satsang – Shyamdas Foundation

Rasa Lila reading

Vallabhdas — Sat, 15 Oct 2016 18:25:22 +0000

As part of a bhakti immersion weekend at Ananda Ashram in August of 2007, Shyamdas broke out his copy of Inner Goddess and read from a Rasa Lila chapter. His enthusiasm, knowledge and devotion are bursting through as usual, yet he pauses to let the nectar of this tale seep in. This is the literature, the scene, the bhakti teachings that Shyamdas was truly all about. Please enjoy, comment and share.

Bhakti Retreat 2015: Spiritual Talks

Vallabhdas — Fri, 09 Oct 2015 04:40:46 +0000

Through Shyamdasji’s deep spiritual connections with some of the greatest devotional and musical figures of our time, our first annual Bhakti Retreat featured spiritual talks by luminaries Shri Milan Goswami (head of the First House of the Pushti Marg Vallabha Sampradaya), His Holiness Radhanath Swami (spiritual leader of the ISKCON movement), and Premdas (Prof. David L. Haberman of Indiana University). Please enjoy their satsangs again, thanks to these fantastic professional quality videos by Emmy award winner and President of the Shyamdas Foundation, Mae Ryan.

Narada Bhakti Sutras (Gold Series)

Vallabhdas — Thu, 19 Mar 2015 15:08:20 +0000

Shyamdas’ spoken teachings on the legendary Bhakti Sutras of Narada, later revisited in these published CDs, actually began early that summer as part of his satsang series at the home of Majer and Shari Gold. This is intimate, advanced, deep, hilarious and insightful devotional association at its finest. Shyamdas gathers here with his Woodstock friends (Martin, Srutiram, Ally, Prema, Gary, and others) to share his scriptural insights, personal adventures and humbling learning experiences. Listen and love

Narada Bhakti Sutras

Vallabhdas — Tue, 17 Mar 2015 10:17:02 +0000

These teachings come from a four-evening gathering of Shyamdas’ students and friends in Woodstock, New York, in August 2012.

In these sessions, Shyamdas offers creative practical solutions for the modern spiritual seeker. His vast vision and humor bring to life the traditional teachings of Narada’s Bhakti Sutra, a classic spiritual text. Like his musical albums, you can hear the love and devotion in his voice. Shyamdas was a rare gem, a unique soul who showered a divine mood wherever he went.

Click here or on the images below to order the Narada Bhakti Sutras spoken word albums from CD Baby. The Shyamdas Foundation is deeply grateful to Andrea Boyd and Jeffrey Cohen of Jivamukti, SC for organizing and producing these recordings.

St. Augustine, FL 2012

Vallabhdas — Wed, 14 Jan 2015 06:03:07 +0000

This was one Florida evening we are fortunate to have on file, thanks to Farlen and Jackie, who organized much of Shyamdas’ Florida tours and were of course there to share in the bliss of this St. Augustine session and mindfully record it for posterity. Shyamdas was absorbed in listening to a Hindi spiritual lecture by Swami Muktananda on the way to the event, which colored his presentation that evening.

Jivamukti Satsang 10/3/08

Bhaktadas — Mon, 06 Oct 2014 17:11:31 +0000

“Sometimes we are instruments to praise that which is really praising itself”
~ Shyamdas

Hear Shyamdas riffing on various views that we can plug into the kirtan experience, as well as the transformative benefits of absorbing oneself in the primal Being, Narayana.

The Shyamdas Foundation is deeply grateful to Bhaktadas for submitting this recording for us all to enjoy.

“We can channel the actual experience of these [divine] names, because other individuals have experienced it. Whether they are physically around or not, the bhava, the feeling, that they have generated still exists.”

“When the unlimited is remembered, from an individual standpoint, then the individual can simultaneously operate as a personality while connecting to that which was always there and will always be there, the end result of that is–a very good mood. That’s it. I’ve never met a good saint who wasn’t in a good mood.”

“When you name ‘IT’, that’s actually more of a meditative thing where you are trying to forget the small self and merge yourself into the absolute reality. But when you name ‘Him,’ there starts to be a relationship. But when you name ‘Her’ is when the bliss potency arises. When you name ‘Them,’ you get everything. That is why most of these mantras have ‘Them’ in it.”

Satsang at Ananda Ashram: Gopi Gita

Bhaktadas — Sat, 04 Oct 2014 22:14:44 +0000

“There are 8 limbs of Yoga…well, kirtan has a thousand limbs.”
~ Shyamdasji

A beautiful dive into the various bhavas of the Gopis, the beloved Gurus of the Path of Grace. Here Shyamdas translates and elucidates passages from the Gopis’ “Song in Separation,” the Gopi Gita found within the Shrimad Bhagavatam.

The Shyamdas Foundation is deeply grateful to Bhaktadas for submitting this recording and description for us all to enjoy.
Recorded on September 27, 2008

Lover’s Life (audio book)

Vallabhdas — Sun, 24 Aug 2014 17:45:45 +0000

Shyamdas’s original translation and commentary illuminates Shri Vallabhacharya’s teaching, “Wisdom, Perseverance and Refuge,” a brief devotional guide to living and loving in the world. Now in audio book format, read by the author.

Lover’s Life exposes the gripping spiritual love affair of the devotional practitioner who, in the spirit of the Gopis of Vrindavan, becomes enraptured with God in the form of the divine Cowherder, Shri Krishna.

“The yogi in love needs only to whisper the Beloved name, and every desire is fulfilled. To hear Shyamdas speak of the Lover’s Life is to be transported into the eternal, magical realm of love, where infinite possibilities become possible.”
– Sharon Gannon, founder of Jivamukti Yoga

Click here to order directly from Sacred Woods.

Cool Dual

Vallabhdas — Sun, 24 Aug 2014 17:32:52 +0000

This live, double-disc of sacred chant and devotional teachings documents the quintessential Shyamdas experience. The first disc, a kirtan recorded live at Ananda Ashram, explores and soars in the devotional mood, highlighted by some of the best support vocals of any kirtan CD. In the second disc, satsang, Shyamdas conveys the inner meanings of the chants with scholarly precision, personal experience, and illuminating readings; it includes audio from a satsang at Menla Mountain Retreat with Buddhist scholar Robert Thurman.

Features Tulsi (pakhavaj drum), Tommy Be (kanjira), Adam Bauer (bass), and Ananda Ashram’s Bhakti Immersion Weekend attendees (support vocals). Co-produced by master percussionist Tommy Be, producer of Trance Union and the bestselling Chanting the Chakras.

Click here to order Cool Dual directly from Sacred Woods

Purushottama Sahasranama–Govardhan Lila

Vallabhdas — Tue, 05 Aug 2014 19:42:19 +0000

This recording begins with a description of Braj, the sacred region of North-central India, and swiftly transitions into the famous Govardhana pastime found within the Shrimad Bhagavatam, wherein 7-year old Krishna lifts the Hill to protect His bhaktas from Indra’s wrath. More crucially, the events that lead up to this amazing climax are meticulously discussed. To remove His bhaktas’ “Anya ashraya” (taking another refuge besides the root), Krishna creates a scenario where they have no other choice but to realize who really gives Indra, the rain god, the power to feed their cows and get their milk for their life’s sustenance. In a jealous rage over his stolen worship, Indra showers torrential rains onto the village. The disaster can only be resolved by a boy who happens to be the Lord of Universe. Shyamdas gives an excellent recollection of this pastime and elaborates on the subjects of worship, liberation, and devotion.

Shyamdas’s unique voice is also captured here as he reflects on Shri Vallabhacharya’s and Shri Gusainji’s expressions within the Pushti Margiya (Grace-filled Path), as well as stories from their day that describe the nature of Shri Nathji’s worship according to the times, the lineage and the nature of the soul.

The recording concludes with a playful discussion about the spring festival of Holi, with various personal anecdotes delightfully recounted.