Date: 10/21/2018
King Yadu, bruised and dejected by the perfidies of life, took to the forest and saw Sage Duttatreya walking naked without a care in the world. Puzzled, he inquired, ‘What is the secret of your bliss? Who is your Guru who taught you this?’ Shri Duttatreya laughed and said, ‘Enlightenment is not a secret. God is closer to you than your heartbeat. You don’t have to go to the Himalayas to find Him. The best Gurus are within your everyday gaze, here in the world of Nature, in the very elements that surround you – the Earth we tread on, the Water we bathe in, the Air we breathe, the Fire that gives us warmth, and the Space that envelopes us. If we have open hearts and humble minds, we can learn the secrets of the Sages from the Sun and Moon, and the most ordinary creatures of the Natural World around us, such as the pigeon, the python, the bumblebee and the moth. Sit down near me and I will show you how.’
In this talk, we will encounter the ecological vision of spirituality, for our very environment itself is waiting for our comprehending gaze, ready to awaken our inner vision, and eager to teach us the divine qualities of patience, forgiveness, peace and love. All the lessons we need to walk the spiritual path are embedded in every aspect of the physical world around us, if only we can look with visio divina, with the eye of the heart.
Dr. Kansara is Author and Educator at FlashpointInteract.com, which seeks to empower High School students in the study of the Humanities, so they can rise to their full potential through the use of interactive content and methods. Her past experience includes being an editor in academic publishing at the Open University in England, one of the first educational institutions to pioneer long-distance teaching through interactive media; member of the BBC’s General Advisory Council; co-director of the Academy of Indian Dance, sponsored by the Greater London Council. Dr. Kansara is also Vice President of American Friends of SOAS (School of Oriental and African Studies, London University). She also writes a blog at theyoganature.com. She holds a BA (Cantab) and PhD (SOAS, University of London).
Date: 10/28/2018
Day of the Dead is a Meso-American tradition that dates back 3000 years. When the Spanish arrived 500 years ago, in what is today known as Mexico, they found indigenous persons practicing what seemed to be a “morbid” ritual that mocked death. Although the Catholic Church attempted to eradicate the practice, they were unsuccessful. The tradition remains present and has spread to other parts of the world. Unfortunately, we now are seeing the spiritual practice commercialized. This talk will share in depth the rituals, variations, and how you too can honor your loved ones who have transitioned into the next life.
Sandra M. Pacheco, PhD, is Professor of Interdisciplinary Studies at the California Institute of Integral Studies. Dr. Pacheco’s teaching, research, and activist work focuses on Chicana, Latina, and Indigena feminisms and spirituality, and critical psychology with an emphasis on social justice. Her most recent work focuses on curanderismo. She apprentices regularly in Oaxaca, Mexico with curanderas from Zapotec traditions. Locally, she is co-founder of Curanderas sin Fronteras, a women’s healing collective that is dedicated to serving the health and well-being of underserved communities through traditional medicine.
Date: 11/04/2018
This program will start with a brief presentation on the Guru-Shishya Parampara: Cultural Ethos and Background of Indian Classical Music.
The second part will include a formal lecture demonstration (Vocal) by Aditya Das with a presentation of Raga Bhimpalasi covering the Vilambit (Slow) Khyal in Ektaal (12 beats), Madhyalaya (Medium speed) Khyal in Teentaal (16 beats) and Drut (Fast) Khyal in Teentaal (16 beats), accompanied by Anoop Bhattacharjya on Tabla and a demonstration of Raga Ahir Bhairav by Ashidhara Das in a similar format.
Aditya and Ashidhara Das were disciples of Shrimati Lakshmi Shankar ji until her passing away in December 2013 and are now students of Shrimati Shubhangi Sakhalkar. Anoop Bhattacharjya is a student of rhythm. All three are members of our CIF Family and a part of Bay Area Gitanjali.
