Animation Animation

When Great Trees Fall: Animation

Last year, after hearing of the passing of our beloved Bhakti Caru Maharaj we posted this poem called, When Great Trees Fall, by Maya Angelou.My dear friends: the artist, Rukmini Poddar, created this beautiful and poignant video animation, with kirtaneer, Jahnavi Harrison reading the poem, along with music by Night Squall, Bowspirit, and Balmorhea.I hope you find it as beautiful and moving as I did.All the best,Rukmini Walker[embed]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nu2pki6owJg[/embed]

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Conversation, Poetry Conversation, Poetry

The Poetry of Nature

a conversation with Jahnavi Harrison

 During late October's Eco Bhakti Weekend, Grammy-nominated artist and BBC radio presenter Jahnavi Harrison reflected on how Bhakti poetry can help us to more connect to divinity through a deeper appreciation of the natural world.  The Eco Bhakti Weekend was organized by Yale University’s Ecology Forum in partnership with the Bhakti Center, NYC and Princeton University Hindu Life Program.  To listen to the session please click on this link. 

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Poetry Poetry

Ode to the Holy Name

by Jahnavi Harrison

Whisper it beneath the summer oakswhile swallows dive aboveShout it in your morning shower,share it with the ones you love.Sing it loud, groups of ten,three or seventy-five,brand it on your beating chest andkeep your heart alive.In the garden, on the bus,before exams and interviews,at joyous birth and bitter death,sing this name, loud and true.Call it when your days are long,breathe it in and out with heavy head,cry it over your morning tea,and into your pillow before bed.Wash this name through every fibre,rinse and repeat, rinse and repeatsing with everything you have,soft, sweet, subtle, deep.

(This poem originally appeared in Bhakti Blossoms: A Collection of Contemporary Vaishnavi Poetry, Published in August 2018, with Golden Dragonfly Press)

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