interested in singing in a
Then I can help them learn the songs, note by way that shows off their voice. It’s all about the
note – as you saw in the sample videos, where I go beauty of the tone. And I don’t mean necessarily in
through a song very slowly. I can record it for them, an egoic way. Maybe they don’t put much ego into it,
or I can help them download the part from the but the focus is on the beauty. And the approach we
Ananda music website, so they can practice and have is so different. It’s pleasant to hear a Dambara
learn it note by note, and get it into their head. We with his beautiful sound, but that’s not the whole
can record it and put it on their music player or burn thing. If you took away the depth and inspiration he
a CD, so they can listen to it until they learn. conveys and just heard the beautiful tone, we would
The next step is to take that knowledge of the probably get tired pretty quickly. But the reason we
melody of the song, and I’ll help them make it more don’t is that there’s so much more there.
beautiful, so they aren’t just singing the notes but For most singers, even those who try to go
applying what we’ve been learning in our basic deeper in their singing, it’s very rare that they tap
exercises to an actual song. into superconsciousness. It’s usually about
That’s the preliminary part. Then, if somebody’s conveying an emotion, not taking you deeper and
 5
higher. And it doesn’t make you feel better Angeles, and I’m realizing that the music has its own
afterward. As Asha put it, it brings your energy into agenda. In recent months, Swami has told us many
movement and motion, and when the song ends, times that it’s time for the music to go out. I realize
bloop, it drops you on the sidewalk. (laughs) that it doesn’t matter who does it, but the music is
trying to go out, and if it’s not us, somebody else will
This is why what we have with our music is
do it. It’s all about consciousness – it’s not about the
really so amazing. It’s a new approach to singing and
people who’re doing it, it’s about this conscious flow
music. It’s about giving people an experience of
of energy, from Yogananda through Swami, that’s
what we can all aspire to. And no other music that
trying to go out into the world.
I’m aware of does that.
We’re trying to take this music out here in Los
Raghu Clark

(Raghu is the musical director of Ananda would go out and see the latest bands in the
Sangha in Sacramento, California.) nightclubs. I had gone from Appalachian music, to
country, to jazz – Coltrane, Charley Parker,
Q: Tell us how you got involved with Swami
Thelonious Monk – you name it, I listened to
Kriyananda’s music, perhaps going back to before
everybody. Then Jazz Fusion with electric groups
you came to Ananda.
like Return to Forever, and the Mahavishnu
A: I started listening to music on an AM Orchestra with John McLaughlin.
transistor radio in the 1960s. I was 9 or 10, and I
In college, I would come home from class and
would come home for lunch and listen to the AM
spend the evenings with friends in a basement where
station in Buffalo, New York. I would sing along
we had wall-to-wall record albums, hundreds of
with the songs, but mostly I listened. I was able to
them, and the latest quadraphonic sound system.
catch the melody line quickly, and it would stay in
my consciousness. What I didn’t understand is that I Eventually, there came a time when I began to
was actually tuning in to the song itself, and the pull away, because the music wasn’t fulfilling me
consciousness that it expressed. anymore. It kept me questing and searching, which
was fine, but I realized I was looking for a sound that
When I was in high school, my older brother and
I just wasn’t finding. Everything I listened to was
sister were in college, and they would bring home
good – the musicians were incredibly talented – but
records of the latest soul groups, or groups from
it left me hanging, because there was nothing that I
Chicago where my sister was in school. So I started
could truly lock onto.
to expand my horizons from AM to FM radio, and I
did the same thing – I would hear the songs and start Then, sometime in the early 1970s, I read
singing the melodies and get the songs into my Autobiography of a Yogi. I had been searching for a
consciousness. I listened to Chicago rhythm and way to balance my life, and reading the
blues, soul bands, and singers like Wilson Pickett. Autobiography changed my direction. I didn’t
recognize Yogananda’s path as a new vocation yet,
I would enjoy the music for a while, but then I
but reading that book changed my inner direction. I
would be ready for something else. I would listen,
began to pull away from the late nights of going out
sing the tunes, and move on. I was always looking to
to hear the latest bands, and I started to become
find what else there was in the world of music?
quieter. And in becoming quieter, I more or less gave
My brother returned from the West Coast with up listening to music on the radio.
lots of San Francisco music, and it opened another
Around 1976, I discovered that Swami
door for me. Listening to Moby Grape, Quicksilver
Kriyananda had a community in northern California,
Messenger Service, the Grateful Dead, and Jefferson
and that it was called Ananda. I knew it was a
Airplane showed me that, okay, this is good music,
cooperative village, but for some reason I didn’t
too. It’s just a different kind of music.
realize that it was an actual piece of land. I read Yoga
In college, another avenue opened, which was Postures for Higher Awareness and Your Sun Sign as
Appalachian folk music, and from there I went to a Spiritual Guide. Then I read Cooperative
country music, then country-western. But I kept Communities – How to Start Them, and Why, and
exploring different types of music. that’s when I saw that there was an actual
When I returned to Buffalo after college, I community of about a hundred people outside
Nevada City, California.
 2
I made a commitment to move to Ananda together, one by one, using my index finger and
Village, but I spent a year cleaning up loose ends, pumping the bellows.
and I began practicing hatha yoga. I had met a That was how I learned to play the harmonium.
teacher from India, and I would drive across the One chant led to another, until I had built up to four,
bridge to Canada and do yoga postures with him. five, six, or seven chants.
On my way home from a yoga session, I stopped Soon after I arrived, I heard the Gandharvas sing
in Buffalo to visit a friend, and he said, “Have you some of Swamiji’s songs before a class at Spiritual
heard Yogananda’s voice?” I said no, and he pulled Renewal Week. One of the songs was “The Secret of
out an album of chants and prayers and put on the Laughter.” Coming from the kind of music I’d been
first cut, “Prayer at Dawn.” And when I heard listening to for years, I thought, “This is ridiculous –
Yogananda’s voice, I thought, “That is what I’m what a goofy little song!” (laughs) I thought, “This is
looking for.” so simple – I cannot believe it…”
It was so expansive and far-reaching. Hearing I was comparing it with the sophistication of
his voice, and hearing the harmonium lifted my jazz and jazz-fusion, and the talented musicians, and
consciousness. I realized, “This is the sound I’m I thought, “The Secret of Laughter?
looking for. This is the sound that I have the potential Lu-ru-lu-ru-lay-roh? Joy will come to anyone…?”
to resonate with.” And I just didn’t get it.
I fell in love with it, and I gave up all the other That was the first week I was at Ananda. But I
music. I bought the album and listened to it over and told myself to shut up and listen. (laughs) I told
over. myself to keep the ego at bay, and listen to what was
A year later, I was on the bus to Ananda. I joined being sung. And whenever I would hear the
the apprentice program, and every once in a while Gandharvas, I would shut up and just absorb the
somebody would come over to the apprentice village singing.
to lead a kirtan. The one who came most often was But I really liked chanting, and over time I
Lakshmi. And it was a whole new sound that I gradually acquired a taste for Swamiji’s “Songs of
wasn’t used to. I was familiar with Yogananda’s Divine Joy.” It was a bit of a slow road for me to
chants, and I realized that other people could chant, begin to like his music, Then after about six months I
too. And I thought, “This is very good.” (laughs) found myself invited to sing with a little performing
I discovered that after chanting, I was inwardly group. I had never sung a song in my life. But I said
very still. I had tried meditating before moving to yes. There were six of us, and they told me I was a
California, but it had never quite worked for me. bass. I said okay – I didn’t know what it meant, but I
Even in the meditations with the apprentice group, I realized I could sing low. And the first song we
felt very restless, but after chanting I found myself worked on was “The Secret of Laughter.”
feeling very calm, and I thought, “This is a good It was a big eye-opener. I learned the bass line
combination!” and practiced singing it until I had memorized the
I decided I should learn to play the harmonium. I part. And then I had the same experience as when I
would listen to the person who led the chanting, and heard Yogananda’s voice for the first time, that
late at night I would leave my tent and walk down the singing this very simple song was changing
hill to the temple at the apprentice village and start something inside me. I had memorized the words,
plucking out the chants. I would hear the chant in my and I had the notes down correctly, and I was
mind, and find the first note, sing the note, hear it in changing inwardly. The vibration of the song was
my consciousness, and slowly string the notes having an effect on my consciousness, and it was
 3
something completely new for me. It didn’t give me Krishna, I visualize one of the deities and offer the
confidence to sing, but I found that I felt really calm chant to them.
and inspired after singing these songs, even in I’ve realized that chanting is ever-new. I’ve
rehearsal. sung some of the chants hundreds of times, yet it
We premiered our new singing group at a always feels new and fresh, because they chants are
Sunday service. We sang “The Secret of Laughter,” so expansive. It’s never quite the same. Yoganandaji
and I was so embarrassed and self-conscious! The said that his Cosmic Chants are registered in the
basses were in the back row, and I deliberately stood superconscious. When I’m chanting, I try to tune in
behind somebody with lots of hair. I remember it to a superconscious state that’s coming through the
being very frizzy hair, and I remember trying to hide chants. Sometimes I chant with my eyes closed, even
behind it, and how my knee was moving because I if it’s a kirtan, and sometimes I visualize that I’m
was so nervous, and how I kind of moved it to the chanting above the planet, and chanting out into the
rhythm of the song. cosmos. I learned that you can’t space out, and this is
why at our kirtans we have brief meditations, to give
After the service, a long-time member of
people a chance to go inside. The chants are very
Ananda asked me if I was hiding. (laughs) I said, yes,
deep and expansive.
I was. She grabbed my knee and said, “And don’t
move your knee like that.” She said, “You can’t hide. The experience of singing in the small group
You just have to sing!” evolved over time. I realized that when everybody
was spot-on with the music – when we’re all in sync
I said, “Okay.” And I slowly accepted the role of
and on pitch – that the group has a unique vibration. I
singing in a small group, because my doubts and
also realized that the vibration doesn’t sit with the
self-consciousness weren’t strong enough to prevent
individual, but it comes out through the individuals.
me from singing, and the joy and peace I felt after
It feels as if it’s in front of us, going out like a wave.
singing was so strong.
If you’re singing in a concert, and you’re in tune with
Yogananda assigned particular qualities to the group, you feel a connection with everybody
many of his chants. In the first edition of Cosmic you’re singing with. And when everybody is singing
Chants, which was published in 1938, he described in sync, it creates a special vibration for each song.
what each chant was good for. For example, he wrote The people in the audience are touched by it, and it
that singing “Thou Art My Life” is good to “sweeten feels like it’s going beyond the audience and
a sour disposition.” So anytime I was in a sour spreading that vibration into the universe.
disposition, I would sing that song, and I would
When I lived in Palo Alto, I had the good fortune
come out of it.
to sing with some fine people – Sabari, Chaitanya,
I learned more of the chants and songs, and I Ishani, Dambara, Karen, Pavani, and Amara. It was a
learned that when I was chanting, it was not really I great group, and we evolved together over the years.
who was doing the chanting, but that the vibration of We sang for a long time together, and it was a joy.
the song or chant was coming through me. Over the They were topflight singers, and they were all very
years, I learned that, in fact, it’s better if Raghu much in tune.
doesn’t participate in the chant.
I remember a thrilling experience that we had
If it’s one of Master’s chants, I visualize together. Swamiji had recently written “Life
Yoganandaji at the point between the eyebrows, and Mantra,” and our group were practicing it in the back
if it’s one of Swamiji’s chants, I visualize Swamiji, room of the Palo Alto temple. We were rehearsing to
and feel that he’s singing with me through the chant. sing for Swamiji who was coming to Palo Alto to
If I’m singing a bhajan to Ganesha or Shiva or speak.
 4
After our rehearsals, we always chanted OM. As I realized that the vibration of music is
we were Om-ing, I heard a voice singing, “Life is a everything. It’s why I urge new people to set the
mission from above… Life is a quest for inner mind aside and tune in to the music – listen to the
joy…” notes, listen to the words, and think about what’s
being said, and how it registers not so much in the
We took a breath and OM-ed again, and I heard,
mind as in the heart. Then lift the heart to the
“God is life… God is joy…” It wasn’t a sound that
spiritual eye, and that’s when you start to have the
was coming from the physical plane.
experience. And it will be different for everybody. It
After the third OM, we didn’t say anything. calmed me so that I could meditate better, and it
Finally, Chaitanya said, “Did anybody hear that?” made me realize that there’s much more to music
And we all said, “Yes.” than the complications of jazz.
It was thrilling, and at the same time it didn’t The more complicated the music, and the more
seem unusual. It was like, “Of course – it’s the OM impressive the musicianship, the more I liked it. But
vibration.” But it helped us realize that the songs that when I heard Yogananda’s chants, and when I
Swamiji has written are part of the OM vibration, started singing Swamiji’s songs, my heart started to
and that if we sing them together, and do the best we open. My heart connected with the spiritual eye, and
can, it opens us to the vibration of OM, and it can the music began to realign my awareness to an
open others to the vibration of OM. experience of depth and never-ending
Swamiji has often said, “If you want to know expansiveness.
me, get to know my music.” Many of the people in That’s why I tell beginners that it’s good to just
the choir have been around Swami for years, but listen. Listen to what’s being sung. Bring the
some haven’t. Speaking for myself, I find that vibration into your heart, and don’t put a judgment
singing Swamiji’s music has helped me on it. Don’t put the mind on it. It’s heart music. It’s
tremendously to know him ever more deeply, and to “clarity of the heart” music. It can change your
meditate better and deeper. Our choir in Sacramento consciousness. And it will change your
has been singing at Sunday service, and they’re consciousness.
getting to know Swamiji better. The choir has gone
When I was growing up, I loved classical music.
light years toward the OM vibration. We know it
I particularly loved choral music – Chanticleer, and
from the feedback we receive, when they tell us after
the King’s College Singers. But now I’ve given up
service how inspiring the singing was.
even that. I don’t listen to it anymore, not because
We certainly have Sundays when it doesn’t click it’s bad, but because my consciousness has changed,
perfectly, but we keep moving forward, because we and now I just listen to Swamiji’s music. I have it
don’t associate ourselves with the praise or the playing in the background, and I have it playing in
mistakes. We associate our songs with the OM my consciousness.
vibration. Chaitanya would always tell the choir
I can’t even call it “Swamiji’s music,” because
before a performance, “Expect a lot of grace.”
he receives it and shares it. He’s often said that it
In the beginning, I judged the music with my isn’t his music. It flows through him, and it flows
mind. But I was strong with myself. I told myself to through us, and when it flows through us it changes
do what I had done all my life – just listen and don’t us. It changes our consciousness. And that’s the
judge. After listening, I would sometimes wake up in biggest thing. It can work on many levels. It’s a
the morning with a melody in my mind, and I would healing tool. It’s a great meditation tool. If you have
feel there was something beyond the borders of what problems meditating, it will give you depth. It can
I had labeled as too “simple.” change your life.
 thinking of it in a way that didn’t quite work, in
terms of physical properties such as, for example, the
Cindy Gottfried
major fifth being a physical resonance that you can
figure out mathematically and apply to a harmonious
emotional effect on the listener. I thought that was
(Cindy is the choir director for Ananda Sangha something you would find in all music.. And then
in Seattle, Washington.) you could explain why music is pleasurable, using
Q: Tell us about your early background in objective principles that way. But when I learned
music, and how you became interested in Ananda’s about ethnomusicology I found that not all
music. instruments use the principle of resonance in the
same way. For example, an instrument like the
Cindy: I came from a family that loved music –
didgeridoo doesn’t use harmonies in the way that
my mother started teaching me ukulele when I was
we’re used to. And of course when I reached the
eight, and from there I started reading chord charts
point in music theory when we learned about the
and then began to teach myself guitar. I started out
tempered scale in western music my perplexity only
learning from pop books and singing and
increased.
accompanying myself on the guitar. But I did not like
singing. Singing hurt, and it felt strained. So that’s And that sort of threw me for a loop, because it
actually how I got into classical guitar, because I got me thinking that maybe music isn’t a universal
didn’t need to use my voice. (laughs) Which is language after all. In Javanese gamelan, for example,
ironic, because in the Seattle Ananda Sangha I’m there is a planned dissonance that is an important
now known as a singer. part of the whole. If the intervals, the fifths and so
forth, were exactly tuned together, the music would
I really enjoyed music. It wasn’t my only thing,
be considered flawed. It’s the imperfection of the
but it’s where my energy flowed pretty well, and
overtones that makes a unique characteristic of the
where opportunities opened up as I got older. I was
music.
also interested in science and now computers – I
manage the website for Ananda Seattle, and I’ve So it was all sort of throwing me for a loop, and I
always had an active left brain that went along with was thinking that maybe music isn’t a universal
the right brain. language, and maybe it’s more culturally based.
But music has always been part of my life. I took And then as I studied philosophy, there was the
private classical guitar lessons from age 15 to 17, and influence of postmodernism, Foucault and all that,
then the teacher I was taking lessons from said I’d and my world view was being kind of taken apart. I
more or less reached the level where he was on the began to wonder if there is any order that you could
guitar, but was lacking in my knowledge of music rely on at all.
theory. So at that point I decided to major in music, So, in terms of both music and philosophy, I
and entered the music program at UC Santa Cruz, experienced a breaking down of the sense of
which is where I grew up. For my first two years of meaning, and I ended up dropping out of college.
college I did general studies in music, since there
wasn’t anything in classical guitar at the time. For I then worked with Deaf people for 10 years. I
my ensemble work, I did Javanese gamelan, which wanted to experience what life would be like without
was fun, and I had an interest in ethnomusicology sound, because when I was in high school and taking
and music from around the world. guitar lessons, I was so immersed in music,
practicing at least four hours a day, and often more.
After I studied music for two years, I changed On weekends when I wasn’t working I might
my major to philosophy. I’ve always had a practice eight hours. But then when I started to think
philosophical bent, but in those early years I was that maybe music wasn’t a universal source of
thinking of music as a universal language. But I was
 2
inspiration, I went to the other extreme. I wanted to what really does have meaning for me is service.
see, if sound and music isn’t a universal thing, what And I decided not to go into a computer field and
is a life like without music, and what type of earn a lot more money, but just keep on with service.
fulfillment would someone have without sound. And that awakened an expansive attitude that may
have been there all along, but I came to realize that it
I learned American Sign Language, and I
was important. And that was just a few years before I
pursued that for 10 years, and I was still working
found Ananda.
with Deaf people when I came to Ananda.
From there, good things started coming through
So I deliberately threw music out of my life. I
the back door. I used to listen to rock music. I no
even got rid of my guitars. I had a partner who was
longer do, but at the time it was a normal part of my
Deaf, who needed to remind me to stop being so
environment. I had a co-worker who was an
immersed in the Deaf community. But I do tend to
enthusiastic born-again Christian, and he would
get immersed in things, and I went as far as always
always change the radio in the van at the group home
having the sound off on the TV, because I didn’t
to a Christian rock station when he drove, and I
want to have experiences that we couldn’t share.
would always change it back to a regular mainstream
When I found Ananda, the music in the Seattle rock station when I drove. But one time when I got in
Ananda center was at an ebb, because Dharmadas the van it was playing Christian rock and I just
and Nirmala had just left. So I actually was not started feeling a real thirst for it. And eventually I
drawn in by the music initially. I don’t think I was came to realize that I was very thirsty to drink in
ready yet, and I was drawn in more by meditation spiritual influences.
and the search for God.
I had studied A Course in Miracles long before,
Q: Were you putting the world back together and I began carrying around some phrases from that
after Foucault destroyed it for you? to look at while I was in the work van, like at
Cindy: I actually ended up pretty depressed. stoplights, waiting for clients at their workplaces,
But nothing ever happens in a vacuum. I was going and so forth. And I started to feel a growing hunger
through some life experiences that magnetized me for the Light. At one point, I started to feel “I really
toward a fairly dismal view of life. I had this world wish I believed in Christianity, because I would love
view of “Nothing is meaningful. Nothing is worth to be a nun.” (laughs)
living for.” But I grew up in an area strong with I had relatives who were Catholic and some
alternative and metaphysical influences, and my were Jewish, and I felt I couldn’t follow either of
mother did astrology. So I’ve always had some those paths because I was drawn to something more
alternative perspectives, and when I saw that I was universal.
approaching my Saturn return in the years leading up
I decided to take a meditation class through
to 30, I just knew that I was at a point where I needed
Ananda’s East West Bookshop in Seattle. I wouldn’t
to figure out what to do with my life.
have taken the class through the church, because I
I knew I had a good left brain, and I decided to wasn’t interested in churches, with all the baggage I
go to a community college and learn computers. And associated with them. But after three class series I
so, at 28 I started to learn about computers, because I found out that it was connected to a church, and by
thought it would be a good career for me. I did really then I was hooked.
well, it was all effortless, but toward the end, the
After about a year, when my schedule opened
depression came right back, and I felt like I wasn’t
up, I started going to service, and I was soon asked to
doing the right thing.
play guitar, since there was a need for guitarists.
While working with Deaf people, I realized that
 3
So that’s how I got into Ananda. It was pure deeply into the music.
magnetism, and music sort of slid in there with me, Q: How is your time split now between guitar
though I wasn’t drawn in by the music initially. and singing?
Soon afterwards, Larry and Prem-Shanti Rider Cindy: Guitar is something I basically do as a
moved to Seattle, and there was finally someone to service. I don’t have a lot of investment in it. Still, I
guide the music. must have some karma around it as it gives back so
Because of my background, with the much to me. But because I studied classical, and I
philosophical stance of “nothing matters,” and a sort had to buy my first steel-string guitar when I started
of inner anarchy, listening to rock music and so playing music here, I’ve had trouble between the
forth, there was a coarseness that came through my differing demands of classical guitar technique and
playing. But I was inspired by the Festival of Light, folk guitar technique. With classical technique, it’s
and I wanted to tune in to that, more as a meditation more centered, you’re less off-balance because the
than as music. guitar is more centered in front of your body and you
don’t have one arm stretched out as far to the side or
At one point, I decided to just listen. I thought to
for as long a period (since you tend to play up the
stop trying to put out the music, because I felt
neck more). And you’re pulling back with the entire
something in me that was getting in the way. I
hand and arm, whereas with a steel-string folk guitar
decided to be quiet and just experience for a bit.
you’re squeezing more with your fingers and thumb.
I think it was a real inspiration. When Larry and So I actually can have a lot of physical discomfort
Prem-Shanti arrived, the music was in disarray, and playing folk guitar, especially since I don’t practice a
the word went out that they would do all the music, lot. I generally try to deal with this by increasing the
and everybody else should step back for a bit. I was energy flow through me so that my focus is on the
pleased and thought, “Well, great – I just want to inspiration instead of the discomfort. Focusing on
listen for a while anyway.” After a while they started the spiritual eye helps.
to ask me to do the music with them.
But the thing about singing, I mentioned that
That period of listening was wonderful. We I’ve always been uncomfortable singing. When I was
think of music as self-expression, something you do, young, I didn’t like to sing. I have a low voice, I’m
something that people admire. The way we definitely an alto, and I did not have the higher range
experience music in this culture is an exhibitionistic developed at all until recently. When I was a child, I
thing. And it was so valuable just to listen, not just remember times in grade school, when all the classes
listen to the music but listen to the environment that would get together and sing holiday songs. But I was
the music came out of, and to see that the always dropping an octave when the notes got too
environment was even more meaningful than the high, and if the teacher heard me, she would say,
music. “Get back up there with everybody else.” And that
I remember Agni Ferraro saying Swami had told was part of the reason I didn’t like to sing.
him, “It’s not about the music.” And I feel that’s a But then, the first time I went to Ananda Village,
really important thing to hold onto – it’s not about it was for a Kriya retreat, and while I was there,
the music. The music is an expression of an original somehow my throat opened up and I realized that I
inspiration. It is a part of the environment that had a rich, resonant voice. Something about Kriya
expresses that inspiration. So it was very helpful to relaxed it really quickly. I don’t know if it was the
me to take the time to tune into that for a while. Kriya technique itself; it may have been that it
The next step came for me when I joined the loosened up some karma. But it was a very nice
choir for a wedding, and that took me even more experience of opening the throat chakra. I like telling
 4
that story to emphasize that it’s not about the music, nervousness, the high notes come loud and clear. So
it’s about the vibration. the principle we go by is that when the energy is
right, it tends to come through. This choir errs more
Now I’ve been leading the choir in Seattle for
on the side of relying purely on vibration, and giving
close to ten years. About a year ago I started really
less energy to technique to back it up. But it has
tuning into the fact that people are more
taken us an impressive distance.
uncomfortable singing high notes than they need to
be. Partly, it’s having yourself exposed in the effort Part of what I’m trying to do with the choir is
that it takes, the ego and all, but then it’s also the see how we can further blend the two, technique and
physical strain in underused muscles. And I’ve been inspiration. Somehow our souls put us in the
very interested in how Chaitanya brought in the situation of doing this music. So how can we use
techniques of “bubbling” and “trilling,” and how that aspiration to work together with the physical act
some of those techniques can help you relax the of applying our bodies. We do have to remind
throat and reach notes that weren’t accessible before, ourselves to open our mouths. (laughs) And so there
because of certain muscles being tight. are mechanics that can bring us closer to the
vibration, bring us closer to our angelic singing
These, and other, techniques are helping me sing
selves. But it’s tricky, because people don’t like
with more ease now, and it’s an area that I’ve been
talking about mechanics. So it’s a trick to do it
actively exploring the past year. I find it’s very
without it making people feel that we’re going off on
helpful as a way of following the principles of
a tangent from the inspiration.
tensing and relaxing in order to get past the muscles
to what our souls are trying to express through our When I was young and practiced for hours a
voices. At this point, it’s a personal exploration, but I day, I could easily get into technique, so it’s a
think it does follow naturally from being aware of balance for me as well from the opposite end. I guess
how my voice has always been tight, yet is freer I’m learning to bring all those elements in without
when I am in tune with a higher vibration. Music for being distracted by the techniques.
me is part of the path, and I’m trying to see how it Q: Is there a process that you teach, for
can be more relaxed physically in order to let the soul smoothing out your voice? For warming up?
essence come through more clearly.
Cindy: What I’m mostly emphasizing these
Q: This is an area that others have talked about days is, before you open your mouth, be aware of
in these interviews, and they all say it’s very helpful. what you’re doing. I tell them to first listen. I’ll play
I once asked Chaitanya, “How are you able to sing a note on the guitar and have them wait and sing it
the high notes with such ease and smoothness?” He mentally before they do anything. Then after a
said, “Singing this music changes your voice.” Also, moment I’ll have them sing it. The response has been
Karen Gamow had me try some of the things you’re pretty dramatic. Before I started to emphasize the
exploring, like bubbling and trilling, because she listening, the energy was a lot more scattered, and
said these exercises help smooth her voice before she the choir might be as much as a half-step off. They
practices or performs. weren’t even aware that they were singing a
Cindy: I feel a lot of it is learning how to sing completely different note. But by listening, and
not from the heaviness of the body. It’s been making the effort to take the note in mentally before
interesting to see how the choir may be struggling singing it out, they’ve gotten to where they sing the
with a song in practice, but then in a performance note almost right-on.
with our energy completely committed to it, the At Sunday-morning rehearsal, where we don’t
result is beyond our expectations. When we focus have much time, I try to condense our warm-ups into
more on the vibration than on discomfort or quickly warming up our awareness through focused
 5
concentration. For our regular practice, depending feels a bit counter-intuitive, or impossible, you know
on what the energy’s like, I might follow the prayer there’s got to be a way. (laughs) So there’s a bit of
with a brief silence, and tune into the silence that the bootstrapping that goes on. And that’s something we
music comes from. Then I’ll say, “Now, from that use the music for as well. We set the energy and then
silence, let’s start singing. the form follows.
As far as mechanics, it depends on what songs Q: Do you find that the music changes people
we’re singing. We’ve recently been practicing in beneficial ways?
Oratorio songs, and because it makes it easier to sing Cindy: I think everybody experiences that. But
the high notes, we’re doing a lot more bubbling these to be honest, there isn’t anyone committed to the
days to warm up. And then when they get into the choir here who is not also doing several other things
song, if the sopranos are straining on the high notes, that changes them deeply. So it’s hard to separate the
I’ll have them bubble those high notes. Then they factors. It’s truly a package deal.
find it much easier to sing them.
Q: In one of Swami’s books, he says that
Generally I’m trying things that seem music isn’t a peripheral part of Ananda, that it’s
appropriate in the moment, so they can see results central. Do you sense that, or feel that it’s true?
right away, instead of feeling that we’re doing When you’re conducting or singing, do you feel
exercises for the sake of exercises. you’re doing something that Master blesses? That
Q: The idea of consciousness and music – are it’s a spiritual service to people?
you saying that when our consciousness is in the Cindy: When you listen to a Sunday sermon,
right place, the music tends to come out better? it’s easy to get caught up in the interesting
Cindy: Oh, yes. And then the whole reason we connections to science, philosophy, or useful hints.
do the music – well, it’s in a way backwards to do the But music brings in a dimension that can’t come
music and then see what the results are. It’s more through with the spoken word. Music bypasses
useful to see how much more inspiration we get if we certain parts of the brain that we get stuck in. It can
start by aiming for a certain consciousness, and give a feeling of pure inspiration, and a pure
trying to put our voices into attunement with that reminder of the goal. Of course it’s not the same as
consciousness. the experience of cosmic consciousness, but there’s a
hint of remembrance in it, enough to grab our
I love the way David Eby brings that out. I love
attention.
how before we do a song, he’ll say, “Think of the
energy behind the music, and the energy behind the Here’s a more mundane example of music’s
first phrase. Now, sing the first phrase with that power that I read in a book called My Stroke of
energy.” Insight. The author had a brother who was psychotic,
and as a brain researcher she had been dismayed to
But, yes, it’s starting with the consciousness. It’s
find that data about this group of people was sadly
wonderful to start a song and see what it does to our
lacking. She made it her personal mission to speak to
consciousness. It’s an incredibly wonderful and
groups of people with mental illness and try to
valid thing to do. But then if we already know what
convince them to donate their brains to science when
we want to do with it, I think it’s even more powerful
they died, so that the researchers could learn more
to tune into an inspiration, and then let ourselves be a
about the structure of the brain in this population.
channel for that consciousness to come through our
But she found it awkward and not very effective to
voices.
stand up in front of a group of people and ask for
At Ananda, we’re not always trying to do things their brains. So she wrote a humorous song for her
the most “efficient” way. If we’re given a task that presentations, and she found that her singing helped
 6
people overcome their resistance. As a result the into a more expansive view. The music very subtly
number of brains donated to that particular institute pushes us past limitations we may not even realize
increased astronomically. (laughs) are there. I think in that way the Ananda music does
work on us – it clearly creates an opening, a crack for
We tend to have our own fixed ways of thinking,
the Light to come through.
and we can get stuck in that, but music can push us
 2
Krishna Dewey

(Krishna is director of the training choir at I. The teacher literally asked me to put my hand on
Ananda Village.) the piano and look soulful and sing in a dramatic
“professional” manner. (laughs) My teacher actually
Q: When did you first get interested in music?
made me do that!
A: I guess I was ten. I was at school and they
When I got to Ananda, I was very intrigued.
showed us the instruments we could choose to play. I
Being classically trained and into jazz, which is very
looked at them and thought, “Well, there’s one with
complex, I listened to Ananda’s music and thought,
just three buttons!” (laughs) It was the trumpet. I
“How simple!” But, looking back, I realize I missed
said, “I’ll take that one.” And it turned out to be one
the point. Then at some point I got out the big book
of the most difficult instruments – I think French
of sheet music of all the Ananda pieces, and I
horn is the hardest. But I started playing and had a
proceeded to play them all on the trumpet. And that’s
great time, and when I graduated from high school
how I first started to connect with the music.
the band director encouraged me to study music at a
liberal arts college in Ohio. He thought that majoring My first thought was, “Oh, how sweet that
in music education would be a great choice for me. Swami Kriyananda sings.” But I didn’t understand
how deep it was until I internalized the music for
At college, I got lots of encouragement from my
myself by playing all the melodies with focus and
professors and had a great time playing jazz. After
openness. By playing it on the trumpet, over time I
graduation, I taught for a year as an elementary
began to understand the vibrational side of Swami’s
school band director in Catholic schools. I enjoyed it
music.
– I loved how the children would light up with the
music and discovering that they could play. But I At that point, I had completely let the voice go,
decided I didn’t know enough about teaching, so I because it was uninteresting to me. But I started
earned a master’s at the University of Illinois, chanting, and that’s when I realized that the voice is
focusing on psychology and learning how to help a key component of our spiritual path, and finding
people through music. our deeper spirituality, because there are no barriers
when you use your voice, either speaking or singing
Graduate school was a rich experience, because
– there’s nothing between you and anyone. You’re
some great musicians came to teach and give clinics
emitting sound, you’re emitting OM, and Swami’s
and concerts and meet with the students. We had
music teaches us from the deepest aspect of OM,
people like Duke Ellington, Van Cliburn, and
because of his inspiration. And the voice is how we
Charles Mingus. The best trumpet player in Russia,
express OM.
Timofei Dokshizer, gave a workshop with ninety
trumpet players, and I got to be in a smaller group of So I was finally turned on to the music, and I
thirty that learned from him. began helping the choir director in every way I
could. That was in 1990, when I first caught fire. I
Then I taught in a variety of settings all over the
had come to the Village from Palo Alto for a year to
country for a decade, in grade school through
take the monastic training program, and then I went
college. I loved instrumental music, but I was a voice
back and helped with the music in Palo Alto and got
minor, and I was totally dissatisfied with the voice
even deeper into it.
experience because it was very shallow. I remember
Swami Kriyananda describing how he took voice Something that inspired me from my directing
lessons when he was young, but he didn’t want to days with the large choir in Palo Alto is how
sing those histrionic operatic arias – and neither did inspiration can flow from the source where Swami’s
 2
music came from through each singer individually. technical things, but then we’ll always sit and go
When you direct, you’re facing the singers, and it’s a back to the inspiration from where the piece came.
unique experience because you’re connecting with That’s more or less in a nutshell what happens to
them all, not individually, and you’re connecting people. And, of course, they learn the parts and they
with them in an inspirational flow that’s unique gradually get more comfortable, and then they’re
every time you come to choir. You show up, and the addicted. A small, very loyal group of people come
message of one of the songs can be a transformative to the training choir practices, and they find that
experience in the moment that can increase your taking the extra time to practice with the training
knowing of your own higher Self. group deepens their experience with the big group.
Master said, “Chanting is half the battle.” And Q: Chaitanya said that singing this music
then Swami’s music adds another piece. Chanting changes a person’s voice. Have you found that to be
and singing Swami’s music, plus meditation, is true?
possibly the most powerful thing we can do to
quicken our spiritual evolution. A: Yes, it’s very true. What happens is that you
open up. It’s also a physical thing, because you’re
But, as I said, it’s a different experience each opening your heart to the feeling of the music, and
time. It’s one of the things I find inspiring about then as you relax, it feels like a cellular memory.
choir, and I think it’s why so many people are Instead of holding on to the muscles or tissues in
addicted to it, and just really want to sing every your body, the longer you sing, the more you learn to
chance they get. be open. And then the body opens up and the throat
Q: You direct the training choir at Ananda relaxes, and people speak and sing in a more
Village. If someone expresses an interest in singing, melodious way. It isn’t necessarily that they’re
but they’re shy and they’ve never sung in a group, singing in a different way, but it’s more melodious
how do you help them? and harmonious. They begin to sound comfortable in
themselves, and clear. I think clarity is one of the
A: We start with exercises that pull you out of
main things that comes out in their voices.
your idea of how you sing. Of course, we practice
learning the parts as well. But the exercises pull you Q: Harmony is a hallmark of Swami’s music,
out of any pre-conceptions you may have of trying to isn’t it? Inner harmony.
sing in a certain way. A: It’s true. And once people lock into those
We try to get the new singers to learn to blend harmonies, they can go deeper. Sometimes in
right away, and we explore the voice. We explore practice we’ll sit on a note for a long time; for
what the voice can do, and in that way we get in instance, a four-part chord that sounds unusual and
touch with the inspiration, and with the people beautiful. Or we’ll sing a phrase and hold the last
around us. note, and if you tune in, you can feel a recalibration
of your cells. But it tends to happen most easily when
As people learn to blend, I’ve seen that they get
you’re dwelling on the harmony, and when you
more comfortable with themselves. In the beginning,
aren’t moving on a series of notes. When you’re
they’re shy, but then they come into their own,
focusing on the harmony and the sound of the
knowing that they can sing the music, and that they
chords, you’re opening your ears to a broader
can truly feel it.
vibration. It actually recalibrates, I think, your brain.
After each piece, we sit and absorb the
Q: David Eby mentioned that he’ll have people
experience, and that’s when I see most people really
sing for a bit and then be quiet, as you described.
begin to get it. We’ll work on the simpler unison
And he said that when they come back and sing again
songs, like “Cloisters,” with blend, volume, and
 3
it’s as if to have a practice recording, because it helps you
develop habits that help key you right into the
your system has learned something.
inspiration of the song. Or if you can play it correctly
A: It’s true, above and beyond the music. Also, on a keyboard, that’s all right, too.
after you pause and stay quiet for a while, you can
Practice as much as possible. I’ve seen that the
focus more on the inspiration when you sing. You
people who take the time to practice between
work on technique, but by and by those technical
rehearsals make progress very quickly. The people
difficulties go away when you’re focusing on the
who don’t have as much time certainly get the
inspiration more than the technicalities. The
vibration and move along just fine. But practice does
technical side is certainly part of it – the altos have
help.
this note, the basses have that note, or whatever. But
then we always go back to the inspiration, because Performance is about giving out what you’ve
that’s where people really get it, and when that starts received. When you practice on your own, you
to happen, it becomes a different expression of the become more aware of what’s coming out of you,
music. and then when you go to practice you’re more
comfortable. You’re more comfortable with
Q: What are your thoughts on how people can
blending, and singing the song with everybody in
learn to give themselves more fully to the music?
harmony. You get more joy, and of course you give
A: I think the main thing is to keep doing it. more joy. If you give more to it, it’s simple math that
Keep singing. Keep blending with the group, you’ll have more to give, and people can feel it more.
especially. And keep listening. Also, something I’ve
Q: If you can get the mechanical things out of
used to aid that process for myself is to listen to
the way, there’s more space for inspiration to flow?
recordings of Swamiji singing, and try emulate his
voice. When you sing along, after a while the voice A: There sure is. People are sometimes a little
you’re listening to disappears. But I try to emulate disappointed that David discourages us from holding
Swamiji’s voice in all of its qualities. the sheet music when we sing. The reason is that
when your attention isn’t divided, you can more
As I look back, I see that it took me years to get
easily feel the energy and inspiration.
beyond the technical part. I would think, “He’s going
up to a high note, so, okay, you open your throat, and Q: Are there people who want to join the choir,
you increase this, and you do that.” But then I’d try it but need to work on their voice before they can sing
and it didn’t work. (laughs) You’re thinking “How with the group?
can I make it sound like that?” And I guess it’s like a A: I’m working with someone now who
sculptor, that you chip away all the parts of the stone experiences tension in the voice, and we’re helping
that aren’t the sculpture. them work through that. But they’re very dedicated
Q: How do you recommend that newcomers to singing. Swamiji commented to this person, “Why
practice? aren’t you singing?” It seems he recognized that it
would help this person’s spiritual life, and be a way
A: It’s important to relax. Watch your voice and
that they could grow by giving to people.
be sure to stay relaxed, rather than holding tension. If
you’re trying too hard for the notes, you’ll forget People starting out in the music find that it helps
about relaxing the voice. The parts recordings are them discover their own magnetism, so that they can
great, because you can listen and sing along with a start to refine it. We work to make the voice relaxed
good model. I’ve found that when people don’t listen and harmonious. Sometimes people join the choir
to a practice tape, or when they sing on their own, who don’t hear very well and can’t match pitch well,
they can develop habits that aren’t helpful. It’s good and it takes time for them to learn to listen and
 4
calibrate their ears and voice to be able to sing better. and with what the music has to give to others, and
Every year, there’s at least one person who is that I can let go.
working to improve their singing that way. I find that the path is largely a process of
Q: Dambara suggested that people who are learning to let go, until at the end of life you let go
starting out can go to kirtans and practice singing and rise through the spiritual eye. And the music aids
that way. that process because you become used to letting go.
A: Yes, it’s perfect! Music is perfect for developing that attitude.
You’re standing up before others like a transparent
Q: Do you find that when people begin singing
window pane, and everybody can see right through
Swamiji’s music, they experience a personal
you. They see you, they hear you, and you have
transformation? Or that it helps their meditation?
nothing to hide. It’s very transforming. I’ve
A: I think it does. I don’t recall a specific overcome tremendous obstacles of holding onto
example. But I know from my own experience that, things, and it’s been a freeing experience.
for one thing, you can breathe better, and it transfers
Q: Has that happened, in part, by being asked to
to Kriya. In choir this week, I suggested that they
do solos?
think of Kriya breathing when they inhale and
exhale, to make it relaxed while they sing, and A: Well, yes and no. Yes, because it helps you
perhaps even think of a musical phrase as a Kriya get there faster. I think it was in 1992, we performed
breath. They seemed to like that, and it changed their the Oratorio with Swami, and I played the trumpet.
sound when they thought of it that way. And for some reason, I was petrified. I had
performed for years, but it challenged me to work out
Q: Chaitanya’s final words of advice to the
a lot of tension and holding on.
singers in Palo Alto, just before he moved to the
Village, was to breathe in and then breathe out into Before the performance, we went to the theater
the song. and sat down and Swamiji prayed with us. He said,
“Help us to sing and play this music so that all who
A: That’s a wonderful analogy.
hear the music will receive what they need, not what
Q: Can you think of other ways that it’s been we think they need.” Isn’t that wonderful? That’s it!
personally transforming for you to sing the Ananda Don’t hold on to anything, so that people will receive
music? what they need.
A: I’ve worked through a lot with the music. Q: In a recent talk, Swami mentioned that he’s
Much of it had to do with letting go of tension, both never felt self-conscious or fearful about getting up
mental and physical. Coming in as a trained and speaking because he always has an attitude of
musician, I found all kinds of things that I was giving. Have you noticed that it helps with stage
holding onto that were preventing me from letting go fright?
and really experiencing the music.
A: Yes, that is absolutely the key. You get up in
I feel I’ve become a different person as a result front of the microphone, and you think of the grace
of meditation and singing the music, and of course for them. That’s what you think of, instead of how
listening to Swamiji. Listening to Swamiji speak, I you’ll do, how it will sound, and how you’ll be
feel, is like listening to music. I don’t believe that the perceived. You focus on them, and that’s what frees
path is primarily about philosophy, or tools for us from ego. And, again, the music is like a stained
changing myself or improving situations with others. glass window. They’re looking right through you.
It’s more of a flow, and I think that’s something the You’re standing there, and you are also becoming
music has taught me, that I can flow with inspiration clear, and you realize that you’re transparent, and
 5
that it’s the goal. A: It’s a definite plus. We saw a choir recently
that sang as one voice, to the extent that you couldn’t
Q: Two of the people I’ve interviewed
pick out one voice among the whole. The Ananda
mentioned that being part of the choir is like
choirs do the same thing, by tuning in to the music
becoming part of a community.
itself, and the inspiration coming through the music
A: I feel strongly about that. Swami tells the in the moment. And then it creates a vibration in
story of a Chinese emperor who would send his addition to the music. It’s another vibration that’s
officials to the various provinces to see how they created in the moment. And then people are able to
were doing. He said, “Listen to their music.” tap in and convey that.
Because if the music was harmonious, the emperor
It’s uncanny what can happen with the Ananda
knew that things were all right in that province.
music. We find that the singers in each of the Ananda
Sometimes we’ll have a choir rehearsal that will communities are getting the same results from the
be a bit too chatty. People will talk, and you can tell music. And it has little to do with technical skills.
how everybody’s doing, or what’s going on in the You’re hearing inspiration purely through a soul. I
community – if, for example, a family or a person is think that would be the answer to your question, that
facing a challenge. Or they’re tuning in to something the soul’s inspiration comes out, and then we
that Swamiji is going through. And you can more or become something else. Our souls unite with the
less tell how people are moving through it. people in the choir, and something else becomes real.
But it does drive me nuts. I want to say to people It’s an entirely different way of being free, with, as
“Stop talking and give all your attention to David.” you said, a kind of community experience. One
Because the music is coming from such a high place, voice, one sound, and one dissolving back into the
and we’re tuning in together to that high place, and oneness of God.
everything else is a distraction. Even a little twitter – Q: Do you have a particular prayer that helps
someone will get distracted and say “Oh, the basses you get out of the way?
need to go – and they’ll sing a phrase.” If that could
A: Well, simply those words, “Help us to get out
be kept to a minimum, it would be great.
of the way.” Each prayer is different, but if you’re
Q: Can you share more about the experience of about to get up and perform, you can ask Master to
feeling a sense of oneness with the others in the bless each one in the choir, so that we can bless
choir? Is it an important part of being able to give to others. That would be a simple and powerful prayer.
others? That there be a feeling in the choir of singing
as one voice?
 2
Chaitanya Mahoney

(Chaitanya teaches voice at Ananda University and said, “It’s inevitable.” (laughs) That was in
at Ananda Village.) 1990. I had actually lived to Ananda Village and
worked at the dairy for a while in 1990, so I’m giving
Q: Tell us how you got interested in singing.
you the shortened version.
Chaitanya: It was at St. Francis de Sales High
I started singing Swami’s music and taking
School in Columbus, Ohio. I think it was during
lessons from Agni Ferraro. I was also setting up
sophomore year that I tried out for a variety show
lessons for Agni when he would come to Palo Alto to
and found out I could sing. I sat next to two guys, and
teach.
at rehearsal one day they said, “Let’s start a
barbershop quartet.” Q: Did the Ananda music feel like a good fit
from the start?
We knew someone whose father was a
barber-shopper, and we started learning the music. I Chaitanya: Oh, yeah. Once I had the
sang with them for seven years. “Cloisters” experience, I was hooked. I really like
harmony. I love barbershop. We don’t have the same
At one point, we were doing amusement park
“ring” in our music, but of course you don’t get the
gigs in Cincinnati, and that’s when I first saw
depth of spiritual experience in the chakras from
Autobiography of a Yogi. While we were doing a
singing the stupid words in barbershop. (laughs)
show in Washington, DC, I picked up the
Autobiography. Later, we were doing a summer gig I sang some barbershop recently. It was fun, but
at a Gay Nineties restaurant in Cape Cod. It was I was still singing in the Ananda choir and in an
making me unhappy, because it wasn’t what I ensemble, doing solos and teaching. I did the
thought I wanted to do. So I finally picked up the barbershop as vocal training, because singing those
book and read it, a year after I bought it, and that’s close harmonies you have to be very accurate.
when I got into spirituality. When Swami wrote the Oratorio, he came to
To cut a long, complicated story short, I came to Palo Alto and we performed it at the Mountain View
Ananda Village for a program, and one day I visited Performing Arts Center. Then some years later he
the boutique where Nakula was working. I told him I wrote the recitatives. While I learned them, I
wanted to buy some music, and he asked me what recorded myself, and I realized that there wasn’t
kind of music I liked. I told him I liked harmony, and enough energy in my voice. So I kept recording and
he gave me The Joy Singers in Concert. listening until I could change one song, then I’d do
the same with the next song, until it had energy. I did
I returned to Upstate New York and listened to
that with all of the Oratorio songs, and it really
the tape and thought, “Oh, that’s nice.” But I thought
changed my singing. I discovered that you need ten
it was kind of hokey. Then while I was driving back
to twenty times more energy in your voice than you
from visiting friends in Montreal, I listened to the
think. (laughs) It’s internal energy. It’s hard to talk
tape again, and when I heard “Cloisters,” it just
about it, because you have to experience it.
struck me – it hit my heart, and I thought, “Wow,”
and on the two-hour drive I learned both parts and Q: Did you feel it was a process of attuning
memorized them. yourself?
Years later, I moved to Ananda Palo Alto, and I Chaitanya: Oh, absolutely. You know, Swami
hadn’t been there long when Kirtani told me, “You gives us the melody, and when we tune back into it,
ought to join the choir.” And I remember I turned we try to get in front of the window that it came
 2
from, that inspiration where that window is, and try for the tenors. But, beyond that, it seems there’s a
to tune into that. But it takes a lot of energy to do quality in the way you or Dambara are singing, as if
that. you’re wholly immersed in the song. There’s no
distraction, no doubts – all your attention is in the
Q: Is it a process, as you said, of going over
song. It’s like a song “being sung,” where I’m
and over a song until you find the inspiration?
listening and I’m not aware of any personality
Chaitanya: The process with the Oratorio was factors or distractions. I’m wondering if that’s a state
to get enough energy so that I could get a flow going you strive for consciously when you sing, to be one
inside myself. But then there’s always the issue of with the song.
“getting out of the way.” So there’s a constant
Chaitanya: I hear what you’re saying. I’ll see if
balancing of will power and surrender. But I didn’t
I can break it down a little.
really understand it until later.
Q: It seems a question of experience also.
Q: Do you find there’s a point where will
power and surrender merge in a flow, where you Chaitanya: That’s definitely true. When I
actually feel that you’ve gotten out of the way? breathe, I’m trying to take in the energy consciously.
And then by feeling that energy going out to the
Chaitanya: It does happen sometimes. I’ve
audience, it doesn’t get stuck in my body. That’s
developed an exercise that allows me to – I talk about
when you get nervous, if you’re just singing from
it in the syllabus I give students when I teach singing
your body, without that flow, then the nerves take
classes. [See Syllabus at the end of this interview.]
over and it starts to affect your voice, and then you
Most singers are not conscious when they hear your voice get affected, and it makes you even
breathe. Whenever I talk to singers, this is the only more nervous. I always get nervous in front of a
thing I talk about. (laughs) It’s very simple – to be crowd. But if you take that energy, the adrenaline
more conscious when you breathe, to breathe in that’s created, and put it into that flow, it expands the
through your heart, and bring that energy up onto flow of breathing where you connect and then
your face, and then it becomes prana. It’s a packet of express it to the audience. You deepen and expand it
information that has its own intelligence, and it has because of the adrenaline factor. If you get stuck in
its own direction. It’s always changing depending on your body, that nervous energy snowballs – it
who’s listening. Does that make sense? cascades in your voice and makes you more nervous.
Q: It does, in a subtle way. I can see why it Q: Are you saying you’re trying to get out of
would be hard to talk about. the ego?
Chaitanya: I spent a lot of time writing the Chaitanya: Well, what I’m describing is a very
syllabus. The words didn’t flow easily, but I kept technical way of doing it. But it’s not technical if
revising it until it got to a point where I could say “I you’re getting into that flow. What I feel when I’m
like that.” Everything that’s in that syllabus is truly in this flow is that Divine Mother really loves
something I like. It’s concise, but it says what my everybody. (laughs) You can feel that, and you try to
experience is, and what I can teach. My experience let that love express. When you take a breath and you
with the young students here at Ananda University is start to sing, if you’re not playing your own tape in
that it’s teachable. your head, She’ll express it a certain way for
Q: That brings another point. In my practice, I whoever is in front of you. If you’re doing a solo
learn the songs by listening to the mp3 recordings of especially.
the tenor parts that you and Dambara have made. When you’re singing in a group, you’re really
First it’s just scrambling to get the notes right, but tuning in to the whole group, with the consciousness
then I begin to pick up the melody that Swami wrote
 3
of the group. You’ll have experiences with the group choir is like that.
where you think “Wow, that was amazing.” You Say, 50 percent aren’t great singers. And
won’t always have that experience, but that’s when sometimes some pretty bad singers float through the
She’s expressing. And She’s expressing something cracks. But I like to let people think that it’s possible
for the particular people out there. for them. I’ll ask them to let me listen to them. I’ll
That’s what I talk about at the bottom of the take them into a private room and start singing with
syllabus, where you ask and you ask and you ask to them. I’m very comfortable with that, because of
serve, and it allows the energy to come and serve barbershop. In barbershop, you go anywhere and
through you. sing with anybody, and you only need four guys. So
I’m very comfortable singing with people, where
Q: I was going to ask you about that next, the
most people are not.
last part of the syllabus, because it seems an essential
part of the process. I’ll start singing with them, doing scales and
something they know, so they feel comfortable and
Chaitanya: Well, yes. I’m teaching students at
can sing, and then I can hear how good their ear is,
the Ananda University who are Buddhists, and not
and how good their tonal placement is, their
necessarily part of Ananda. But they all like Swami’s
intonation, and so on, and I can make a decision
music, and they’re not much interested in doing
whether they’re ready to sing in the choir.
other music. And I wrote that last part of the syllabus
and handed it out, and they liked it. The best thing people can do if they don’t “make
the cut” is to chant. If they play the harmonium and
It’s all spiritual, but some of them have different
chant, over time the wires will start getting
paths. Some are on our path.
connected and they may be able to join the choir.
Q: Did you write the syllabus as a shortcut to
Q: What would you advise people about
help people learn more quickly what you’ve learned
improving their singing – the quality of their voice,
over the years?
getting in tune with the inspiration of the songs,
Chaitanya: Nischala wanted something to put learning to channel it to others? You cover a lot of
on the Ananda University website, but it’s what I’ve this in the syllabus, but I’m wondering if you have
learned, and what I teach. any other thoughts.
In the world, they say that “inspiration can’t be Chaitanya: They can ask for help. Karen has
taught” – you either have it, or you don’t. But in our taught some people in Palo Alto, and Ramesha
teaching, you can learn it over time, how to connect teaches classes on person and online. Ramesha has
and sing from inspiration. very good tonal placement, and he’s very good at
Q: What would you say to a person who’s helping people learn to sing.
come recently to Ananda, and they’re sort of timid What I teach is how to sing from inspiration.
about starting in the music, but they’re thinking, That’s another approach. You can learn a lot about
“Maybe I can do this.” How would you get them tonal placement by learning to sing from inspiration,
started? because inspiration improves everything.
Chaitanya: The first thing I would say is that Q: It’s refreshing to hear you say that.
most of the people in our choirs are not soloists.
Chaitanya: The choir might be singing a little
They’re not going to be able to stand up by
flat, and lots of directors would point upward. But
themselves and sing a part. But they can stand next to
Agni Ferraro used a different approach – he would
someone and sing, and feel the inspiration, and
stop the choir and tell a story. (laughs) It would
expand the inspiration. At least 50 percent of our
actually improve the quality of the singing, because
 4
they would feel inspired. By telling an inspiring Chaitanya: Yes. I always recommend that
story, he was able to turn things around vibrationally. people practice it in the Festival of Light when
He would tell stories about his experiences singing they’re singing “Father, Mother, Friend, Our God.”
with the choir that's based in Assisi. Many of the It’s fairly easy to do then, just practice breathing.
stories would have humor in them, but there would And it’s easier in rehearsal than in performance. A
also be stories with a serious theme, and it was very performance has all this adrenaline and activity that
interesting how people would be able to hit the notes activates the mind. But if you keep practicing, it has
after that. an effect over time.
The breath is important, too. The breath is Q: Do you reach a point where performance
conscious – it has information about placement. But becomes relaxed, like practice? Where you aren’t
it’s very demanding. Sometimes one of Swami’s running down your checklist of things to remember,
songs will require that you sing a series of high notes and you can just sing?
very softly, and you’ll think “I can’t do that!” But if Chaitanya: Well, I have a certain level of
you don’t think about it, but work with the breath, all consciousness when I sing, but I think the potential
of a sudden you find that you’re doing it. You think for tapping that higher consciousness is unlimited.
“Wow, how did I do that?” And, well, you don’t (laughs) We can always deepen and expand that
know how, but it doesn’t matter, because if you stay awareness, and I don’t think I’ve gotten close to
connected, you can do it. being fully aware of the source of the music. I don’t
You don’t have to do this or that, but if you get look at the process as being easy. I look at it as
the placement right then it’s more a question of something that I have to work at.
staying connected. The right flow of energy will That’s how I look at it – that there are no limits
support singing a high note softly. to the inspiration. If you feel the hand of God coming
Q: As you sing, are you always aware of your through your heart, and going out and affecting
breathing? people, then that would be something to aim for. I
definitely feel energy moving, but I don’t always
Chaitanya: I’m trying to be. But it’s not easy.
know what it’s doing exactly. I feel inspired, and I
Fortunately, music has melody, rhythm, and
feel love for the audience, and I realize that that love
breathing. So there’s a cycle that allows the mind to
isn’t coming from me.
come back to a starting point. When you’re singing,
it’s easier to keep the mind focused than when you’re Q: Is it going inside and finding some oneness
meditating, because the melody is captivating. And with Divine Mother’s love?
if you can develop the habit of taking a breath Chaitanya: I don’t know, it’s all in the flow. As
consciously, then it deepens the whole experience. It I deepen and expand the experience of the breath, I
makes it all more alive and inspiring. feel more of it. It is a oneness, yes, that reaches out to
Q: Is that kind of like an experience where help everybody who wants to be an instrument.
you’re out in public and you want to get calm, and Because, you know, Divine Mother is looking for
you’ve been doing kriya and yoga for years, and you instruments.
know that if you breathe deeply for a while, that Q: Is there is a process that you use to prepare
there will be a gathering of energy in the heart. And yourself spiritually before you perform? Do you
once you have the energy gathered in your heart, you meditate or pray?
can direct it to good thoughts, expansive thoughts,
praying for people, singing, or whatever. Is that the Chaitanya: I’m embarrassed to say that I don’t,
same thing, that gathering of energy in the heart and other than I try to breathe consciously. When Swami
then using it to sing? wrote the recitatives for the Oratorio, there were four
 5
soloists who sat in front and sang most of those degrees. When you breathe like that, you can feel
solos. Sometimes Swami sang bass and I sang tenor. more of the diaphragm. That’s my experience after
One time he was singing bass, and he said, “I wrote doing this exercise – you feel more of the diaphragm,
this for a bass – here, you sing it.” (laughs) Because and then you can create more support, which makes
some of the songs were a bit high for a bass. it easier to sing the higher notes.
That’s just a little aside. But I noticed that before This is technical stuff that I teach. I usually start
a concert he would always meditate. He would sit up by having the students do the Half Moon Pose, where
here and start doing alternate breathing, with the you breathe deeply, into the back part of the ribs,
fingers on the forehead, where you close one nostril which they call the floating ribs, and you try to
and breathe through the other for a count, then hold expand that range. Then, when you exhale, you come
and exhale through the other nostril. He did that for down sideways and it stretch those ribs. Then you
15 minutes. So that would be a good thing to do, and breathe in again, and you exhale and stretch. You do
I’ve thought about it, but I’m embarrassed to say that that maybe four times on each side, and then you
I haven’t done it. keep your chest erect.
Q: But you are thinking of the audience. Then we do bubbling and trilling. In bubbling
and trilling, you do it while you’re breathing in
Chaitanya: I do think of the audience. If we’re
deeply and expanding the rib cage so you can feel the
singing at Sunday service, it’s easier, because we’re
diaphragm. Then you sing more from the diaphragm
meditating during service. And whenever I pray, I
than the throat. The breath for singing a note starts
always ask to be able to open and for Divine Mother
with the diaphragm squeezing in on the air, instead
to shine through us. That’s the only prayer I pray,
of from constricting the throat, and it allows the
really – to breathe and be open to that energy.
throat to be more relaxed.
Q: I remember once asking you how you were
Bubbling allows you to be aware of the various
able to sing the high notes purely and with a nice, full
passages of sound in the head, and go in and out of
energy. And your answer was, “Singing this music
them more easily. The main passage for everyone is
changes your voice.”
straight up, and then for the men, when you get up as
Chaitanya: I did say that, because it’s a real high as E-flat, it goes back. It’s like an air column
experience. The more you sing – especially drawing that rises from the diaphragm and then turns back.
the breath through your heart, connecting the heart You get the air up and then it goes into different
chakra to the throat chakra where the voice is – the chambers in your head. When we go really high –
more it affects the quality of the sound. And then men don’t sing that high, but the women do – there’s
Divine Mother demands a pure tone up on the high another passage that’s even further back.
notes. So you keep singing until it sounds beautiful.
But you do the exercises – the trilling and
Keep practicing and singing the music until it sounds
bubbling – because they allow you to go in and out of
nicer. And then, all of a sudden, if it’s making that
these passages smoothly, with support from the
connection, it’s happening. And then when it’s not
diaphragm. It makes a natural connection. The
happening, say you’ve got a cold or something, it’s
vibration of the bubbling and trilling also relaxes the
frustrating.
face and opens the cavities that resonate with the
I teach an exercise that helps a lot. It’s for voice. When they open and your throat’s relaxed,
stretching out the floating ribs. Swami once had me there’s no distortion.
put my hand on his back while he sang, and when he
We sang in Palo Alto at some event, and Joan
breathed, his ribs came apart. It was like huge – his
Baez sang. I was about 20 yards away, where I could
the chest was expanding in all directions, 360
hear her voice clearly. There was no distortion, just a
 6
clear, ringing bell. It was like a Stradivarius and that’s why I recommend it as a chance to practice
instrument. these things. I have a powerful experience of the
Festival every Sunday, because of the singing –
I’ve had to help people learn to sing, starting
because I engage it, I don’t merely sing it, I engage
with an average voice where there’s lots of tension in
it. I’m trying to deepen and expand it. When a song’s
the throat, and using these methods with the breath to
over, I say, “Oh, the song’s over – shucks.” By the
make the voice pure, without distortion. Does that
time they do the touch of light, I am in tears, usually.
make sense.
That’s my experience. That’s why I recommend the
Q: It does. I find it’s hugely helpful to do any Festival as a way of practicing.
kind of exercises that open the rib cage. I had spinal
Formerly when I would teach, I noticed that
surgeries, years ago, and that area can get tight. I find
nobody practiced the technical stuff. I thought,
that loosening the spine by stretching backward and
“Well that’s stupid. I’ve got to figure out something
sideways and opening the rib cage makes a
else.” And this exercise came to me.
tremendous difference in how the energy can flow –
I feel almost like a different person. It makes it much If you listen to Swami’s voice when he sings, he
more harmonious and smooth. has it. in a video and audio of his called “The Voice,”
he said one sentence that’s a part of who he is, and
Chaitanya: We usually aren’t aware of the
that’s become my whole teaching. I expanded my
back half of our bodies. Bt in singing, if you’re aware
whole syllabus from that one sentence. He talks
of the heart chakra in your back, and you breathe into
about using the body as a “sounding board.” I
that, then you have a different experience. I’ve
extrapolated from that simple statement, and this
practiced this for four or five years, and I can feel the
whole practice came to me, that eventually became
heart chakra as a flower, and it shines upward when
the syllabus.
the breath comes across it, then it makes me smile.
It definitely works. I’m thinking particularly of
It’s from consciously doing this exercise over a
the young college students who come to this place
period of time. That’s been my experience. But then
that’s unusual. I’m thinking of one student
it gets easier as all of a sudden these things are
particularly who’s very talented and could do what I
working for you, without a lot of boredom of doing
taught him, though he couldn’t do it all the time, and
an exercise over and over without much response.
so it was frustrating for him. But he knew it was a
The inspiration of the music really helps. (laughs)
real thing. If his experience is like mine, and he
You keep coming back and having the opportunity to
keeps practicing, I’m sure it will be easier for him,
do it.
over time. Every week, I get new insights into the
Fortunately we have the Festival where we sing “method.”
things that demand it. I look forward to the Festival,
 2
Chaitanya: A Syllabus: Conscious Devotional Singing

1. Singing Technique. Learn to expand the Further Steps

area of the floating ribs, and aware of how the
The purpose of Swamiji’s music is to serve!
diaphragm connects to this area, and how a flow of
energy that starts there and creates power in the How does one do that? How can we learn to
voice. Certain exercises will help you make this serve through singing Ananda’s music?
connection, and help you learn to move in and out By asking, asking, asking, and asking to
fluidly through the different registers of the voice. serve, before one sings!
When you are able to do this correctly, the
2. Breathing. Most singers “go unconscious” energy of the Divine Mother comes from the back,
when they breathe. In this particular style of singing, supports and shapes your instrument, then moves
you learn that when you breathe is when you need to outward to express Her qualities and touch the
be the most conscious. If you can develop the habit people in front of your instrument, as she chooses.
of using conscious breath, all the other aspects of This is done through the in-breath, where Divine
singing will become easier. Mother will enter as prana, giving power, direction,
devotion, and humility to your voice.
3. Connecting. Once you can make a habit of Through practice and experience, the instrument
conscious breathing, you can begin learning to then begins to feel love (Divine Mother) entering on
connect to a greater awareness that gives direction, the in-breath and then Her love moving out on the
power, devotion, and humility to the voice. out-breath, as you observe it (without judgment or
thinking) to touch the people in front of you. You
feel Her loving the audience.
4. Conscious Devotional Singing. It then Anyone can do this, no matter what your voice
becomes a matter of practicing and enjoying your is like. (Bharat is a glorious example of this!!! His
practice, which changes the quality of your voice. instrument may not be able to sing in tune, but
You gradually begin to “Self-Realize the Divine spiritually he is very much in tune with this practice.
Voice” as you, and unique only to you. He is a great example for all the Ananda singers.
When I sit near him at Sunday service, I am inspired
by his devotion, because I’ve learned to look past his
5. Performing. Finally, if you wish to
instrument and feel the Divine Mother expressing
perform with your voice, you can work to overcome
devotion through him.
nervousness and stage fright – which this style of
singing will help you naturally transcend. Conscious The lesson is that if you say you cannot do this
Devotional Singing is (a) opening to the breath style of singing because your instrument gets in the
(inspiration), (b) directing your will power with way, it is simply not true. Your voice can be
conviction inwardly upon a phrase, which then (c) transcended, if you truly want to – and through
creates an experience of consciousness that you can transcending, everything will improve, including the
(d) direct outwardly to touch people. instrument, and especially the soul’s expression.
She is the greatest teacher!
 2
Nirmala Shuppe

(Nirmala is the co-spiritual director, with her on his hind legs toward us through the trees. That
husband, Dharmadas, of Ananda India. She also morning, we entered the temple a little early...
directs the Ananda music ministry in India.) In 1978, Swamiji led a nationwide lecture tour,
I arrived at Ananda Village in August, 1975, and accompanied by the Gandharvas, followed by
joined the apprentice program. Because I had studied another tour in 1979. I went on the second tour.
piano as a child, I immediately began playing the Swamiji often related this story about our
harmonium and learning to chant. Soon, I was asked experiences:
to help lead chanting for the group, and I got very “The singers would start the evening program
involved in Master’s music and devoted my free time with a couple of songs, which would take about 5
to chanting on my own. minutes. Then I would speak for an hour and a half.
A few months later, I joined “The Gandharvas,” The singers would close the program with a song or
which was the name of Ananda’s small singing two, lasting another 3 to 5 minutes. As I stood at the
group at the time. (The Gandharvas are the “Celestial door shaking hands with people as they left the hall,
Singers” from the Hindu scriptures.) Shivani had people would say to me: ‘The music was
told Swamiji, “Nirmala has a ‘true’ voice,” meaning wonderful!’”
that I could carry a tune – and I was enlisted! The point Swamiji was making is that music
As I concentrated on Swamiji’s music, chanting cuts through all the intellectual barriers and touches
was put on the “back burner” for several years. Later, people’s hearts. Even though the singing took just a
when I got involved in chanting again, I found that few minutes compared to the 90 minutes of his talk,
my attunement with it had deepened because of my it was memorable for people.
work with Swamiji’s music. Master and Swamiji are Soon after that tour, a group of us moved to Palo
highly important influences in our lives as devotees. Alto to “get the music out there.” We sang in
Working with their music helps us to attune to them churches, schools, and for many civic groups.
in amazing ways.
The group dissolved after a year or so, when
In those early days, copies of music weren’t Ram and Dianna were asked to move to Italy to head
easy to come by – it was the age of the mimeograph up our work there. The rest of us moved back to the
machine. Even after Xerox was invented, we had to Village, where we continued the music outreach with
drive 16 miles into town to get copies made. When a small group called “The Joy Singers”: Jeannie,
we did manage to get those precious copies, they Lakshman (Michael Simpson), Nirmala, Vasudeva,
were in Swamiji’s original handwritten notation, and Tricia. (Linda and Agni joined us later.)
Xeroxed from his originals. Since these copies were
scarce, I learned most of the songs by having Parvati, We traveled up and down the West Coast giving
or another gurubhai, sing them in my ear as I sang concerts, staying with devotees, sleeping on couches
along. It worked just fine. or the floor in their homes. It wasn’t an easy life, but
we were totally committed to bringing Swamiji’s
In those days, the Gandharvas sang at Sunday music to a broader audience.
service, which was held at the Seclusion Retreat. We
would wait outside, and when it was time for us to One dark night, as we were driving to an
sing, we would come into the temple. One morning, engagement, someone in the car next to us on the
as we were waiting, a large black bear came walking freeway started gesticulating wildly to get our
 2
attention. We thought the person was either drunk or harmonium with gloves on, that we discovered how
crazy, so we ignored him. beautiful the guitar and harmonium sound together,
and we began working out the chords for Master’s
Then another person started doing the same
and Swamiji’s chants to facilitate their union.
thing. Eventually we realized that the window in the
(Originally at Ananda, only the harmonium was used
tailgate of our station wagon was open, and our
to lead chanting. In the mid-1980’s, the guitar started
performance costumes were flying out the back!
to be used, but the two instruments didn’t play
We pulled over and spent a hilarious half hour together. The marriage of the two instruments was a
dodging traffic as we gathered up our precious match made in heaven: the guitar stimulates
clothing. When we got to the engagement, we found devotion in the heart, while the harmonium provides
that everything was fine except for Vasudeva’s white the deep vibration of Aum: an unbeatable
shirt, which had a black tire track etched diagonally combination.)
across the front – and we had ended up with one
A memorable moment for the Joy Singers came
extra shoe! (Vasudeva kept his guitar strapped in
that summer, when we sang for a Veglio Blood Bank
front of him the whole night, so we got by
event, which took place near where we lived. It was
unscathed.)
an evening performance on an outdoor stage, and I
In 1985, I accompanied an Ananda pilgrimage remember we were introduced – in Italian, of course
to the Holy Land as the choir director. Everyone on – as “Ananda! They don’t eat meat! They don’t drink
the tour learned to sing Swamiji’s oratorio, “Christ alcohol! They don’t have children!” These American
Lives,” which he had composed to highlight the yogis were indeed an oddity!
major events of Christ’s life. We wanted to be able
Since it was the height of summer, and the
to sing the songs in the actual places where those
brilliant spotlights shining on the stage seemed to be
historical events had occurred.
the only lights for miles around, every flying insect
It was a thrilling prospect, but some of the in the country seemed magnetically drawn to land on
people on the tour had NEVER sung before – and us! It was sheer tapasya to keep still, keep smiling,
preparing everyone was an interesting challenge, to and keep singing with all that crawling, buzzing, and
say the least. tickling. Those insects were out for our blood at the
It turned out to be an amazing blessing to sing in Veglio Blood Bank!
the holy shrines. Even if we weren’t technically Sometimes, singing for God is martyrdom.
perfect, other people who heard us often asked if we
Later that year, we moved our Ananda Europa
were a “professional choir” because we sounded so
center from Como to its permanent home in Assisi.
good. Devotion + the good acoustics in those holy
During my time there, we continued to build the
places = an incredible sound.
music outreach, touring with various singing groups
We ended the pilgrimage in Italy, where we throughout Italy and Germany.
visited the shrines of Saint Francis in Assisi, and then
In early 1988, I returned to Ananda Village,
stayed at our fledgling Ananda center in Como.
where I led several small Joy Singers groups. I got
While we were in Italy, Swamiji asked Michael
very involved with chanting again, and it became the
Simpson and me to stay on and start the music
focus of my sadhana. Our chanting group created a
ministry there.
book called “Chants for Guitar and Harmonium” that
That winter, we lived at the center in Como, mapped out the chords for many of the chants so that
where we worked with Ram, Dianna, and Kirtani as both instruments could play them together. We
the other members of our singing group. It was enjoyed many happy session with Swamiji
during those cold winter days, while I played the confirming the chord choices. (The book gradually
 3
evolved, and it took a big step in the late 1990s with We performed excerpts from Shakespeare’s
the help of Lakshman [Alan Heubert], Jeannie, and a plays to highlight Swamiji’s Shakespeare songs: a
devotee in the Southwest who helped put the music vignette from “A Midsummer Night’s Dream”
into the Finale notation program. In recent years, around the song “Fairies’ Lullaby,” for example.
David Eby and Jeannie have developed it further.) We had fun acting out other songs of Swamiji’s
It was truly a blessed time in my life: a couple of as well: “Hawaiiana” (performed by someone who
times a week from 7-9 p.m. we would have singing had studied hula dancing), “Dracula’s Castle” (with
rehearsal to work on Swamiji’s songs, and then we two ladies dressed in black capes), “Cherry
would chant together late into the night and early Blossoms in Kyoto” (with kimonos and Japanese
morning. Our chanting group was invited to lead umbrellas), “It’s Time to Go to School” (singers
meditations and kirtans, and we would go anywhere, dressed as ducks in sailor suits, just as Swamiji
anytime, for the opportunity to chant. dreamed the song as a child), “The Philosopher and
the Boatman,” “If You’re Seeking Freedom,” and so
I remember a particularly cold, snowy Saturday
on. It was all great fun!
morning: we had been asked to lead a meditation
starting at 5 a.m at the Seclusion Retreat, six miles The story I have heard most often during my
away. years as a choir director is this simple one, with
varying details: “I almost didn't come to rehearsal
In the pre-dawn darkness, we piled into our
tonight because...(fill in the blank) but then I
rickety old van that didn’t have a heater and headed
managed to get myself here. I am SO glad I came! I
up the slippery road. When we got to the temple, it
feel much better, more in tune, and happier! (Again,
was stone cold. As we began chanting, I noticed that
fill in the blank!)”
one of my friends was hitting a wrong chord on the
guitar at the same point in every repetition. I couldn’t Having Swamiji's music flowing through us is
understand it since he was an excellent guitarist. I an unfailing way to raise our energy and feel inspired
glanced over at him and realized that his hand was again.
frozen, and he couldn’t form the chord! I knew the In 1991, Peter Schuppe, who was in charge of
effort he was putting forth to play the guitar in the the music at the Ananda center in Seattle, invited me
cold, and joy filled me. Rare are times when to do a music weekend there. Shortly after, we were
“mistakes” are thrilling, but this was one of them. married. We lived in Seattle until 1994, when we
What an incredible blessing is satsang! returned to the Village and began working for
During this period, I was asked to lead the music Crystal Clarity Design and Publications, helping
ministry at Ananda, and I spent several years focused publish Swamiji’s books and music.
on creating programs for special events. The music For the next nine years, we continued to be very
overlapped with other entertainment, including involved with the music at Ananda, including the
Reader’s Theatre performances of stories by the Christmas season group, “The Victorian Singers,”
British humorist, P. G. Wodehouse, a favorite at that has provided excellent public relations for
Ananda. Ananda by singing at many venues throughout
We created theatrical vignettes from Master’s California since 1980. We also led Ananda’s “Joyful
Autobiography of a Yogi, from the Bible, and from Arts Ministry” until Swamiji invited us to come to
Swamiji’s music and his “Festival of Light” and India to help him start Ananda’s work there.
other writings, to celebrate holidays, the Masters’ So far in India, our singing groups have
birthdays and mahasamadhis, themed weekend and performed at Swamiji’s major speaking events, as
week-long programs, etc. well as performing excerpts from his play, “The
 4
Peace Treaty.” We have performed Wodehouse with chanting, it provides a strong foundation for the
plays, and have sung regularly for satsangs and other devotee’s spiritual life. It has been our great blessing
programs. to work with Swamiji’s and Master’s music, and we
strongly encourage everyone to take advantage of
Still, much, much more is needed to help
this wellspring of divine joy.
develop the music in India.
Oh, Indian devotees, come join the choir!
Ananda’s music is an indispensable way for
people to develop attunement on this path. Together Aum, n.
 2
Dambara Begley

(Dambara Begley is active in the music around the world, and it saved a lot of time and
ministry at Ananda Sangha in Palo Alto, California.) expense.
Q: When did you first come to Ananda? When I read The Path and Autobiography of a
Yogi, I knew it was “mine.” I knew it was true, and it
Dambara: It was 1987. A friend told me about a
was true in a way that my heart was overjoyed with,
flyer for a slideshow about India – this was in Palo
because there were answers that I hadn’t seen or
Alto – and I was thinking of walking around the
heard anywhere else. I had asked lots of people, been
world looking for truth. So this was God's hook for
lots of places and heard lots of things, but this spoke
me to see this slideshow, which turned out to be
to me. And once I recognized it, I dove in.
about the first Ananda pilgrimage, with Asha Praver
narrating. I enjoyed the slides, but I especially Q: Did you visit Ananda Village after that?
enjoyed Asha’s clarity. I asked her afterward, “What Dambara: A year and a half later, I had a
is that?” And she graciously pointed me to the counseling session with Asha, and at the end she
boutique, where I found some info on the classes mentioned a program for newcomers that was being
they offered. I also got a copy of The Path, Swami resurrected at the Village. It was called Cities of
Kriyananda’s autobiography. They were handing out Light. It resonated with me, and so I called Bent
the paperback edition for free at the time, and I took Hansen to ask about the program, and he said, “Well,
it home and read up to the point where he meets that’s nice, but we haven’t really even printed the
Paramhansa Yogananda, then I bought Yogananda’s flyers yet.” But I ended up going, and when two
Autobiography of a Yogi, and I was just sold. months had passed, I knew I wanted to move there. I
Eventually I took the meditation classes, and here we returned to the Bay Area and made some more
are. money, then I moved to the Village.
Q: What sold you about it? Q: Did you get a job at the Village right away?
Dambara: First of all, I was ripe. I was a truth Dambara: I went through the monastic training,
seeker. I had wanted to be a priest as a kid — I was where you spent a year living at the Meditation
raised in the Catholic church, but as a teenager I Retreat to give you time to go deep in the teachings.
thought it was all kind of naïve – what I heard them Then I got a job with a database marketing company
teach, and how they would answer my questions. So that was owned by an Ananda member. It was an
I threw it away and decided to go off on my own and intense, involving work environment. Meanwhile,
seek answers. the program at the Meditation Retreat was
I was joking with the friend who’d told me about continuing. One night, Prakash was giving a class on
the flyer — I said, “I’m going to get a personalized Kriya Yoga, but there were some things that came up
license plate that says ‘ICKTCHR.’” “I seek a at the company, and I figured I needed to stay late.
teacher.” Looking back, I can see that on some level I So I called Anandi and told her I wouldn’t be able to
knew what I was talking about. I was thinking, “I’ve make the class. And I was surprised by her response.
done everything I know how to do, and I’m still not It was very direct and severe — she said, “That’s not
getting the answers I want, so I need a guide. I need a reality! This is reality!” I’ve since realized, of course,
teacher,” without really knowing what that meant. that it’s true, that what seems so urgent and
But the soul knew – and I think it shows that I was impressive in the outside world – compared to the
ripe for it to happen. And, as they say, when you’re spiritual life and understanding Kriya and how it
desperate enough that you're ready to go anywhere, applies – that’s much more eternal and much more
your teacher comes to you. So I didn’t have to travel real. So it was a good lesson.
 2
Q: Had you been interested in music before you Dambara: Uh-uh. I mean, I still want it to be
came to Ananda? creative. I don’t know if it’s a fault that I need to
work on, or if it’s a common thing that everyone
Dambara: Yes, I’d always enjoyed singing. In
feels, but I thrive on challenge and creative
our house, my mother would sing along to record
stimulation. And, of course, you can’t just be passive
albums of Broadway musicals. She and her brothers
and rely on other people to always provide that for
and sisters loved singing, and they would sing
you.
together and have lots of fun. That was the
environment, the joy of singing that I picked up from Somewhere in the back of my mind, I’m always
her. She would always harmonize – there would be a hoping that there’ll be something new coming along
melody on a record, and she would harmonize with within the Ananda world to challenge me. Like the
it. That was the background that inspired me; I ended rare occasions when Swami would come up with a
up singing a lot and enjoying it. new piece of music, or new arrangements for the
parts of a song. He would walk in and hand us the
Q: Were you happy to discover that there was a
music, and for me it was like, “Yes!” All of my
big music scene at Ananda?
molecules would rise to the occasion to study it and
Dambara: Oh, totally. I had done some minor learn it. To me, that’s a really fun moment, learning
rock band gigs in high school, and it was all fun, but something new. Like the things David Eby is doing
it was very ego-oriented – “Here I am on the stage, up at the Village, to me that’s an example of
and everybody’s looking at me.” It ran its course, something new and creative. [David is a professional
like other kinds of music did – you’d get into it for a cellist who's deeply involved with the Ananda
while, but it would run dry. I had studied piano for music.]
several years, but all of it petered out after a point,
Q: What is he doing? New arrangements?
and when it no longer had any creative inspiration
for me, I would lose interest. So by the time I got to Dambara: Well, yes. He’s taking the talent that
Ananda, I had dabbled in many things, but none of exists and seeing how we can use it creatively to
them stuck. When I heard the music that was coming interpret Swami’s music. And what’s brilliant is that
from Ananda, it overjoyed me. he’s not only done incredibly amazing, creative
things, but he’s put so much energy into helping
At the Meditation Retreat, the whole idea was
people learn to do new things, learn to play new
not to get outwardly involved for the first year, just
instruments, and giving them ideas for all kinds of
focus on the teachings, go as deep as you could, and
new things they can learn. And the different sounds,
build a good foundation. Which to this day I
the different groups that have come together are very
recommend as a good way to start. But after that first
impressive, and lots of fun.
year, when I was invited to be part of the choir
rehearsals, I loved it. Q: Does it reflect what Swami Kriyananda has
said, that restrictions often tend to promote
The music that I heard from Swami Kriyananda
creativity, instead of hindering it? The example he
was finally music that was worthwhile to sing. When
gives is Muslim art, which doesn’t allow depicting
Swami describes his early musical training, he
living forms, yet it led to an explosion of creativity in
remarks how lots of classical songs have nice
abstract design. Do you find that it works like that
melodies, but what are you really singing? Nothing
with Ananda’s music, with a strictly defined
hugely uplifting. So, finally, here was music that was
repertoire of about 400 pieces?
hugely uplifting. It was a joy, and it continues to be a
joy. Dambara: Earlier, when I was talking about
feeling less inspired than at other times – that doesn’t
Q: It hasn’t gotten old for you?
apply to the music or the message in the music. To
 3
me, it applies to re-doing the same things I’ve done moving away from Ananda and doing it. That’s what
before, personally. the result ended up being. It’s hard to know another
person’s karma. But I have seen that generally
It’s like the Festival of Light. You can come and
speaking, when folks really felt a strong need to do
listen to it every Sunday morning, and some people
their own thing, they left Ananda. And I think what
might say, “Oh, this is the same thing I heard last
we’re doing here is that we’re trying to surrender the
Sunday.” But others might say, “Wow – this is
ego. But it’s not in the same way as the old
ever-new.” I find that when I listen to Swami’s
monastics, where, in the extreme caricature, you’re
songs, the inspiration behind them never ceases to
taught to obey your superior blindly by doing things
inspire me.
that are just plain dumb, with the goal of thrashing
Q: He says that every note of his music comes down your creativity and willfulness. That’s not
from superconsciousness. I see a mental picture of what we’re doing. We're trying to surrender the part
music that’s coming from a higher dimension. Does of the mind that always wants to jump right up and
it strike a chord with you that perhaps you’re trying have the first and last word. It's such a strong habit,
to do the same thing, reach into that higher but it closes off the flow of inspiration. So it’s
dimension and channel the same inspiration when important to take the time to tune in to whatever
you sing the music? Drill a new hole? holes Swami has drilled into the Infinite, to use your
Dambara: Oh, gosh, that may be. I think what terminology, and whatever ray is coming through.
strikes a chord is that it’s a little too easy to be And find out how I can tune in to it in a way that will
passive and cruise and rest on the laurels of what help me get where I want to go.
you’ve done before. But that’s not what channels joy I love Swami’s music, and tuning in to it is so
for us. What provides the joy is lifting our energy up. much more fulfilling for me, on an experiential level.
That’s our task, to learn, by trial and error, to do that. In recent weeks I’ve recorded “Prairie Home
And just keep putting out the effort. Any effort you Companion” and I'll listen to it sometimes while I'm
put out to be fresh and creative is never wasted – driving. I think Garrison Keillor is one of the most
ever. brilliant and creative humorists alive. And the music
Q: Swami Kriyananda has also said that people is very fun and creative. Yet when I hear the music
occasionally come to Ananda and don’t appreciate and it replays in my mind, I realize, “The vibration
what’s offered. They try to be creative, but it’s that this is creating inside me is just not as uplifted as
ego-driven. What is creativity? what I’m used to, listening to Swami’s music.”

Dambara: Hmm. I’ll give you my view. It’s kind I can feel the difference inside. So it isn’t a
of like religion and politics – creativity has that same matter of saying, “Oh, bad boy!” and therefore I
charge with people. “Gee, are you restricted to just never listen to it again. It’s tuning in and asking
performing Swami’s music? Can you only sing this “Okay, where does this register, you know, inside of
music?” And so on. When you’re having so much me?” Is my consciousness feeling uplifted and joyful
fun with it, it’s not an issue. and really, really happy and clear, and poking
through to the other side? Or is it just repeating the
I’ve always have had lots of fun with it, so I same old jingles, going around in circles? I’ve done
haven’t really understood what the issue is about enough of that in this life. I think I’ve done way lots
people feeling that it’s not enough. But I have seen of that. And so it kind of hurts my heart inside, when
cases where people felt that they needed to do their I find that I’m just spinning around instead of lifting
own thing, or express something their own way. And up.
it may be that, karmically, for them, their expansion,
their next step, was to do that. But usually it meant So that’s the crossroads that I find myself at.
And I just don’t find any other music that’s as
 4
satisfying. So it isn’t that I’ve restricted myself from consciousness, than the really dumb ones that you
listening to it. It’s that, you know, when you love this hear on the phone while you’re on hold, or in the
particular kind of thing, you just want to do it – why supermarket.
not? I tune in to other stuff on occasion, out of Q: It’s a kind of music that changes your level of
curiosity and for comparison’s sake. But, so far, this consciousness?
is the thing that’s been most satisfying to my soul.
(Photo: Dambara sings a solo during a performance Dambara: Oh, yeah. And again, for me, it isn’t
of the oratorio “Christ Lives.”) something I try to do. It’s just something that my
heart is naturally drawn to. I love it, so I want more
Q: You’ve answered my next question, which is of it all the time. (Photo: Dambara, upper right,
about the effect that the music has on you personally. during a performance of "Christ Lives.")
Dambara: Oh, it’s a godsend. One of the first Q: Is it an emotional experience?
things I did when I came to Ananda Palo Alto was
gobble up every cassette tape of talks by Asha and Dambara: Not so much. Which is kind of a
Swami. I think that, vibrationally, consuming as relief. When you hear most popular music, teenage
much of that “nutritional element” as I could was so music, and even a lot of classical music, it grabs your
useful to me. Maybe I’m extreme on the side of heart and stirs it up. It may feel stimulating for a
relating to things audially, through my ears. But for while, but it doesn’t really take you anywhere high.
me, it worked. So, when new people come around, or I’m thinking of an extreme example, Phantom of the
even people who’ve been here for a while, I just want Opera. You see the movie, and okay, it’s a really
to promote listening to talk tapes, listening to music well-done movie, and the music is quite dramatic
tapes, as often as possible, because it’s worked for and quite an emotional factor. But afterward I ask
me. myself, “Is this a painting that I really want to hang
on my wall and look at all the time?” No, it’s not.
I don’t know whether it works for other people
as much. But I know that the message, the inspiration In fact, by contrast, it shows me that a lot of the
that can come through the music, it bypasses the art that’s out there is very creatively clever and
brain and goes right into the consciousness in such a dramatically emotional, but is it spiritually uplifting?
way that it kind of replays back to you at the right I don’t think so. It may be, in the sense that, okay, by
times. I find myself in certain situations where just a comparison with where you were, maybe it moved
phrase of a song will come through, and it’s the right things along, or moved some energy, or got you
answer or comment to a situation that I’m asking enthusiastic about something, or just kind of cleared
about, or questioning inside. It’s so much more fun up the energy channels somehow. But, to me, it’s not
having that kind of jingle going on in your as deeply satisfying, and it doesn’t point to a
direction where I want to head. There may be
other kinds of music out there, and I’m sure there
are. But it’s like Swami says, “There may be lots
of good mothers, but this one is mine.” This is
the music I’m going to listen to. Because I can
relate to the lessons that I get from it.
Q: A lot of popular music picks you up,
spins you around, and sets you back down where
you were.
Dambara: Yeah. It’s like the difference
between having a relationship where your heart
 5
is pumping and you can’t sleep well and your mind is teachings, and hang out with people. Then I find that
going around, and you think that you’re in love, but if you kind of relax and go with the program, things
really, after a while you’re just exhausted. As will unfold in the way they’re supposed to. And by
opposed to a relationship where you’re joyful and “program” I don’t mean doing everything the way
fulfilled and happy, and you sleep well and look other people say, or whatever. Because this path is
forward to the next day, and you’re healthier and very organic, it has all developed organically
healthier. through the years. Nobody really knows “the
answer,” but everybody’s always trying to figure out
Q: If a person wants to sing Swami’s music, are
what’s going to work for people.
there attitudes that will help them get in tune with its
message? The other thing is that I, personally, love the
idea of reading the lyrics to Swami’s music as
Dambara: Hang out with people. Hang out with
poetry, just by themselves, not even thinking about
Ananda people. Hang out with people who meditate.
the music. In the past, there have been books that had
Hang out with people who sing the music. Because,
the lyrics printed in them, like a book of poems. But
again, you’re absorbing the vibrations. I’ve seen
it’s wonderful, because he’s expressing, in every
cases where people had some choir background and
song, the teachings of this path. And it blows my
stepped into an Ananda Sunday service, or a friend
mind. You want to talk about creativity, that’s the
brought them, and they thought, “Hey, this is for me.
thing for me that’s endlessly creative, is
I love the music, I’d love to join the choir.” But
appreciating, over and over, on ever deeper levels, as
generally speaking, what we’ve found is that when
I get more mature, and as I get deeper, how Swami is
people have been given the opportunity to just sort of
always, in no matter what format – even if it’s just a
pop right into the choir, it’s like cogs in a wheel that
little ditty like “Napoli” – he’s expressing eternal
don’t mesh. Because they haven’t had time to absorb
teachings from so many different angles. And the
the vibration that the other people in the group have.
words themselves are deep in that way.
The other people in the group are already
Q: For people who’ve joined a group and are
meditating, they’ve studied the teachings, they’re
singing Swami’s songs, do you find there’s a best
receptive to the particular ray of inspiration that’s
way to prepare for a rehearsal or a performance?
coming through. So they’re already tuned in to that
channel, and when they sing it’s just another Dambara: It’s so individual. You know, it
expression of that. Whereas somebody who’s depends on your singing background. I know that for
coming in from the cold, so to speak, they’re doing some people it may take more effort to learn parts,
their best to join in and sing well, but they’re at a where they have to listen to a tape over and over. It
disadvantage, both for them and for the group, depends on what you’ve done in the past and how
because they’re not tuning in as well as the other easily it comes to you, in terms of the technical side.
people are, and they’re maybe wondering why So I think the answer is that you do whatever you
they’re feeling a little off. And I don’t know whether need to do.
they’re even that conscious of it. But what I’ve seen Q: What about the attunement side?
is that they don’t stick around very long. Maybe they
don’t come back to Sunday service anymore, Dambara: I think, again, it’s something that’s
because they think, “Oh well, this isn’t for me.” individual and spontaneous. It’s got to come from
the heart. Most people that I see are drawn to sing the
I think that’s why it’s important, and we have an music, they do it because they love it. Whether it’s
unspoken policy now in Palo Alto that before you loving to sing, or it’s the vibration, or a combination
consider jumping into the choir, it’s important to be – who’s to say? But Divine Mother always opens our
on the path, be meditating, attend classes, know the heart and draws us to the things that are going to be
 6
useful for us. So I think it’s really individual. everybody’s nicely dressed. But what really comes
through is the energy in the group, and the sheer joy
Q: During a performance, do you feel that
and smiles and enthusiasm and heart quality. That’s
you’re giving to people?
what we’re really looking for. That’s the message
Dambara: Oh, yeah. You know how sometimes that gets through to people, and that’s what they feel
somebody will ask you a question and you feel so in the music.
happy that you were there at the right time to help
Q: Is there a special energy that comes through
them? It’s like “Thanks, God, for letting me be a
at performances, as opposed to rehearsals?
channel for them.” But, again, there’s a spectrum –
are you a pure and clear, hundred-percent channel Dambara: Oh, yes. The Oratorio is one example,
for the Divine as it expresses through the music? and then some of the Sunday services and other
Well, most of us probably are not a hundred percent, events, where no matter how good the rehearsals are,
but we try our best. when the event itself happens, it goes up several
notches and you feel God’s grace coming through. I
I think that every once in a while there’s ego,
think it’s a combination of grace and the group’s
there are habits, there’s fear, all these things that get
energy. It’s like a long meditation, where it’s a
in the way. But still, given that, so much energy and
higher experience than you ever thought it could be. I
light pours through this music. And other people feel
think that’s what brings many people back, that
it. When I’ve seen a videotape of an Ananda group
“high,” that spiritual leap. Because it’s a great thing.
singing, what strikes me is, yes, okay, the music’s
You find yourself opening to God’s grace.
gorgeous, and yes, it’s technically great, and
 2
Anjali Gregorelli

(Anjali serves as the main choir director in the choir in India until Dharmini took it over, and I
music ministry at Ananda Europa in Assisi, Italy. always singing, of course. Then after we’d been back
She also assists Mantrini and Kirtani, who direct a in Assisi for about a year, Mantrini had a baby and
beginner’s choir.) Kirtani was the center’s spiritual director, so neither
of them had enough time and I became the director
Q: Did you have an early background in music?
again.
A: I sang in choirs in junior and senior high
Q: How is it different directing in Italy than in
school, and I studied piano for a year, just enough to
the U.S. or India?
easily pick up the harmonium and play starting notes
for our choir rehearsals. But that’s about it. Most of A: We have an international choir, and we sing
my experience has been with Swamiji’s music. in Italian and English. But I think the main difference
Something that’s been amazing to me is that I never is that we sing more often. Every week we have a
– ever, ever – get tired of it, even though I started 33 rehearsal, then we sing at guest orientation on Friday
years ago, in 1978. It’s always fresh and new for me, evening, and again on Sunday evening, and we do a
every time. full concert on Thursday evening. Lots of people
have mentioned what a beautiful sound this choir has
I was living in Colorado, and we had a little
– even Swamiji has mentioned it – and I think
group that was beginning to learn some of Swamiji’s
probably there are two reasons. One is that many of
music. Then I moved to the Ananda House in San
us have been singing together for 20 years, and we
Francisco and sang in a group there with Ram and
sing three or four times a week without fail, every
Dianna. And when I moved to the Village, Jeannie
week. So there’s a harmony and attunement among
got me involved with the choir.
the choir members. Then, also, singing so much,
So I was always singing. The last winter I lived people learn the parts well and are able to tune into
at Ananda Village, our director was on tour with the the music.
Oratorio to various churches, so she couldn’t lead the
Q: Has your understanding of your role as a
choir, and I took charge of the music program at
director evolved?
Christmas. This was in 1988, and it was my first
experience not only of directing the choir but A: Oh, definitely. I see part of my role as
organizing all the Christmas events, including the inspiring the choir, and helping them keep their
smaller musical groups. So I got thrown in at the inspiration high. I always try to go deeper into the
deep end, but it was a wonderful experience and very meaning of the songs, and communicate that as best I
inspiring. can.
Then I was invited to move to Italy because It’s made a big difference for me personally,
Agni was starting a choir and he needed singers. I because every time I meditate on what a song means,
sang in that choir for about a year, and when he I learn something new. We just sang the second half
returned to the U.S. I took it over. For the last 15 of the Oratorio for Easter. And, you know, we’ve
years I’ve directed the choir continuously – I think I sung those songs a million times. But I tried to tune
may be one of the longest-term choir directors in the in even more deeply. For example, with the song
Ananda world. “You Remain Our Friend” – I asked what was
happening in that moment. What was Swamiji trying
When Claudio and I moved to India, Kirtani and
to transmit? Or better, what was he feeling that he
Mantrini took over the music in Assisi. I directed a
was trying to express? What was he feeling from his
 2
inner communion with Christ? your consciousness.
Of course, it’s been a deeply inspiring practice Q: Is it tricky to get people to feel something
for me, and I think it helps keep the songs alive for that has to come from inside them?
the choir. A: It is, but helping them understand the context
I’ve also had to think creatively about of the song often helps it become fresh for them.
arrangements, and how to use musicians in various With “You Remain Our Friend,” we sing it every
ways. For a long time, we didn’t even have a week at the Festival and often in concerts. So it
keyboardist. Now, we finally have a young man in requires energy, and looking inside yourself to find
the community who’s a good keyboardist, and that’s the continued inspiration of a song that you’ve done
been a big help. But that’s the creative part of it, for so many times.
me. It’s trying to tune in to Swami’s inspiration when I also try to add new songs to the repertoire.
he wrote a song, and trying to feel inside what the We’re a bit limited in that we only have a certain
song is trying to transmit. Then trying to inspire the number of songs that have been translated into
choir, and trying to draw that inner meaning out of Italian. So we always have to do those, because our
the choir as I work with them. audience is mainly Italian, and then I keep trying to
Q: Are there particular methods you use? David cycle in more songs in English, to keep it interesting.
Eby does certain exercises with the singers. The We recently started doing “Mañana, Friends” and
group will sing a passage, then they’ll be silent for people love it, even though they don’t understand the
bit before they sing it again, and they find that the words.
inspiration grows by taking it within. We’ll often read the text in Italian before we
A: I haven’t done anything like that, but I sing. Swamiji has recommended that we generally
definitely talk to them. Many people in the choir are not say much in our concerts, but let the music speak
Italian, and I always work to help them understand for itself. I agree completely, but we’ve seen that if
what the song means in English. I’ve made a we briefly read basic meaning of the song, it’s more
compilation of translations into Italian of most of the enjoyable for the Italians, and they get more of the
music, not to sing, because they’re not all singable, message. The music is important, and the message is
but as poetry so they can read it and tune into the very important, too.
meaning of the words. Q: Do new people come in as well?
Before we sing, I try to communicate what I see A: Yes, Uma and Mantrini are leading a training
as the message that the song is trying to express. I choir. They meet once a week with people who want
might have them sing it and talk to them and share to learn the music, and I’ve posted mp3s of the parts
the inspiration I’m feeling from the song, then we’ll tapes online. I usually tell new people that they can
sing it again, and there’s always a difference – it’s come to the rehearsals and listen, and once they’ve
much deeper, and I can tell from their faces that begun to learn the music I’ll let them sing along at
they’re feeling it more. rehearsals as best they can. But of course I don’t
With “You Remain Our Friend,” I share that this invite them to sing in concerts until I feel they really
is the moment of the crucifixion, and of course it’s a know the music.
very serious moment, but there’s an undercurrent of I remember Swami saying, years ago, that he
hope and joy that we want to transmit, besides the would like to see everybody in the community
seriousness. And devotion, because the point of the singing. I agree with that very much, because it’s
song is that we are finally able to give you our hearts, important for people’s spiritual lives to sing this
finally we are able to open ourselves completely to music. It helps us to be in tune with him and with the
 3
teachings, because it’s all there in the music. And, of will come up and you’ll think of a phrase in a song of
course, being music, it touches people deeply on a Swami’s that applies beautifully.
heart level. A: It was his song “Go On Alone” that helped
I’m fairly lax – I don’t get on people’s case if me realize it was time to leave Colorado and move to
they don’t come to rehearsals. Obviously I Ananda. I was listening to the line “Make rich the
encourage them to come, but I give people a lot of soil, but once the seed is sown, Seek freedom, don’t
space. The staff here are serving full-time all the linger – go on alone!” I had helped establish a fruit
time, and being with guests and around other people cooperative in Colorado, and it was pretty much on
sometimes from nine in the morning until nine at its feet, and I realized while I listened to that song
night. So when they need a break, or they need a little that it was speaking to me. I had done what I needed
space, I feel it’s fine to give it to them. I think it helps to do, I had sown the seed, and it was time for me to
people keep their enthusiasm up, because nobody “seek freedom, not linger.” That was the moment
feels “Oh God, now I have to go to choir practice.” when I decided in my mind that it was time to move
But at the same time, of course I encourage them to to Ananda.
come. If there’s a big concert coming, I’ll say, “If Q: Do you have suggestions for practicing? For
you don’t come to the rehearsals, then for this people who want to learn the music, or those who are
concert you won’t be able to sing.” I want people to more experienced?
sing from their inspiration, and not because it’s a job.
A: I never studied voice, so I use the warmups
Q: How do you handle rehearsals? I’ve seen that Swamiji gives in his talk on the voice. Every
various styles. Karen Gamow is fun to watch now and then, Mantrini will bring in another one.
because she’s very fine-tuned to what needs to She has a lot more experience in vocal production,
happen. If there’s some distraction, she knows how and she’s the one who helps people learn to sing, and
to whistle very loudly. She’ll get people’s attention develop their voice.
quickly.
Singing has always been natural for me. I must
A: Well, I have an unruly choir, I have to say, have studied voice in a past life, because I’ve never
and again I have to say I don’t get too much on their had to work at it. So I don’t really know on a
case, because we’re all really good friends. We’ve technical level what people can do. As far as learning
been together so long, and we just love to be with the music, what helped me was listening and singing
each other. But I do ask for a certain amount of along to the parts mp3s. I would listen to the parts
concentration. tape, then sing along with the alto part to the
I don’t talk that much – I try not to, I try to recording of the full choir until it became second
mostly sing. And of course if I’m hearing something nature for me.
that’s not working, or we have to go over a part, then Q: Do you have opportunities to perform outside
I’ll do that. And, as I said, when we’re focusing on a the community? Do you go out and perform?
major concert I’ll spend time going over each song
and rekindling their understanding. A: We do, periodically. When Swami was here
last spring, we went out a lot. We sang in Milano and
I want it to be fun, because the joy level is so Rome, and many of us went to Spain when he went
important. You know, sometimes I have to get on there. Otherwise, every now and then we’ll be
their cases a little. I tease Anand, because he’s one of invited to sing at some event in Assisi. They know
the biggest troublemakers in the choir. (laughs) who we are, and a couple times a year there’s a peace
Q: Dambara and I were talking about how you’ll conference where we’ll be invited to sing. There’s a
be going along in your daily routine, and an issue celebration for the Wesac Festival in May, and we’re
 4
invited to that. I think it’s a pagan holiday, actually. with the choir, how do you find that they deepen
(laughs) It’s well-known – the choir’s not going, but their attunement with the music? You said you’ve
we’re sending a kirtan group. So we do it been singing since 1978 and you haven’t gotten tired
periodically. I would like to do more, but most of the of it. Do you find that you discover new levels of the
choir are on the guest retreat staff, so if all go out and music, or facets that are new?
sing, there’s nobody to be with the guests. (laughs) A: Certainly, especially with the Oratorio songs.
But certainly, when Swamiji is here this summer Asha led an all-day workshop on the Oratorio several
he’ll have a book launch in Rome or Milan, and we’ll years ago, and I have a transcript of that. Whenever
sing for that. He’ll also be doing a conference at a we’re going to perform the Oratorio, I read what she
yoga festival in Rome, and we’ll send at least a group said about the songs, and it helps me understand
of choir members. more deeply the message in them. I’ve also helped
the people who translate the songs into Italian, and of
Q: Is the music well-received at those events?
course I have to understand the song in order to help
A: Very. People love it. They just love it. If it’s them understand it.
an Italian environment we’ll sing mostly in Italian,
So I keep trying to deepen my own
or some of both. But even when we’ve done the
understanding. I don’t know what others do, but I
Oratorio in English we’ve gotten wonderful
can see in their eyes and their faces if they’re feeling
responses. They just love the music here.
inspiration when we sing.
Q: For people who’ve been singing a long time
 2
David G

(David and Karen are active in the music want you to sing, and I want you to love. Those are
ministry at Ananda Sangha in Palo Alto.) your only two jobs.”
Q: You’ve sung Swami Kriyananda’s music for When I got there, it was hard. I was biting my
many years. Can you share your thoughts about the tongue so much for the first three months that my
music, and tell us about some of your experiences. tongue was calloused. The next three months, it was
only extremely difficult. But after about nine months
A: I was a philosophy major in college. I like to
I started to get it, and I could just live in my heart.
philosophize and use discrimination to figure things
out. It’s my approach to the world, to think about Swami Kriyananda stripped away every
things and wonder “How does this work?” When I’m impediment, so that my only job was to love, and to
in any situation, I like to try to draw the watch my own energy. And it was a fantastic
philosophical principles out of it, so that I can apply experience. When we arrived in Italy, we were
them in other areas. And all of that is very mental. singing five or six hours a day, six days a week.
Everything else was stripped away. I had no business
That approach has served me. But if you have a
and no responsibilities, and they fed us, so I could
weak eye and you go to the eye doctor, he may put a
just sort of live in that energy. And even as dense as I
patch on your strong eye so that the weak eye will get
am, I got something by the end.
stronger.
We had a ton of songs to learn, and we had to
I don’t take a lot of classes at Ananda, because I
learn them in Italian as well. And then there were the
know the teachings fairly well, having read and
technical singing skills that we had to master, with
thought about them for 30 years. But it would benefit
voice placement, pitch, and blend, etc. It takes a lot
me me to open my heart more, and that’s part of the
of work to pull a group together. We were supposed
reason I sing. When I sing, I get into a different part
to be a professional group, because we were giving
of my consciousness.
concerts on the road.
Now, I adore the music, but I always feel that
The first night when we got there, we sang an
I’m exercising my “weak eye.” I love the music for
impromptu performance in the dining room, and we
that reason, because it gets me into a deeply
were just awful. Everybody was glancing around,
devotional space, to the degree that I sometimes find
wondering, oh my God, we’re sending these people
it hard to get through the songs. So that’s what the
on the road? By the end, we were good. It was a lot of
music has done for me.
work, but by then we were really harmonized with
At one point, Swami Kriyananda sent me to each other vibrationally, as well as with the music.
Italy because he wanted me to join the singing group
Bhagavati was the director, but Karen was also
that would be touring all over Europe. Now, my skill
in the group. They were all good musicians, except
is manipulating the material world. It’s what I do
for me. I had developed a decent singing voice, but
well. I start businesses, I manage money, and if it’s
not like these guys. Lewis had played bass guitar
on the material plane, I’m happy to do it, and if I
professionally, and Frank had played guitar for 35
don’t completely understand it, I’ll learn it. But when
years. I almost wondered what I was doing there.
Swami sent me to Italy, he said, “I don’t want you
But, for me, it wasn’t just about the music but about
handling the finances. I don’t want you thinking
the lesson I needed to learn, with music creating the
about marketing. I don’t want you to help get the
right heart-centered atmosphere for me to learn it in.
tours out on the road. I want you to go to Italy, and I
 2
At one point, after we had been there for about on the cheek. He said something I’ll never forget,
eight months, Swami walked up to me and patted me “You’re getting sweeter already.”
 2
Dharmadas Schuppe

(Dharmadas and his wife, Nirmala, are the had a musical background. I had studied piano, and I
spiritual directors of Ananda India.) had played French horn as a child, so I knew how to
read music. If someone played a chant, I could sit
Q: Tell us about your musical background,
down at the harmonium and start playing it by ear.
starting as early as you like.
So chanting was my first real experience of Ananda's
A: Music has always been an important part of music, and a very powerful and deep one. I started
my life. In our home, my parents played beautiful chanting at sadhanas and meditations, and in the
music, often classical or sacred, and some popular – apprentice program I would lead a chant when we
but it was always beautiful and uplifting and I had a meditated before lunch, or at morning and evening
great love for it. Swamiji describes how, as a child, meditations. Ever since those first days on the path,
he would enter a kind of ecstasy by gazing at brilliant chanting has been precious and beautiful to me.
colors. For me, music did that – my spirit soared with
Singing Swamiji’s music came later. When
holy, heavenly music.
Swamiji wrote the Oratorio in 1983, I was part of the
In the church that I was brought up in, music initial choir that he asked to learn and sing it. I could
was a very big part of our experience. I’ll never read music well enough, and I could sing well
forget when an engineer came over from Germany to enough to hold my part – I sang tenor at first, then
install a massive pipe organ that make the floor later tenor or bass, depending on what was needed.
rumble – you could feel the vibrations in your whole
At the time, there wasn’t an easy way to join one
body when it was played. It was thrilling.
of the few groups that were singing Swamiji’s music.
However, as is often the case for Americans, the Unlike today, the sheet music wasn’t printed and
teenage years represented something of a downturn. well-organized, and there weren’t any practice tapes
I listened to lots of rock-n-roll music and became a or mp3s to help you learn your part. So you had to
little withdrawn and irritable. Such is the power of show lots of interest, and you had to be a capable
music. singer.
I arrived at Ananda at the end of Spiritual About a year later, I was able to start singing in
Renewal Week in 1979. On Sunday, I attended the one of the small groups. The main “Joy Singers”
service at the meditation retreat, where the singers were on tour, and we needed a group to stay home
performed “Walk Like a Man,” and time just stopped and sing at Sunday services. Anjali Gregorelli held
for me. an audition, and I passed the test. That would have
It wasn’t only the melody and harmony; it was been around 1985.
the words as well. They touched me deeply, because Our group would sing at every Sunday service,
I had done exactly that – and we rotated our small repertoire so we weren’t
Why court approval, once the road is known? singing the same songs too often. Then, in the late
Let come who will, but if they all turn home, 1980s, I moved to Italy where I sang in Italian and
The goal still awaits you —go on alone! English. I had started learning the guitar, and in Italy
I found that I had to play more often because there
Well, I jolly well was “going on alone.” It was a weren’t many guitarists. I took a few lessons and got
very deep experience – I remember tears rolling to where I could play the Festival songs, and for the
down my face, and I thought, “This is home.” better part of the next 10 years I played the Festival
I picked up chanting fairly quickly, because I music almost every week. Then for six or eight years
 2
it was every single week, at first in Italy, then at Indian. They were from all over India, so there was
Ananda Village and later in Seattle. nothing that united them. In fact, most of them had
just signed up to go on a pilgrimage – this was an
A highlight of that era was when we got to sing
organized pilgrimage, they wanted to go to
for the Pope, in February 1989. We arrived long
Rishikesh, and they had heard good things about our
before the Pope came out. There was huge audience
pilgrimages, so they signed up.
of 13,000 people, and lots of groups were taking
turns playing. Most of them didn’t have a very large But otherwise, the group was pointed in every
repertoire, but we did, so over the space of an hour or direction, and “herding cats” doesn’t begin to
so we ended up singing 15 or 20 songs. We sang describe the experience of trying to keep such a
“Thy Light Within Us Shining,” and the Pope diverse group pointed in the same direction. But
appeared to enjoy it. Not everyone in the audience every time we were together, we would start
could understood the words, because they were from chanting, and within a few hours of our first bus ride,
all over the world, but you could tell that they felt the and the first satsangs, the energy of the group
vibration. became amazingly synchronized. By the end of our
three days together, when we had our little wrap-up
We’ve had the joy and privilege now of singing
meeting, the level of harmony in the group was
Swamiji’s music in India for nearly eight years. Most
astonishing.
Indians are unfamiliar with the western musical
form, with four-part harmony and guitar, but it’s I had the strong feeling that the music had
holy music, and they can feel the vibration, and they accomplished that, by our chanting and singing. It
love it. was quite striking. I realized that in most Indian
ashrams, if they have any music at all, it’s usually
We’ve also noticed that our American accent
just one person chanting. Often it’s mantras, and
can be fairly impenetrable for the Indians, so we’ll
there may be some bhajans, but the music isn’t
often hand out the words before we sing. They’re
usually much of a focus, and there’s seldom much
more familiar with the British accent, because of
devotional feeling. It’s a sort of background noise –
India’s history.
someone will be chanting, and conversations will
Something that we find particularly interesting keep going, and people are talking on their cell
is that they tune in very deeply to the message of the phones. So people aren’t connected with it. But with
songs. In addition to the vibration and melody, the our group, it was a focal point, and it drew people
message that Swamiji conveys through the words together in a lovely way.
means a lot to them, and they’re very touched by it.
The music is one of the main influences that
I was in Pune visiting one of our devotees, and have helped our work in India to grow dynamically
in a casual conversation while we were standing and hold together. I recall Swamiji remarking years
outdoors, she quoted a phrase from Swamiji’s song ago that Gregorian chant is what held the mediaeval
“If You’re Seeking Freedom.” She said, “God’s Christian church together, because the power of that
sunlight on your shoulders, the wind in your hair.” music united the monasteries and drew forth a
She remarked that the breeze meant a lot to her, “like certain spirit, and a certain kind of energy.
that song of Swamiji’s.” It was very sweet to feel that
If you listen to those chants, you feel transported
this part of the work was entering the consciousness
to the monasteries. There’s a palpable feeling that it
of our devotees here.
creates. And Ananda’s music and chanting does that,
In February, I was on a pilgrimage to Rishikesh too – it draws us together. It’s the reason why, if you
and Hardwar led by Daya and Keshava. And except visit Assisi or Palo Alto or Portland, anywhere
for we three Americans, the group was entirely Swamiji’s music is a regular part of life, there’s a
 3
common spirit that you can feel very clearly. Ananda singers more than once that he feels it’s time
for the music to reach a wider audience. Ramesha
Swamiji sometimes says, “If you want to get to
remarked that he feels the music has a living
know me as I really am, listen to my music.” I would
consciousness, because of the divine source that it
add a further thought – if you want to feel Swamiji’s
comes from, and that it’s God’s hand reaching into
consciousness, sing his music. Let the music
the world, and it wants to do what it will.
percolate through you and reorganize your
molecules, which it will do. It’s very deep and very Q: I agree – now is the time, and the group in LA
sweet. It’s been a big part of my spiritual life, and a can do a tremendous service. It’s a very important
very precious part. time. Every time we’ve put our focus strongly on the
music here in India, it has helped our work take a big
Harking back once again to my first days at
step. It’s a huge shortcut to creating group spirit, and
Ananda Village in the late 1970s, I remember I had a
to being able to manifest Master’s work.
cassette tape of the singers that I played to the point
where I think it finally fell apart. I would play “Well Q: If people have to read a book, it’s a high wall
Done, Lord!” and I knew exactly how far I had to that they have to climb over, or if they have to come
rewind the tape so I could listen to it again. I would to Sunday service and learn about Ananda by hearing
often sit in the truck for an hour or longer, listening lots of talks. Nayaswami Asha laughingly remarked
to that song because it was so beautiful and joyful. that the singers can perform for three minutes, and
people will understand more about Ananda than if
I have lots of wonderful memories of the music.
she talks for 90 minutes. It seems that the music is
At this point in our work in India, we aren’t
the spearhead of Ananda, and that it’s Swami
personally involved daily with the music except for
Kriyananda’s language.
chanting. But we’re helping others lead the singing
groups, because we’ve noticed that when the music A: It’s true. In Assisi, they begin every guest
is strong, the energy in the group is also strong. And program with a little concert, and during the week
when the music isn’t as strong, the group energy there will be a Thursday night concert. They may
begins to flag. The music is really, really important perform only four or five songs, but people are so
to what we’re doing. much more open once they’ve heard the music. It
truly changes their perspective.
We had the joy of being on TV in India, every
day for five years with our little singing group. It was With the high wall of reading a book, or
just a small group of Lila, Nirmala, Kirtani, Anand, climbing the philosophy mentally and intellectually,
and I. And after the program been running for several people just tend to have endless questions. But if you
months, we started to get feedback – one was a touch their hearts, they can feel instantly “Oh, okay,
serious offer of marriage – “to any of the three this is what you’re talking about.”
ladies” who were available! It didn’t matter which Q: What are your thoughts on drawing people
one, but this fellow owned a hardware store, and it into the music, or helping them perform once they
was a serious and genuine offer. This is not the stuff become involved? Is it something that you address
of play, here in India – he meant it, and he was there in India?
putting his cards properly on the table.
A: We have created groups here. I wouldn’t say
Several times, we’ve been traveling in India, we’ve done much explaining, but after a satsang, or
and people have said, “I remember you from the as part of a class, we’ll usually have a simple music
television program.” Obviously, they remember program where we’ll get several harmoniums
Swamiji, but the music was part of it. together, and we’ll say, “Let’s all learn a chant.” So
Q: While Swamiji was in LA, he told the everyone sits down and plays and learns a little bit.
 4
Or we’ll say, “Let’s learn a song.” And we’ll create our life out here together. It’s very important.
sing a very simple song, like “Lift your heart in Kirtan for us, at the moment, is the biggest part,
strength once more…” Or “Move All Ye in some ways more so than harmony singing, simply
Mountains.” One of the children’s songs, or because it’s more accessible for Indians.
something like “Amalfi Coast” – “Is there anywhere
on earth, perfect freedom, sorrow’s dearth…” It occurred to me the other day that, in the same
way that Kriya is about using the breath to get to the
We’ll sing it together several times and let flow of inner energy and work with it, chanting is
people find their way into it. In India, we’ve had about awakening devotion to find inner communion.
singing groups of as many as 30 or 40 people, mostly The words and melody are the beginning, but they
Indian, and then at bigger events we’ve had an aren’t the end. They’re the external form, but you
international choir with people coming from Italy have to crack through the form to get to the heart of
and America. But we do have groups that have been it.
singing together for a while now, and it’s great.
You used a nice phrase, that music is the
It’s a different challenge in India, because language of Swami Kriyananda. I do feel that. A
they’re not as familiar with the challenges of putting point that Swamiji has often emphasized is that
their voices in that mode of blending, where you’re Master brought a new kind of chanting to the world.
singing and listening at the same time, and you’re It’s not about long, complicated mantras, rather it’s
holding your part against the other parts in the right individual chanting, with real meaning, and it’s
balance. Those things are a challenge anyway, and heartfelt. It’s designed to help us meditate. It’s
they take some effort and attunement, but it’s even designed to give us a deep inward experience. And
more so here. They may have beautiful voices, but it’s not commonly known in India. Very few people
they’re used to going off on their own. here in India have chanted that way until they came
I can tell you that, in India, listening is a skill to Ananda.
that could be developed more! There’s so much Q: Isn’t that strange, because it’s a strong part of
noise and commotion. And then, culturally, people the Indian tradition. We have Master’s translation of
are either feel they’re too young in the culture to “Will That Day Come to Me, Ma?” by Sri
expect that they have anything to say – or they’re at a Ramprasad who lived in the 18th century, and it’s
mature age where the whole society is supposed to completely in the spirit of individual devotional
listen to them, and they can carry on endlessly and chanting.
you can’t get them to stop. (laughs) We’ve learned to
be very careful about who we hand a microphone to, A: Chanting here is so often connected with
because God Himself cannot pry it out of long, involved mantras, and there’s usually not much
somebody’s hands once it’s been given! of a heart connection. The mantras have a certain
power, but the heart isn’t so much there. When
But singing in harmony really does help people people do start chanting in this new way, their lives
learn to blend their energies. It creates harmony in open up amazingly. You can see it in a day. Once
the group, and that’s why we’ve worked with it a lot. chanting gets planted and they have an experience,
When Dharmini was here, she would teach people to oh, it really makes a big difference.
chant, and Dhyana is doing that in Delhi and
Gurgaon now. We do as much as we can in Pune, but Q: You’ve been involved with chanting all
our community is so new that we haven’t been able along.
to do much yet. We have a wave of new residents A: More at the beginning, but more with singing
arriving to live here in the next six months to a year, later. In India, though, chanting has been part of
and the music will be a very large part of how we everything we do, every sadhana, every satsang. Our
 5
monks love kirtan, and at every retreat we’ll have now, but still very precious.
kirtan. But, yes, it’s been a thread all along for me. Q: Do you find that chanting prepares you to
The only thing that has changed is that I don’t have sing Swami’s songs?
much time to chant on my own now, because my
sadhana tends to be with the group. The other day I A: It helps by getting the heart opened up. I’ve
was able to chant for an hour by myself, and it was sung bass and tenor in Swami’s music, and
delightful to be able to dive into one chant for an occasionally even alto, if you can believe it – not
hour. well, but enough to get the notes out there. And when
I’ve had to sing high, I would find that I needed lots
It’s something I used to do when I was new at of warm-up, and chanting was a great way to warm
Ananda and I was a monk in the monastery, where I up the voice. Getting the throat opened, and getting
could go off and chant for two or three hours by the heart and devotion moving, would allow the high
myself. Or we would sing together in a long kirtan, notes to come through beautifully, where formerly it
or stay up all night for Shivaratri. Those things were wasn’t so easy.
very common then. They’re less common for me
 2
Rambhakta Beinhorn

(Rambhakta is active in the music ministry at

Ananda Sangha in Palo Alto, California.) If it is, try playin' it safer,
Drink the wine and chew the wafer.
When I moved to Ananda Village in 1976, I was
Ave Maria, gee it's good to see ya'!
offered a job at “Pubble,” the department where
Gettin' ecstatic and sorta dramatic and
Swami Kriyananda’s books were published. Not
Doin' the Vatican Rag!
long after I arrived, Swamiji invited the staff to his
home to discuss some projects.
When we finished with our business, Swamiji
Swami’s house was on the other side of the ridge
invited us to gather around the piano and sing a song
from the main part of the Village. I hiked over the
that he had just composed. Most of those present
hill with two other staff members, Asha and Seva,
were part of Ananda’s small performing group,
who were nuns and walked a little ahead.
which at the time was called the Gandharvas
I was very nervous, mentally biting my nails (“Celestial Singers”).
about meeting the great man for the first time. I
Swamiji invited me to join in, but I demurred,
thought, “Gosh, it’s like going to meet the Pope or
because I couldn’t read music and felt I would spoil
something!”
the fun.
When we arrived, we found Swamiji listening to
Over the years, I felt sad that I hadn’t taken up
a humorous song called “The Vatican Rag,” that was
Swamiji’s invitation to sing. I knew he hadn’t
playing quite loudly, and laughing uproariously:
wanted to include me only so I wouldn’t feel left out,
First you get down on your knees, but that he was offering me a way to serve that I
Fiddle with your rosaries, would find deeply enjoyable and fulfilling. Also, I
Bow your head with great respect, and realized that he was offering me a wonderful chance
Genuflect, genuflect, genuflect! to be part of Ananda.
In the fall of 2008, reflecting on the loving help
You can do what steps you want if
he had given me over the years, I felt it was long past
You have cleared them with the pontiff.
time to start giving back – not from a sense of guilt,
Everybody say his own kyrie eleison,
but from a grateful heart. So, after service one
Doin’ the Vatican Rag!....
Sunday, I walked on stage during a choir rehearsal
and joined the tenor section. I didn’t know the music,
Between guffaws, he sang the refrain, but I felt I could learn it later; for now, I wanted to
“Genuflect, genuflect!” make a gesture.
My jaw was so far open, you could have driven As I write this, I’ve been singing the music for
the Starship Enterprise in my mouth and parked it almost three years. I sing in the choir and two small
inside. ensembles, and it’s been a wonderful experience. It’s
brought me great spiritual growth, and I feel closer to
my Ananda family and to God and Guru.
Get in line in that processional,
Step into that small confessional, Swami Kriyananda says that his music is more
There a guy who's got religion'll than an adornment to Ananda’s work, intended only
Tell you if your sin's original. to entertain people at Sunday service. He says it’s
 2
“central to everything we do at Ananda.” He wrote: coming with surprisingly little effort. It seems I only
“At Ananda, people have been drawn to join the need to admit my need and the answer is there –
community even more through our music than “Divine Mother, help! I don’t have a clue!”
through our teachings. Books and teachings give When Swami Kriyananda invited me to sing,
them ideas, but the music has made them feel the I’m sure he knew it would be a service that I would
importance of the teachings.” He says that every note love. But I don’t want to paint an overly rosy picture,
he’s ever written was received by divine inspiration. because there’s a lot of behind-the-scenes work that
When I joined the choir, I was very conscious of goes into singing this beautiful music. In fact,
these statements, and I resolved to do my best to serving in the music ministry can be quite
make my service as good as possible. demanding. It takes time to learn the music, to
“smooth out the voice,” to explore the inspiration
Swami Kriyananda says that when he writes a
behind the music, and to give up the ego and offer
song, he tries to make each part singable, so that it
ourselves as God’s instruments to help others.
will be equally beautiful and inspiring for the
sopranos, altos, tenors, and basses. I don’t read Beyond learning the notes, it takes preparing
music, but I was able to start learning the music by ourselves. Swami Kriyananda urges us to be
listening to recordings of the tenor parts. As I impersonal when we sing, setting aside personal
listened and followed along with the sheet music, I emotions so that God can use us to waft His
gradually picked up the “melody” that Swamiji had inspiration over the audience where they can latch
written for the tenors, and in time I began to feel the onto it and be inspired.
inspiration behind the music. It’s hardly ever effortless to get ourselves out of
Most of the practice recordings were sung by the way. I find there are endless challenges,
Chaitanya or Dambara, both of whom had been part particularly before performances. What if you ate
of Ananda’s music ministry for more than 20 years. something that disagreed with you? What if someone
Swami Kriyananda praised the senior Ananda hurt your feelings? Will you be able to “sing out with
singers for singing “with understanding.” As I joy”?
listened, I felt their wonderful attunement with the I find it’s essential not to try to “fix” the
inspiration in the music, and their whole-hearted problems by myself, but to offer them to God. If I try
self-offering to the songs. to overcome them by my own power, I invariably
Those recordings were a rich resource. One that end up just feeling tense and frustrated. But if I bring
stands out is Chaitanya singing “The Christ Child’s God into the picture, I find that He is very willing to
Asleep.” I can’t listen to it without being moved. come to my aid. “Divine Mother, I ate something last
night that’s making me feel like a demented person
In India, novice singers train by singing along
wandering the streets of downtown Chicago late at
with the teacher. At rehearsals, I found it enjoyable
night with a tummy ache. I can’t remember the
to stand near Chaitanya and Dambara and “latch
words or notes, much less ‘get out of the way.’ I want
onto” their attunement and understanding.
to help you serve others, but I need Your help!”
As I learned the music, I seemed to receive help
Trying to “rise above it” by our own power can
from a higher source. In other projects that I’ve done
be hopeless, especially when our minds and hearts
for Ananda, I’ve also felt that “someone” was
are compromised.
helping. A good example is my work as webmaster
for Ananda’s Living Wisdom School in Palo Alto. I remember the first time Swami Kriyananda
I’m not a graphic designer, yet when I’ve had performed with us when I was part of the choir. He
problems with the site, I’ve often found the answers was scheduled to give a talk at our temple, and I
 3
looked forward eagerly to singing, because I felt it we realize that all our power to succeed comes from
would be wonderful for him to know that I had Her. And also, it creates a relationship with Her, far
finally taken up his invitation. more effectively than if we could always be
flawlessly balanced and inspired.
But on the night of the event, I absolutely could
not remember the music! I had eaten something that On the other hand, Divine Mother doesn’t
absolutely killed my energy. Sitting in the audience reward poor preparation or scattered attention. The
waiting to go on, I tried my best to get energized and more conscientiously I prepare, the more easily I
focused, but without much success. At one point in find it to “get out of the way” when we perform.
his talk, Swami looked at me with a slightly bemused Knowing the music well is a huge part of getting out
expression, and I had an image of myself as this of the way, because it frees us to concentrate
empty-headed dodo-bumpkin sitting in the audience. self-giving and the spirit of the music instead of
I thought, “Well, isn’t this weird?” But less than a fretting over the notes. It gives God an instrument
minute before we went up, the words and music that’s ready to uplift and inspire others.
suddenly came back. Whew, that was a narrow I find that if I practice conscientiously and never
escape! miss rehearsals, and meditate and pray before we
We walked on stage, and I was happy to stand sing, I’ve basically done my job. Having prepared, I
half-hidden behind Chaitanya, who’s a big man, can walk on stage and say silently, “Master, I give
because I wasn’t sure I would be able to remember you my heart. Sing through me.”
the music all the way through. But then David, who After I’d been singing for a year, I received an
was standing on the highest platform, whispered, email from Nayaswami David Praver, who was with
“Hey, Rambhakta! You can’t hide behind Chaitanya. Swami Kriyananda in India. He told me that
Get up here!” So there I was, feeling extremely Nayaswami Asha had mentioned to Swamiji that I
shaky about the music, and standing with David in was singing the music.
the most visible position of the choir. It was quite a
joke! The lesson I took from it is that Divine Mother Now, I’m sure that Swamiji would have been
doesn’t care about our problems at all; what touches perfectly justified in saying, “Well, it’s about time!”
her heart is our willingness. As Master said, “All you But he said, “That’s wonderful! It would be so good
can do is the best you know how!” I managed to for him.”
rattle through the song somehow. That’s Swami Kriyananda in a nutshell – never
I often wonder if Divine Mother doesn’t placing the needs of the organization over those of
deliberately arrange it so that we aren’t able to the individual; always ready to encourage and help
behave perfectly, for the simple reason that it forces us.
us to open our hearts and call on Her. In the process,
 2
Rambhakta: How I Learned to Practice

(From a conversation with Nayaswami Asha, Karen, our director, she described how she practices.
co-spiritual director of Ananda Sangha in Palo Alto, She told me, “My voice is often rough or thin at first,
California.) and I’ll do some scales to get warm, then I’ll just sing
the song for a long time until it gets smooth.”
After singing Ananda’s music for several years,
I began to feel that I had only just begun to learn how That was very encouraging to me. Karen sings
to practice. beautifully; it seems effortless, and to discover that
she actually had to work hard to make her voice
When I started singing Swamiji’s music, I had
smooth told me that I might be able to do the same if
formerly done a lot of chanting, and I realized it was
I emulated her way of warming up. So, in the car on
a good way to warm up before singing Swami’s
the freeway, I started singing the song and I
songs. The choir in Palo Alto meets early on Sunday
immediately noticed that my voice was very rough
morning to practice before service, and I would go to
and that it was tight and thin on the high parts.
rehearsal, then in the hour before service began I
would get in my car and drive and chant. I asked Master and Swamiji what to do. I said,
“What can I do to fix this?” Then I recalled some of
I found that if I was able to go deep in a chant, I
the tricks that Karen had suggested to me, like
could sing well. I recall a practice where I stood next
singing only the vowels of the song. So I did that for
to Chaitanya. I had just come back from an hour of
a while and it got a bit easier. Then I sang the
“freeway chanting.” After we practiced, he said,
“problem parts” until I could feel which areas needed
“You should be singing in an ensemble!” Well, I had
special help, and then I prayed to know what to do.
only been singing with the choir for a month, and I
knew it was because I was feeling inspired and my One thing that helped was to sing a different
voice was sweet from chanting. The more inspiration song that was equally high, but easier to sing. I’m
I felt in chanting, the more easily and beautifully I practicing “Three Wise Men” for a Christmas
was able to sing the Ananda music. concert, and I’ve had trouble with some of the high
parts because my voice gets thin and reedy. But I
I had the same experience repeatedly, where I
realized that if I sang the tenor part from the
would run Master’s and Swamiji’s chants through
Hallelujah Chorus, it was easier to sing “Three Wise
my body and heart before we performed and it
Men.”
enabled me to sing well. Yet, after a while it seemed
as if Master didn’t want me to do that anymore. It What seemed to work best was to ask for help
became very difficult to find any inspiration in the and do whatever suggested itself. Often it was a
chants. I suspected it was because Master wanted me question of just praying and singing the song many
to focus on the Ananda music. times until it “got smooth.” Sometimes I’ll find that
it’s enough, and that if I just keep singing and
One Sunday morning, I was driving on the
offering it to Master and Swamiji for their guidance,
freeway and finding little inspiration in the chants. I
it’s all I need.
said, “Divine Mother, I’m going to practice the
Ananda songs. I don’t know if it’s right, but here It also helps to sing the song and then be quiet
goes!” for a while. Somehow, when I return to the song it’s
easier, as if some superconscious part of my brain
I started singing a song that was difficult,
has worked on the song during the break. But the
because it was in a high tenor range and also the
physical, mental, and spiritual instruments all need
words were tricky. In a conversation I had with
work.
 2
It’s also been wonderful to find that I can go to they are able to flow with the music in their
the studio and work for a long time on a song like consciousness.
“Three Wise Men,” and that the roughness and (The following is from a conversation with
thinness gradually leaves my voice, and the problem David Eby, the music director at Ananda Village.)
spots in the song somehow get “fixed.” I’ll pray for
help, then warm up with chanting and a few scales, Rambhakta: There was a period in my life where
and once my voice is warm I’ll start singing. It may Swami urged me to chant, as a way to open my heart.
be rough, but at some point it seems the next step is And when I finally took it seriously and started
just to sing the song over and over. Then a different chanting, I spent a lot of time in my car chanting.
level of inspiration and ease of singing comes along. Over the next five years, I chanted for at least an
I hesitate to call it a “power” – but perhaps it’s a hour and a half a day, mostly in the car. I put lots of
“blessing” that’s coming through. miles on that car, and I wore out three cassette tapes
of Swami’s first chant recording.
Asha: I think “power” is the right word. It’s
divine power. Divine power does push people I noticed that when I sang for a long time, it did
around (laughs), but what you’re describing isn’t interesting things with my body. It would make me
egoic. sit upright. It would expand my chest. I would feel
energy rise up into my heart. And while I was doing
Rambhakta: Yes, that’s how it feels – it isn’t so much singing my Kriya got much deeper. The
egoic anymore. It feels as if Swamiji and Divine music helped my sadhana tremendously.
Mother are finally able to sing through this
instrument, and there’s a better understanding of the I’m not a soloist, but occasionally I’ll sing short
music that comes. solo part of a song. Next Sunday, Dambara will start
off singing “I’ve been in many countries, I’ve mixed
The feeling of attunement to something higher with many men!” and I’ll chime in with “I’ve shared
that is singing the music makes me feel strongly that their days of sunshine, gone with them in the rain.” I
it would be a blessing for everyone at Ananda to try was listening to one of Swami’s talks when he was
singing this music, and gradually go deeper with the living in Los Angeles, where he remarked that he’s
songs. Because the songs do have power to help us. never felt stage fright because he always has an
It’s good to remember that the music is a central part attitude of giving. In fact, I’ve never felt
of our work, and that singing helps us get more in self-conscious or nervous when I get up and sing, if
tune with Master’s ray. The more that people can I’m truly wanting to share something beautiful and
prepare themselves and receive that power from inspiring with the people in the audience, not from
Master and Swamiji, the better off they’ll be. myself but by giving whole self as an instrument of
I don’t pretend to have gone full circle with the Master’s.
process. When I listen to recordings of the tenor parts This morning, while I sat next to Ishani in our
by Chaitanya and Dambara, I think “My goodness!” meditation, I was singing Brothers silently, and my
Because there’s no resistance in them, there’s no consciousness got so sweet. It filled my meditation
diversion – they’re completely immersed in the song. with great encouragement and blessings and inward
Asha: They certainly show you where it can go. help. This music is wonderful.
Their instrument is no longer an impediment, and
 2

Resources

The Joyful Arts at Ananda. Articles and videos on the arts in the Ananda communities.

Music and the Arts at Ananda. From the main Ananda website.

Ananda Garden. Practice mp3s for four-part Ananda songs (and seasonal pieces, e.g.,
Handel’s Messiah).

LA Joy Singers. Ananda’s main touring group, based in Los Angeles, California.

Vocal Bliss. High-quality instruction for singers, in person or by Internet video. Ramesha
Nani is a professional musician and accomplished singer. Try the free sample lessons online.

Ananda Music Library. Sheet music for all of Swami’s compositions, and many parts
MP3’s. To obtain a username and password, email Jeannie Tschantz: Jeannie@ananda.org.

Ananda Guitar. Accompaniments for many of Swami’s songs.