September 18-25, 2011 | Estes Park, CO Estes Park here we come! The Yoga Journal Conference: Colorado, Sept 18-25, is just around the corner and we are delighted to backbend into beauty as we trade our studio walls for Rocky Mountain views. We invite you to celebrate Yoga Journal's sixteen years in Colorado by delving deeper into your practice for a class, a day, a weekend, or the entire conference. Learn to ignite and inspire your life, both on and off your mat, with Baron Baptiste, discover the links between karma, relationship, and transformation with Sally Kempton, or access the power and light of your being with Saul David Raye! With a 3-Day Baptiste Power Flow Immersion, 35+ master teachers, 100+ classes, and special events including a Saturday night kirtan concert with Snatam Kaur, free community classes, and the LUNAFEST film festival, there's something for everyone. Speaker Spotlight: Snatam Kaur Snatam Kaur is the featured musician of the Yoga Journal Conference: Colorado. Her Saturday evening concert (September 24th) will be done in the call-and-response kirtan tradition, which builds an energetic momentum that palpably fills each concert space. Tickets available for purchase now! "Music is incredibly transformational," says Sacred Chant artist Snatam Kaur. "I feel like the Sacred Chants I sing are alive and that I'm a tool for their message." SK: Sacred chant is "Naad" or sound yoga. As human beings, we require rhythm. Rhythm brings us back to our heart. The daily practice of chanting is important because when we can connect with our own rhythm, we connect with our heart, and that's where we begin to see change. If you practice chanting every day you can truly transform. Naad yoga works with energy of the spinal chord and the chakras. The first step is to clear the energy at the base of the spine and then through chanting move your energy up the spinal chord to the top of your head at the tenth gate where you can connect with the Divine. In this process each Chakra is engaged and rejuvenated. YJ: Why is music so powerful? SK: Music transforms you. It connects us with the divine light within each of us and shows us this light is real and true. I find that these chants awaken this reality within the mind. YJ: You talk about how the energy of sound helps people heal. Can you explain? SK: Sound transforms the energy of your mind. Sacred mantras work on all levels, but the most obvious is that of the mind. These sacred mantras are essentially positive affirmations of the light and the love within you. So by continually chanting them, you replace the negative thoughts with these positive thought patterns. It can happen quickly, powerfully, and permanently, through the daily practice of sacred chanting. YJ: Who are some of your favorite artists? SK: I really like Sting. I like how his voice stays true to the music. I also really like Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan. He was a Sufi classical Indian musician. Technically, he was amazing. He was a very grounded presence in the way he sings, but within that, he also embodied reckless abandon. YJ: When I listen to chant music, I find that sadness and joy are closely aligned. Do you ever feel this too? SK: I do. Sacred chant is a yogic practice. To reap the full benefit of the music, one has to apply themselves and that means being real, and honoring the emotions that are present. This then releases energy patterns. Tears of sadness can turn into tears of joy. That's the magic and the power of sacred chant. It's the divine in action. YJ: The tenth anniversary of 9/11 is here. Tell us how you experienced that day and what it taught you? SK: I saw what happened on the morning news and I was shocked and in a very deep sense of pain for all of the victims. Then I became concerned about my community, because as Sikhs, we wear turbans, and I was concerned about hate crimes. I found out from a friend about an interfaith service happening that evening to pray for the victims of 9/11. I found out that Sikhs had not been invited, mostly through lack of awareness. I called the organizer and he said, "Yes, of course, please come." The prayer service began and suddenly all of my fears for my community and the overwhelming pain from the events of the day lifted enough for me to believe in hope again. All these faiths had come together to pray and I realized that through collective prayer, we can transform the world. I knew at that moment my life had changed forever. Interview by Dayna Macy, Yoga Journal's communications director and managing editor of international editions. Dayna is the author of the recently published Ravenous: A Food Lover's Journey from Obsession to Freedom. www.daynamacy.com The 9th Annual Yoga Journal Conference: San Francisco website is now live!
January 12-16, 2012 | Hyatt Regency Registration is now open for the San Francisco Conference! Gravity surf with Ana Forrest, invite grace into your practice with Elena Brower, and become a love warrior with Stephanie Synder all in the same day! Special events include kirtan with Krishna Das, a keynote on Integrating Yoga into the Health Care System with Rodney Yee, free community classes, and so much more. Be sure to register by October 21 for the best pricing options!  |
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