07/13/2025
In my inbox, from a student about her experience at the last kirtan:
Hi Ti,
I love how Kirtan can change time or one’s perception of time. It started with me walking in and you all were already chanting the first song to Ganesha. I was surprised I’d missed the beginning, but settled right in and my busy mind got a little less busy.
Another woman came in right behind me and she sat next to Nikki and started playing the tambourine at first gently but then a bit more enthusiastically for my current mood and it was messing with my calm. I was slightly annoyed and I began to wish/pray that she would either get quieter in her jingles or stop altogether; maybe Ganesha could remove that obstacle;) This is where I am grateful for the understanding and opportunity to practice witness consciousness and some self compassion. I began to pray/wish that I could feel more accepting and at peace in myself without changing her joyful practice. I imagined being at a much larger Kirtan with many more people expressing themselves loudly and being at total peace with it all.
Right then, the irritation vanished and I began to feel not only calm, but love, love for myself and for everyone in that room.
The next song, I never fully understood what you were chanting. I kept trying to hear what the first word was, “something Ram or maybe something Om?” Anyway, after a few minutes I stopped caring and just sang, Ram, occasionally throwing in an Om when I felt moved to! It was joyous! At some point I caught Tambourine Girl’s eye, and she she smiled brightly and offered the green tambourine to me! I grinned ear to ear and declined (this time)!
In the meditation between this song and the next, I began to feel the need to lie down and decided to put my legs up the wall, wondering what your next choice would be. Mata Amritananda Mayi! Perfect! I was transported! The sound of her name (Amma--Ti's spiritual Teacher), what an exquisite meditation.
Then suddenly, you are singing Lokah Samastah Sukhino Bhavantu! Where did the time go? (Ti noting: That previous chant was about 30 minutes long.)
I sit up to finish and then you pass out The Universal Prayer. I become fixated on the line, “May everyone see only good in the world.” It is written twice. I chanted and contemplated it the whole way home. Here is another place where I am not sure there are words to express what I felt.
What if there is only good in this world? When Ram Dass asks his teacher how can there be all the horrors in the world? And NKB says, “can’t you see, it’s all perfect?”
May everyone see only good in this world.
May everyone see only good in this world.
I’ll be sitting with this one for a while!
Thank you for reading and thank you for your dedication and sadhana and being a constant anchor Ti.
Love and gratitude.
