Harmonium & Kirtan Retreat at Spetses with Seth Lieberman & friends
Neda Yoga Shala has the pleasure and honor to organize for the second year a special 6-day retreat on Kirtan and Indian harmony, in Spetses on July 6-11! The training (harmonium & kirtan) and daily kirtan will be led by Seth Lieberman, Dhanya Rico, Bali Rico of Mayapuris and other teachers from abroad.
Join us this summer for a unique opportunity to study keyboard and kirtan in a beautiful setting. This intensive and experiential retreat will offer participants an immersion in the study of music, kirtan practice and Bhakti Yoga. Apart from the educational component, in the seminar we will do kirtan daily, along with people from different corners of the world and wonderful musicians, experiencing its uplifting power.
With us will be:
Seth Lieberman--> a music graduate from the University of Maryland, he has studied music composition, theory, clarinet and piano. He has completed 3 different yoga teacher trainings. A fantastic musician, teacher and dedicated Bhakti Yogi, he manages to bring his two loves (music and yoga) together through his trainings. He has been accompanying some of the world's most famous guitarists for many years now.
Bali Rico --> one of the founding members of the famous Mayapuris and one of the world's most accomplished kirtan musicians. Lyricist, multi-instrumentalist, writer and academic. He spent his youthful years living in ashrams in West Bengal and has since then been travelling the world spreading kirtan with his mridanga.
Dhanya Rico --> raised in the ISKCON community of Venezuela is a singer/songwriter and kirtan artist who has traveled the world sharing the message of Bhakti. As a graduate student in Counseling Education and Couples & Family Therapy, Dhanya is passionate about developing healing tools that incorporate Bhakti principles and practices as a means of reconnecting with our essential nature and the world around us.
Ferdie Lopez is a yoga teacher and dedicated practitioner of Bhakti Yoga. He will lead us in the morning practice of hatha yoga practice with his voice and harmonium.
This is open to all levels, but we recommend you have some basic experience. If you are new to the harmonium, we recommend you take the online course Intro to Harmonium with Seth first. Otherwise, you should:
1) Have a very basic understanding of how to play the harmonium,
2) can recognize western note names on the keyboard,
3) Can already play 2-3 basic chants,
4) want to go deeper into learning and experiencing group kirtan. This is also intended for those who wish to develop their personal chanting practice and for those who wish to lead kirtan. Students will learn about the technical aspects of playing the harmonium and kartals, add new chant music and melodies to their repertoire, and practice leading kirtan in a supportive group environment. Chant sheets and audio recordings will be provided to support learning.
This retreat is very limited in space. Early registration is recommended.
It is recommended for anyone who already has a basic understanding of how to play the keyboard, knows the names of the notes and wants to deepen their learning and experience of sankirtan. It is also aimed at those who wish to develop their personal chanting practice and those who wish to lead kirtan. Students will learn about the technical aspects of playing the harmonium and the cartal, add new kirtan and melodies to their repertoire, and practice leading the kirtan in a supportive group environment. Simple sheet music and recordings will be provided to support learning.
What’s included
- Healthy vegetarian meals
- Stay at an incredible, private villa for 6 days & 5 nights
- Daily Harmonium, Kartal and Kirtan classes
- Meditative morning and ecstatic evening kirtans
- Full moon over-the-sea kirtan evening!
- Daily Yoga asana classes and philosophy
- Delicious Greek vegetarian meals
What’s not included
- Transportation (airfare, ferries, etc.) to and from the Villa
- Instruments - harmoniums and kartals - you must provide your own
- Any extra purchases you wish to make while on the island
Sample Schedule
*subject to change*
Sunday, July 6 - Suggested arrival after 12pm
Welcome
Satsang & Kirtan
Dinner
Monday, July 7 - Thursday, July 10
6:30am Meditation and Asana
7:45am Satsang & Kirtan
8:00am Breakfast
9:00am Harmonium Class
12:00pm Lunch / Free time
5:00pm Kartals Class/Practice Time
6:30pm Satsang & Kirtan
8:00pm Dinner
Friday, July 11 - Suggested departure between 11am-6pm
Meditation and Asana
Satsang & Kirtan
Breakfast
Closing Circle
*Please note that the first retreat day starts at 6:00pm while the last retreat day concludes at 11am
Retreat life
Our goal is to create an environment where everyone feels safe, welcome and can cultivate sattva, a sanskrit term referring to the mode of goodness.
Therefore, the consumption of alcohol and other intoxicants are not permitted on this retreat.
We will be getting high on kirtan, natural beauty, and good company!
Instruments
Students must provide their own harmoniums. We have a very limited harmoniums to loan during the retreat, and will be provided on a first come first serve basis. If you wish to purchase an instrument, please contact Ferdie for a list of recommended harmonium vendors or if you have any other questions.
You must also bring your own kartals. Please contact Ferdie if you are interested in purchasing a set for the training.
Please note: You should not check your harmonium on your airplane unless you have a sturdy case,. We strongly recommend overhead storage instead, to protect your instrument.
About Spetses island
Spetses is a small, quiet, picturesque island nestled in the sparkling waters of the Saronic Gulf, only 2 1/2 hours from Athens, Greece. Its distinctive architecture and maritime legacy, surrounding the pristine beaches bathed in azure waters, and it’s car-free cobblestone streets, (bikes, scooters and horse carriages are the main form of transportation!) offer a traditional, calm and elegant atmosphere.
Where you’ll stay (the villa)
Our Villa is situated on the Spetses mountain offering a panoramic view of Spetses Island and the Saronic Sea. It is located in a quiet and serene location, but at the same time only a 15’ walk from the city center and the closest beach. It offers many large outdoor spaces and patios, ideal for lazy afternoon siestas and reading. It also has a large infinity pool overlooking Spetses Island and the Saronic Gulf, as well as a small olive grove, botanical gardens and one of the largest and well preserved threshing floors in Greece.