Ishwari, Snatam Kaur, Wade Morissette, Sruti Ram, Shyamdas, Jai Uttal (With Gaura Vani & As Kindred Spirits as backup), Wah!, MC Yogi

Celebrate spring with a weekend of inspiring musical prayer. Known in India as kirtan (Sanskrit for devotional chanting), the call-and-response, rhythmic quality of these prayers kindles a joyful mood and can lead to profound states of deep meditation. In India, kirtan is accepted as one of the surest paths to enlightenment.

During the weekend, we sing a variety of traditional and new chants in an array of chanting styles, accompanied by contemporary and ancient instruments, including the harmonium and tabla—standards in Indian classical music. The weekend includes an extraordinary late-night Saturday session.

This second annual program is a spring version of Omega’s Labor Day weekend chant program, which has enthralled sold-out audiences for many years.

Save $50 on the Labor Day weekend Ecstatic Chant workshop when you take Spring Ecstatic Chant. This offer cannot be combined with other discounts.

Faculty
Snatam Kaur is a renowned devotional singer in English and Gurumukhi, the ancient language of the Sikhs. A disciple of the late Sikh master Yogi Bhajan and also Bhai Hari Singh, she grew up playing kirtan with her mother in Sikh temples. Her most recent album is Grace. snatamkaur.com

Jai Uttal is a pioneer in the world music community. A student of India’s Ali Akbar Khan and master teacher Ustad Ali Akbar Khan, Uttal’s blend of Eastern and Western sound has put his music at the forefront of the world fusion movement. His many albums include Beggars and Saints, Shiva Station, and the Grammy-nominated Mondo Rama. jaiuttal.com

Wah! began practicing yoga and meditation at age 17. She has produced and recorded numerous CDs and DVDs for Wah! Music, Triloka Records, and Nutone Music, including Unplugged, Jai Jai Jai, Opium, Savasana, Hidden in the Name, and her most recent release, Love Holding Love. Wah! blends a seductive spiritual sound with a unique mix of pop, world music, reggae, and yogic tradition. She is author of Dedicating Your Life to Spirit. wahmusic.com wahmusic.com

Shyamdas has written and translated more than 20 books on Bhakti Yoga and the path of grace. He specializes in classical Dhrupada music and the mystic poets of North India. He combines ecstatic kirtan with stories and teachings from India. shyamdas.com

Sruti Ram & Ishwari have gained fans and accolades for their passionate, heart-opening kirtan and their debut CD, Fire of Devotion. Both classically trained musicians, Sruti Ram has sung kirtan as his personal practice and in temples for 35 years while Ishwari has written and performed her own music for 30 years. Together they weave harmonies that create a haunting, hypnotic effect that uplifts the soul. ishwarimusic.com

Wade Imre Morissette was born in Ottawa, Canada, just minutes before his twin sister, Alanis Morissette. Wade’s interest in yoga led him to the path of devotional yoga and chanting and today he is a popular teacher and singer. His original blend of indie rock/pop music with Sanskrit and English chants brings a message of optimism and well-being. His CDs include Strong as Diamonds, Maha Moha, and the forthcoming Impermanence. wadeimremorissette.com

MC Yogi (Nicholas Giacomini) combines his love of hip hop and yoga to create an exciting new sound that brings the wisdom of yoga to a new generation of modern mystics and urban yogis. His debut album, Elephant Power, features an all-star cast of kirtan masters, including Jai Uttal, Krishna Das, and Bhagavan Das. MC Yogi is cofounder, with his wife Amanda Giacomini, of Yoga Toes Studio in Point Reyes, California. mcyogi.com

Omega appreciates the additional musicians who support this event, including Daniel Paul.