Dana.
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For as long as she can remember, music has been an essential part of her life. Beautiful songs compelled her to clear her mind, open her heart, and tune in to the deepest level of her being. At a young age, she discovered a presence in music that inspired her to be as present as possible with each subtlety of sound and nuance of feeling.
Then, almost a decade ago, she started singing Kirtan. Soon she realized: There is some power in the mantras that can’t be defined, and when that power is mixed with music, it brings everything to silence and enlivens the heart.
Now that same intimacy and presence she experienced while listening to music in solitude is felt in community, in Kirtan, singing with others, and this is a beautiful thing.
"There's a love that occurs when
we meet certain persons/
There's a deeper love that's pure
that needs no rehearsing/
This is a love that is conscious and real/
This is the love that the mantra reveals"
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- Lyrics from 'Burn with the Fire of Love'
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Rishi/Fraser.
​​Over the years, his expression has taken on many forms. He has worked as a spoken word and hip-hop artist, musician, and writer, exploring identity, social justice, spirituality, and human nature. In so many ways, these performances were enriching, but it is through the simple practice of call and answer chanting that he discovered a true heart resonance.
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Chanting has shown him that peace and clarity is ever present. No matter how disturbed the mind becomes or how much discomfort there might be in the body, none of these things can stand in the way of us opening our hearts to spirit and truly being present right now.
Over a decade ago a serious brain injury pulled him out of his life as an artist, community organizer, and activist into many quiet years of recovery. To this day he is still working hard to recover lost functions, but he is also extremely grateful for the way these potholes on his life path have proven to be profound catalysts for change. It was during this time that he met MoojiBaba, who gave him the name Rishi.
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Beloved Babaji,
You who bring so much light to this world and share your wisdom with such kindness, clarity, and love. You have transformed our lives, opened our hearts, and revealed the profound peace of the Self, and you have done and continue to do this with incredible care, ease, and attentiveness. Words cannot express our gratitude. Still, we say, Thank You!