“When the ocean is searching for you, don’t walk
to the language-river. Listen to the ocean,
and bring your talky business
to an end.” – Rumi
As spiritual searchers, we often focus on our longing, our needs, and our desire for awakening. In this stanza, Rumi turns that around, and says, sometimes the ocean is searching for you! When that happens, what a blessed moment! Quiet your mind. And get ready!
The band is fortunate to have a new member (as of Fall 2024). Suki Sun, who brings her talents on vocals, violin and harmonium to our group! She is a fantastic addition, knowledgeable about music, an enthusiastic bandmate, and a sincere aspirant on the spiritual path. Suki started playing violin in her childhood when she received formal classical training. More recently she has branched out to singing in choirs and playing ethnic music. Yay! You are invited to one of our events to hear this talented musician sing and play.
Don’t miss our annual honoring of Sufism’s greatest poet, Jellaludin Rumi. For many contemporary people on the spiritual path, Rumi’s poetry – despite having lived seven centuries ago – speaks to their soul. If you wish, bring your favorite Rumi poem. The Wild Moon Bhaktas provide the music and an open mic for you to share your favorite poem with everyone. Hakim Bushnell leads the Sufi-dance inspired, Dances of Universal Peace. Don’t know Rumi’s poetry? That’s fine. Come and enjoy the music, the chanting, the Sufi dancing and of course, Rumi’s astounding poetry.
Saturday, December 14, 2024. 7-9:30 pm. Tula Yoga, 99 Snelling Ave. N. St. Paul, MN
We hope to see you there!
You have within you a most potent instrument to bring you closer to your spiritual source: your voice. As the old saying goes, “the eyes are the windows of the soul.” If that is the case, then the voice is the doorway to the heart.
In a Wild Moon Bhaktas kirtan and chanting event, it does not matter how well you chant or sing, just that you give this ancient potent practice a try. Our kirtan concerts are a rare opportunity to unite your inner practice with a communal event – a room of people all on the path and making music together. Singing our way to our spiritual home! The band will provide the music and plenty of vocal support for everyone to join in as they see fit.
We hope to see you!
We were fortunate to have Isabella Gorg, on vocals and tambura and Jessica Lux, on harmonium join us for four kirtan and chanting events in the Spring and Summer of 2024. Here are a couple images with regular band members, Adam Wolter, Brian Mitchell and David Schmit. Isabella and Jessica brought their enthusiasm and sense of fun to our kirtan concerts. We wish them well on their respective journeys!
As with many musical performance groups, the Covid lockdowns instigated a time of transition for the Wild Moon Bhaktas. Mentioned in previous blogs were the departures of long time members, Gary Waryan, David Ballman, and Christine Larson. After years playing with the band, each decided it was time to move on. We wish them the very best! This period has been marked by changes in the band’s membership. Stability at the core of the group, and consistency in terms of location, but changes to the make up of the band.
The Wild Moon Bhaktas first public performance post-Covid was in November 2022. The band has been performing since then, about once a month, at our regular site, Tula Yoga and Wellness in St. Paul. That period includes two runnings of the Rumi Celebration in December 2022 and again in 2023. Rumi-Lovers unite!
Arlys Alford joined the Wild Moon Bhaktas prior to the Covid shutdown, and continued to play with them after. In late 2023, she decided to move on to other projects. A multi-talented singer-songwriter-dancer-choreographer and actor, Arlys brought much to the Wild Moon Bhaktas. We were barely able to experience her many gifts. Prior to joining the Wild Moon Bhaktas, Arlys was a leader in spreading free dance events. She founded danspeace in 2012, an open, ecstatic dance meeting. Later, she helped the local chapter of Dance Church manifest, and saw it grow from a dozen attendees to over 200!
The Wild Moon Bhaktas benefitted from Arlys’s years of experience. She always came to our events ready to play and always delivered. As a seeker on the path, Arlys’s commitment to the Sufi way and to cultivating her relationship to the Spirit were as true as the North Star. The combination of these two: musical talent and spiritual depth are golden, and rare! She will be missed! Arlys, much peace, good health and abundance to you! You can learn more about Arlys’s work as a voice teacher and performance coach at https://www.BelieveYouCanSing.com.
Adam Wolter joined the band as a regular member in November 2022, and has played over a dozen events since then. He brings his multiple talents (vocals, cello and bass guitar) to the band. Adam is also a leader in the local Dances of Universal Peace – Sufi Dance Movement, and through that work, is a friend to many. He brings an unmistakable playful spirit to his performance. His bandmates and the people who come to our programs benefit enormously from his music and presence.
Other musicians have performed periodically since the band re-emerged after Covid. Greg Stern on percussion, played three events starting in November 2022. Andrew Navaro on cajone continued into the summer of 2023 before he moved out of the country with his family. In November of 2023, Sitara, of the kirtan trio, Sitara, Kalyani and Pavan Kumar, joined us for three events. That was a lot of fun. Sitara was directly involved in the halcyon days of kirtan in the Twin Cities. In December of 2023, for the 23rd running of the Rumi Celebration, Brian Merchant joined the band on cajone and percussion and has been playing with us since then. Former band members, Gary Waryan, Christine Larson, and Will Kemperman have been back to play with the band. So good to make music with them again!
Expect more changes. As the Buddha said, life is impermanent. The kirtan and chanting continue, like mantras under the breath, while the surrounding life experience expands and contracts.
We held our 6th Annual Great Mother Chant in May 13, 2023 with special guest, Gary Waryan on tablas. This year we added in “Chant and Dance” to make sure attendees knew you were free to get up and move your bodies to the timeless rhythms! Gary was his usual talented self, making those beautiful tablas dance and sing. The band was rounded out with Adam Wolter on cello, bass, and vocals, Arlys Alford, on vocals and keys, Andrew Navaro on cahone and David Schmit on vocals and guitar.
There is a beautiful couplet from Ramananda, the 18th century Bengali devotee to the Divine Mother, that we sang that night:
“May you come to rest gently,
Upon the open lotus of my heart,
And play with your pure awareness
The many-stringed instrument of my mind.”
Here are a couple photos from the evening
Yes, we did it again! The 22nd gathering of the Rumi Celebration, an evening of chanting, music, poetry, and Sufi dancing at Tula Yoga in St. Paul, Minnesota. Co-hosted by the Wild Moon Bhaktas, Ted Tollefson and Hakim Bushnell.
Over 70 people gathered for this tribute to the 13th century Sufi poet, Jelaluddin Rumi, to recite his poetry and to chant and move together. A number of people shared their favorite Rumi poems. Here are some pics.
We are back with our unique blend of Indian devotional kirtan, chants in English and Sufi poetry after over two years of not performing due to Covid. November 19, 2022 was our debut with three new band members. It was a moving evening at Tula Yoga in St. Paul. Here are some pics and the flyer.
8th Annual Great Mother Chant
Each year, we continue to dedicate a communal chanting & kirtan event to the Great Mother Power. This year, on May 10th, we chanted and sang to the Divine Feminine in five different traditions! With special guest, Minnesota songstress, Barbara Meyer.
Below are some images from the evening and the flyer.
The following is from the program for the evening:
Introduction
The diffusion of spiritual practices from non-western, non-Judeo-Christian traditions to the West has opened hearts and minds to the many expressions of the Divine Feminine in our world. Seeing her so honored, through chants and songs in Buddhism, indigenous traditions, in the Orissa tradition and so many more is like seeing the glorious facets of a diamond for the first time. Of the many spiritual-religious traditions of the world that have found admirers in the West, Hinduism – from whence yogic mysticism has been birthed – has brough some of the most profound expressions of the Divine Feminine into existence. Tonight, we sing and chant to the Mother Goddess in many shapes and forms in ways that rival any male God ever conceived.