Prem Baba

Just back from my second class with Swati (weekends off, I meet with her Monday to Friday at 11am for an hour or two). Brought a couple recruits with me today, giving her business :)
But let me go back to the - yes, again - magical day that was yesterday. I had first heard of Prem Baba from the Brazilian guy that the German and I got a moto-rickshaw ride with when we first arrived. I didn't think much more about him until fellow students in my Trika class started talking about their experiences with him. Basically, the bulk of what they said is: "You will cry." Hmmm, ok. Sunday is our day off at Trika, so to continue and expand my yogic learnings and influences, I thought it would be a good day to go hear him speak. I walked over to the other side of town (to the Laxmanjula bridge area; I am in the Ramjula bridge area) to the ashram where he was with my Belgian friend, Alice, also taking the Trika course. (Papa et Rachel, vous serez heureux de savoir qu'avec elle - et je la vois a tous les jours - je parle francais :) Et aussi avec Gabriel, de Trois-Rivieres - le premier Quebecois que je rencontre! - qui je vois de temps en temps, et qui viendra desfois au cours de Swati.) It was her second time there, and my first. We removed our shoes and walked into a large, bright, window surrounded room, with a floor covered in small cushions to seat about two to three hundred people. I sat down, got comfortable, looked around the room, and almost instantly I had a big knot in my throat. The energy was undeniable. We all stood as Prem Baba entered and walked to to his white-cushioned chair. (A bit about Prem Baba before I go on, taken from a website: "Sri Prem Baba is a spiritual master of the Sachcha Lineage and a shaman from Brazil. He works to build bridges between worlds: spirituality and psychology, east and west. He blends satsang and meditation, music and chanting. Prem Baba will address how to open your heart, observe yourself, integrate your shadow and connect with the divine. He offers a practical form of psycho-spiritual work called “The Path of the Heart” that will allow you to go beyond fear and ego to love and compassion." So, the session began with a little presentation/offering by a group of about 8 children (because, "coincidentally", the first day I decide to attend, the focus is on the crucial importance of childhood education). They spoke, acted, sang, danced, played music. When one boy played Fur Elise (a piece my grandmother used to love and play and taught me on the piano), tears began to swell up in my eyes. After the presentation, the regular session began, with the live instruments and chants. Within seconds, tears were streaming down my face. As the sounds got louder and more powerful, I began to sob like never before. I couldn't control it and didn't know why it was happening. I had never heard anything so beautiful. As the intensity of the music lowered again, my sobs were a little more under control. After quietly scanning the room for a minute or two (reading the energies of those in attendance), Prem Baba began to talk. He spoke for about an hour on education and related topics. I was very interested, but could hardly keep my eyes open due to the drain from the intense surge of emotions that preceded. After the talk, it was time for the closing chants. I figured that since I now knew what to expect, I would be able to control my emotions, appreciate the music, and even participate in the chanting. But again, the moment the music and voices filled the room, tears filled my eyes. And as the intensity increased, I cried like I've never cried before. (And I wasn't alone. The room was filled with sniffles, from men and women of all ages.) Ouf... wasn't sure how much more of this I could take. (On the walk home, Alice told me she was unable to stay for the whole session her first time, as it was just too much.) I was relieved to see that, after the second set of chants, it was almost over. As the musicians kept playing, some people lined up to approach Prem Baba, say or ask something, and receive his blessing. When all those who wished to had been seen and heard by Prem Baba, we all stood as he exited, then sat back down for a 5 minute meditation before leaving. Wow. Wow. Wow. I was speechless as I walked out. I'm getting choked up just writing about it. 
Curious about what had just taken place, I discussed it with friends and yoga teachers later that day. The explanation is that Prem Baba works deeply with energies, and that as you sit in his presence, hear the chants and hear him speak, your blocked chakras (energy centers in the body) begin to open up and all the negative emotions that have been stuck in them begin to be released. Hence the intense crying.
I moved, thought and walked very slowly that afternoon (and those who know me well know that I walk like my arse is on fire!). I was in a very calm and serene state. I walked, observed, reflected, and then wrote a very important e-mail to a very important person.
Just when I thought the day couldn't get any more magical, we had our special evening at Trika. Earlier in the week, we had planned an evening of sacred mantra chants at Trika on Sunday. Those who were interested (it was optional since Sunday is our day off, but of course, I wanted to go) were to meet in our yoga hall at 6pm. I had dinner with some great friends I've made from class, and we walked over together. It was a first for all of us. We entered the dark hall to see cushions placed in a circle around a formation of red sheets and blankets, with flowers and a small stone statue in the center, and a circle of white burning candles between our seats and the center formation (and then they pulled out a string of red Christmas lights and placed them in a circle in the middle to add to the festivity!) Julian, from our class, was there with his girlfriend(?) Tanya, each with a guitar and ready to lead the mantra chanting. (We were about 12, some from class, some not.) Besides the two guitars, there were a few other smaller instruments laid out, which we were free to take and play when we felt it was right. Julian and Tanya (European, not sure from where) are a regular chanting duo (I'll send a youtube link of them when I find it), and we are so lucky to have Julian in our class, as this evening would not have been the same without them. Tanya has a stunning voice, and as we all joined our voices and instruments, the feeling was simply indescribable. Each chant began at a slow pace and low volume, gradually increasing to the point where we smiled and "danced" as we sat and sang. Then the intensity diminished, and at the end of each chant, we sat and absorbed the beautiful sensation created by each one.
A stunning, spectacular day yet again.
Shanti. Shanti. Shanti.