Saturday, January 7th, 2023
Longdenville, Trinidad
When facilitating a “Kirtan Standards Workshop” like the one we conducted for thirty or so people, the two themes I like to emphasize are “Prabhupada’s standards” and “inclusiveness”. I have had a good support by others on the past, the likes of Dhruva from Calgary, Rukmini from Toronto, as well as Kevala Bhakti.
What the attendees here in Trinidad gained from this workshop, amongst many benefits, is some clarification on what our acharyas or teachers in our lineage have preferred in the way of mantra chanting. It is important to follow a discipline in any field while adding a sense of artistic license. We want to be careful about making additions in our approaches because the whole system of mantra delivery is for our purging. When we add to a system it can easily become diluted or watered down to the point of losing integrity.
The general approach to chanting is without motive, or if anything, it is to please Krishna.
The group in Trinidad who listed and interacted in this workshop of a mere four hours had a good time. So did I.
My stay in Trinidad seemed brief, but it was enriched by the good company here. It was sad that walking was practically no option. No walking trails means where I was staying and the main road was terrible, and I say that with no exaggeration. I wish there were standard workshops arranged for pedestrian and motorist friendliness.
May the Source be with you!
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