Category Archives: Music

Today I celebrate Osho, the Open Sky who introduced me to the world of meditation, opening my eyes and heart to a life of love, laughter, and celebration. Gratitude, always.

“Just being empty, you will understand — there is no other way of understanding. Whatsoever you want to understand, be that, because that is the only way. Try being an ordinary man, nobody, with no name, no identity, with nothing to claim, with no power to enforce on others, with no effort to dominate, with no desire to possess, just being a nonentity. Try it — and see how powerful you become, how filled with energy and overflowing, so powerful that you can share your power, so blissful that you can give it to many, to millions. And the more you give, the more you are enriched. The more you share, the more it grows.”

And The Flowers Showered
Chapter #1

Every year the tours are different. This is a good thing because it keeps things fresh and on the up-and-up. Nivedano certainly added spice this season, and together with Nirdosh, the two Brasilians gave the groove swing and a LOT of energy .

There are a million and one details that go into each year’s planning. I always experience a kind of disbelief when the music is finally happening, there are no bugs in the sound system, and the whole thing is rolling along. And roll it did for five consecutive, joyous weekends. I knew from the first notes in New York, this tour would be moving (grooving!) from peak to peak. It had that special something. I call it the wow! factor. Plain and simple, just wow!

New York

Chicago

Dallas

Atlanta

San Diego

After the RISK Summer Festival, travels took me to Portugal for the seven-day Family Constellation Training facilitated by Darshan. It was followed immediately by the OSHO Heart Festival — both in the same wonderful venue along the Tagus River where it reaches the sea. The training was many things: intense, inquiring, insightful, and ultimately liberating, while the festival gave opportunity for integrating the work and also celebrating it.

From Lisbon, I traveled to England where I rendevoused with Chandira and Rishi for the OSHO Leela Summer Festival. It had been many years since I visited England. It was a delight to meet so many old friends and also make a few new ones. The energy went high and deep in the course of a few divine days. I am always amazed what happens when people come together to meditate. Hearts open and some remembrance happens — so precious, so nourishing, so healing.

Oh, what Joy! For seven days in July, the Osho RISK Summer Festival reaffirmed the words of the Sages: “This Very Body, The Buddha. This Very World, The Lotus Paradise.” The combination of meditation and love makes it reality. It’s easy. It just takes a little courage and some initiative. This is the insight I will carry in my heart from the festival.

The music was given wings by the most wonderful group of musicians: Bindu, Chandira, Diana, Harisharan, Jivan, Lars, Nadiya, Palash, and Salima. Wow! Wow! Wow! Thank you, beloveds.

There were wonderful workshops to enjoy; incrediblely tasty and nourishing food from the cooks; a great cabaret; a stellar jazz evening, several discos, good weather, and and and … even a hot tub! Everything supported by the divine, magical Nature of the surrounding countryside, so perfect for walks, being with oneself and what is.

And a special thank you to the festival organizers, Anjee, Ashiko, Subhuti and their support team for the smooth sailing we all experienced and enjoyed.

Satsang is a beautiful word from Sanskrit, the ancient language of the seers. Sat means “truth” and sang means “communion”. Hence satsang: “communion with truth”.

But what is Truth? Hmm, such a serious question. Or does it provoke a belly-laugh? One might say this distinction is what separates the unenlightened from the sages. However, the essential question “what is truth?” provides the basis and impetus for all spiritual search. Those humanity considers wise unanimously agree: truth which can be said is not the truth, but that truth is something that must be lived to be experienced.

Osho, known for his relentless hammering of disciples’ questions, says that when a question-less state of mind is reached, what he calls no-mind, is it possible to glimpse the truth. Only when all questions have disappeared and there is simply silence can the flame of awareness be passed from master to disciple. Such a silent communion beyond words and mind is the essence of satsang.

My first taste of satsang was with Osho. These were silent sittings, gatherings of disciples and master, and different from Osho’s discourses where he would speak on various topics; or darshans which were informal meetings with disciples and visitors.

Satsang with Osho almost always happened in the morning. Osho gave them a format which he would modify from time to time. They were invariably one hour long and for the most part silent sittings, but sometimes the musicians would play several improvisations. Also, there was always a humming stage in which everyone participated. At Rajneeshpuram (also known as The Ranch) I remember hearing Osho comment that the humming was the most important part. This came as a shock to some of us musicians, but I was also intrigued. Surely he must have another reason for saying this other than to hammer our delicate musicians’ egos. From this time on, though, I began to pay more attention to the silences.

On occasion, Osho would have someone read from a particular text. For example, at The Ranch during one particular festival, the readings were from The Prophet by Kahil Gibran. On other occasions, there was space set aside for the gachami’s (as we called them) which were a call and response chant from ancient Buddhist scriptures the whole community recited in unison. Slowly, I began to understand that every “technique” Osho employed, no matter what the twist, was in the service of silence —  the music, the readings, the humming, the gachami’s — even the gaps. Everything pointed to silence.

In the time since Osho left-the-body, satsang has evolved into a structured meditation in its own right, something that can be done by anyone, anywhere, anytime. The communion in my understanding is no longer something that that needs disciples and masters. The joy of the meditation is the communion in that happens in silence with oneself, or expansively, the communion of oneself with the whole of Existence.

Those of you who know the One Sky Events know that the Morning Satsang Meditation is a much-loved part of the program. Its basic format is exactly how I experienced it with Osho: a silent sitting of seekers punctuated by several improvisations from the musicians, gaps for silence, and a humming stage somewhere in the middle. Sometimes Osho quotes are played but other than this, there is no speaking or any dialogue between individuals. Satsang has nothing to do with the world of words. It is a meditation that supports relaxing into oneself and letting go into silence. I will not be as bold to say that this silent  “communion” is where truth happens, but … perhaps it is. I invite you to see for yourself.

On this note, I would like to share a morning satsang meditation that was recorded at Osho RISK Center in Denmark during the Summer Festival 2004. I discovered the recording recently while cleaning out my cupboards. I decided to give it a listen before assigning it the fate of other accumulated, old stuff of mine headed for the trash. I am not a big fan of live recordings. Perhaps this is why I never listened until now, but wow — what a wonderful surprise. The music is not only beautifully played, but skillfully recorded and mixed — a rare combination. Realizing it might be something nice thing to share, I connected with the musicians they all said YES! So I want to thank and acknowledge them, also the recording engineer, Deekshant, for allowing me to make this available. It features Palash on the Chinese harp called guzhen; Chintan on tablas; Rishi on framedrum and percussion; Chandira on keyboards; and Yoko on Japanese bamboon flute called shinobui. I had the luxury this particular morning to sit and enjoy the meditation as a participant.

To prepare the music for this sharing, I did some minor technical clean-ups then formatted the track precisely as a one hour meditation. It has a bell at the beginning, a bell in the middle signaling the start of the humming, and three bells at the end. The first of the music stages starts around the two minute mark. I would suggest before beginning to fast-forward ahead to this point and set the volume of your player to a comfortable listening level. Then roll back to the beginning to start the meditation with the first bell. In this way, you can enjoy the meditation from start to finish, undisturbed, without having to adjust your player’s volume.

Satsang remains one of my favorite meditations simply because there is not a lot of technique involved in doing it. When the music is there, I listen; when the silent gaps come, I relax and let-go; when the humming starts, I hum — all the while knowing these minor “doings” are in the service of deepening the silence. Sound like a great meditation? It is — divinely and deliciously so. The musicians and I are happy to share it here with you as a free download. Meditation is one of life’s great luxuries. I invite you to sit back, relax, close your eyes, and enjoy satsang.

Songs of the Heart featuring Neera, Yoko, and Milarepa

Recorded live, Sendai, Japan 1999

This music has a little story.

In 1999, I did a month-long “unplugged” tour of Japan with two of my favorite musician friends, Neera and Yoko. Our little acoustic trio played all over Honshu, one of the four main islands of Japan. We also visited the north island of Hokkaido.

It was a wonderful tour. We met many beautiful people and it was a joy wherever we went. We played all kinds of venues, from temples and auditoriums to private homes and meditation centers. After many years of touring in band situations with a big sound, it was especially satisfying for me to enjoy a softer, intimate and acoustic side of music.

Prada, Yoko, Milarepa and Neera at natural hot springs

The girls were awesome. They had a heartful, easy connection with each other that made traveling with them delightful. One of our traveling highlights was taking the boat from Hokkaido to the most northern point of Honshu. The ferry arrived to a small fishing town where we were met by two sannyasin friends who ended up driving us all the way to Izu Peninsula, Shizuoka, a beautiful natural area south of Tokyo where we would finish the tour. The whole trip took about six days. Along the way we had many interesting adventures: such as visiting several active volcano areas which meant of course wonderful hotspring soaks. One of the areas had big flat rocks that were heated by the earth. They were also naturally radioactive. Busloads of old people with their aches and pains, some suffering from cancer, would arrive and simply roll out their bamboo mats and curl up under their blankets on the warm rocks, letting Nature work its magic.

Another of our stops along the way was the City of Sendai, one of the places recently devastated by the 2011 earthquake and tsunami. Here, a concert had been organized for us in a beautiful, large auditorium. It had great acoustics and we were fortunate that evening to have a professional sound mixer. The tour was almost over and after so many events, we were playing really well together. It was one of those special evenings when our on-stage chemistry was really clicking and the love flowing. We were relaxed, having fun, and the audience could feel and hear it. Our sweet little tour finished several days later and the three of us went our respective ways.

     Celebration in Nagoya City with Nivedano, Pradip, Sat Prem, Neera, and Yoko.

Fast forward eight years later. I was on a solo tour of Japan and again visiting the City of Sendai where I had since had made a connection with two new organizers, friends who ran a small coffeeshop in the countryside. It also functioned as a venue where I gave small events and concerts. Several years later, this very shop and venue was devasted by the tsunami and my friends were forced to relocate and start a new life in Osaka. One afternoon, I was having coffee, chatting away with the friends, and I noticed my ears kept going to the background music playing in the shop. As I was leaving, I inquired with my friend, “What music is that?” He smiled and said, “Hey, that’s YOU!” I was incredulous, mainly because if I had recognized it as me, I most-likely would have tuned it out. I am usually very critical of my own playing and singing. But this time was different because I hadn’t recognized myself! I simply found myself enjoying the music for what it was,while happily tapping my foot along to it’s soft, easy rythmns. Then my friend produced a cd with a hand-made label and said, “Remember Sendai? You, Neera, and Yoko? Golden Light Concert Tour?” And I said, “Wow, yes of course! But how did you get this?” And he said his friend on the mixing board that night had made the recording and given it to him. “You would like a copy?” And so, this is how I came to have these tracks.

Again, many years passed. The cd lay tucked away in my cupboard and I forgot about it. Live recordings have never really been my thing and I figured I would never be be comfortable putting it out. Yet, I always had this nagging feeling that kept coming back, how I had been caught off-guard and surprised that day in Sendai. It has actually been an interesting lesson for me — in what one likes and doesn’t like — when it comes to my own creativity. Could it be the music was actually ok when my critical mind was by-passed? Cleaning out my cupboards last year, I came across it again and decided to put it on while I worked. Sure enough, it caught me off guard again and I found myself smiling, appreciating it for what it is: not the polished professionalism of it, but the innocence and special atmosphere it has.

Beloved Neera

And here we are now, in the first weeks of New Year 2014, and I have decided at long last to share the concert. I did some small mastering to it, but no other editing or cosmetics. I present it in its flowing uninterrupted format, just like we played it. The songs are what we know as Osho Songs: songs written by various sannyasins and sung by the commune in gratitude to the Master for His endless inspiration. They express hearts touched by silence, inspired by a vision for a New Humanity blessed by the flowers of love and meditation.

Since these tracks were played, Neera has left her body. She will always have a special place in my heart. She has a voice that remains as loved today as it was when she stood by my side the evening we sang these songs. She loved Japan and had a special connection with its people. And they loved her too. Neera had a natural tendency towards ecstasy when she sang. Being next to her whenever we played was infectious and a feeling we had in common. Yoko lives in Japan, nearby the City of Hiroshima where she continues to play, teach, record, as well as share meditation. Since our tours, she has developed into a wonderful singer in her own right. Working with the tracks, I marveled time and time again at her awesome mastery of the flute. So precise and in-tune, so much awareness in every note, her playing is sheer magic.

I sincerely hope the music catches you as much by surprise as it did (and continues to do!) me.

A Tantra meditation for friends and couples.

Tantra meditations represent the path of togetherness. Yoga-style meditations represent the path of aloneness. Yoga-style meditations include vipassana, zazen — any technique done alone and by oneself. Tantric meditations invite the company of a partner. One’s partner for meditation can be another person or, in a broader sense, Existence itself. Tantra uses the life-energy derived from connecting with others as a help for going deep within. Tantra is rooted in Life. In Tantra, everyday ordinary experiences can be used as a support in meditation. Because Tantra is devotional by nature, even the act of love can be a meditation.Tantra has its source in ancient India.  It is described in the ancient texts, “The Vigyan Bhairav Tantra”: discourses given by the Lord Shiva to his consort (lover) Parvati. It is said that all meditation techniques can trace their roots to the one-hundred-and-eight techniques found in these scriptures.

The technique and music for this meditation was many years in the making. The initial idea came from an exercise good friends Anjee and Habib of Denmark shared on a beach in Corfu with participants from a weeklong meditation retreat with the band. We had no music to accompany the breathing, only the gentle sound of the sea caressing the beach. Over the years since, we experimented with different techniques for the various stages and also different kinds of music. Last summer, Chandira and I realized the stages had finally crystalized, so in a short tour-gap after the RISK Summer Festival, we took a few days to record the music. It is a lovely meditation to enjoy with a partner or alone. I am happy to share this new addition to the Stepping Stone Series.

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SACRED WAVE MEDITATION

A new meditation in the Stepping Stones Series for friends and lovers. Music by Chandira and Milarepa.

Following in the footsteps of Lao Tzu, Chuang Tzu and Bodhidharma, I finally visited China after all these years and what a wonderful experience it was. The Family Constellation group with Darshan in Beijing was both powerful and deep. I enjoyed my contribution to the workshop: sharing music, meditation, and celebration. Afterwards, I had a few days off to enjoy a bit of sightseeing: The Great Wall, Forbidden City, and Summer Palace. I was introduced to the most amazing people everywhere and made many new friends. I feel thoroughly nourished and loved. Thank you, all, for sharing your heart and transformation with me. It has been an inspiring visit and one I won’t soon forget.

I arrived in Tokyo from Beijing on April 9. It had been more than two years since my last visit to Japan. After a short stopover to visit old friends, I traveled on to Matsumoto City (gateway to the Japan Alps) where the first event was held. I was hosted in an old ryokan (traditional Japanese hotel) which had its own onsen (hotspring bath), an added luxury. From there, I moved on to Nagoya, Hiroshima, and then back to Tokyo for the last event. After the tour, I visited in Gunma Prefecture (about an hour northwest of Tokyo on a bullet train) where I had a wonderful week of rest and relaxation with dear friends before finally boarding my flight home to America on May 5.

Just like Spring brings with a sense of renewal, so did the events this time all have a fresh feeling. Japan is endlessly fascinating. In my over thirty years of visits, I am still discovering and learning new things. It is a cultural kaleidoscope from its first-class cuisine to its complex, nuanced language; from its clean, modern cities and transportation systems to its timeless countryside of terraced rice fields, shrines and ancient temples.

Being a volcanic series of islands, Japan has lots of hotsprings. Fortunately this visit, I had the opportunity to visit two of my favorites, Ikaho and Kusatsu. Every hotspring has different qualities, the therapeutic effect due to the types of minerals dissolved in the water. A long, soothing soak defines the meaning of Japanese word, “kimochi”: In other words, “Mmm, this feels REALLY good.”

Everyone loves springtime in Japan, not just because of the mind-silencing cherry blossoms (sakura), but the variety of flowers that endlessly come popping up every day, everywhere. It’s true what one hears that the Japanese love their flowers. And so do I.

I had some strong experiences along the way. One in particular, a concert I gave in the shadow of the Atomic Dome in Hiroshima. This building with its dome-like roof was one of the few structures left standing after the atomic bomb was dropped in World War ll. Now a central feature of the Hiroshima Peace Park, it stands as a poignant reminder of what can happen when nationalism runs amok, politicians’ egos spin out of control, and we lose track of our humanity.

I was touched by the many new people coming to the events, their sincerity and interest in meditation and exploring themselves. Their willingness to open their hearts, put their minds and differences aside was inspiring and made the events especially strong, nourishing, and transforming. Maybe I am a dreamer, or perhaps it has something to do with my musician disposition, but I always feel so much more is possible when we join our hands and come together in silence and love.

A word about the photos: I have arranged them more or less in chronological order. They reflect the route my travels followed as I celebrated the seasonal magic unfolding everywhere. To all my organizers, musicians, and the many beautiful new and old friends I met along the way — also to Ashik who made the long journey from Colorado to join us in Tokyo — I say “xie xie” (thank you in Chinese) and “arigato” (thank you in Japanese).

CHINA

JAPAN

Arbitrary Lines

I had to laugh the other day, how funny my mind is the way it likes to organize things such as the passing of time, into neat, convenient little blocks. Because really, when one thinks about it, is not New Year just an arbitrary line in the Sands of Time? Lines are logical, and a male invention I suspect, their linear nature giving some comfort to the mind always struggling to understand a vast, mysterious Universe it can never quite grasp. Indeed it is, a very funny thing, this eternal flow of days and years.

In my last update, I tried to give some words to the gaps I experience when the Valley yawns and swallows me up after a tour, especially one so high and as exceptional as last year’s. How, just as there are seasons on the outside, there are inner ones, like autumn when the inner muse becomes quiet and my movements around the world cease; when even my guitar sits idle (albiet content) in the corner. I received many concerned letters from friends who, after reading my poem became worried, asking: “Are you sick? OK? Depressed or something?” All I can say is, creativity has its seasons. After many years of playing, I know this. I have learned to see these gaps as something valuable. They are restful, of course. But they are creative, too, because they give me space to explore new dimensions and horizons. I try to embrace the gaps when they come now and see them as natural, not as bad or wrong, nor something to fight with nor become frustrated by. I have learned they are an important, even necessary, process which prepares me, inside and out, for the next splash of colors-on-canvas.

I started out January 1st exactly as I wished: meditating and celebrating. I welcomed in the New Year with friends in Dallas, Texas, where together we all helped in the renovation of the old Zorba Studio, transforming it into a beautiful new Osho Dallas Meditation Center.

It is late February now as I type these words and the year is moving fast. My birthday recently whizzed by in the blink of an eye. With March fast approaching, I start to worry that by the time I get this update ready, it will no longer be relevant. Winter is howling outside, and my house and car are still buried in knee-deep in snow. The tall, grey trees sleep as if nothing is happening — no dreams stirring, not even of Spring. Such is their trust. But there are signs to seen, harbingers of good things “just around the corner”, as Osho is fond of saying. On my walk the other day, I spotted the first flowers poking-up their brave colorful heads through the snow, while just as miraculously the tours and year ahead take shape. Year 2014 marks twenty-one consecutive years of the tours. I can only marvel the way things continue to unfold. On the horizon, new music beckons along with new band constellations, places to be visited, and new peaks of celebration. A few musician friends who often travel with me have other callings this year to attend, so new faces will be joining the caravanserai. I am happy to announce Nivedano will be on-board for the USA events. In the words of Teerth, this is epic. And so it promises to be, 2014, an epic New Year.

Signs of Spring

When one comes across the jewel of oneself, it is truly something to celebrate. In fact it can be said, the whole Existence celebrates. Thirty-eight years ago, March 28th, I stumbled across just such a jewel while traveling through India, a diamond called Osho. I think of it as a divine accident. It is a precious discovery that hasn’t stopped since, one that just goes on and on, and one that has made me richer in ways i could not possibly imagine at the time. Recently, I celebrated this miraculous, and somewhat mysterious, phenomenon with a series of events in New York City and Atlanta. I celebrated not just the miracle of being myself but that of Osho’s and the countless others he goes on inspiring to wake up. I can imagine no better way to say hello to the Spring, the inner and outer awakening of Nature, than with a few songs and wild, crazy dances — not to mention a slice of yummy cake.