Renowned yoga and chanting devotee, Wade Imre Morissette, is sharing his craft at the Adventure Centre tonight (Feb. 15), and all residents are invited to participate."Whether you are a beginner or experienced yogi, this is a great opportunity to discover or deepen the knowledge of ancient traditions," said local organizer Marie Thellen.
"We hope this event will bring our great yoga community together from across the corridor."At 6:30 p.m. Morissette holds a Vinyasa yoga workshop and at 8:30 p.m. he performs the ancient musical tradition kirtan, all of which is sure to leave audiences blissed out.
Traditionally, kirtan is sung in a group with the "kirtan walla," or chant leader, calling out words or phrases, which the audience repeats back in kind. It's a form of meditation that cuts out the constant chatter of one's mind. The singing is often accompanied by a harmonium, a freestanding keyboard instrument that sounds similar to an accordion; drums, including classical Indian tablas; and additional rhythm instruments like bells and finger cymbals. Everyone is encouraged to join in and unlike a musical performance, there is traditionally no applause between songs. Instead, a period of mindful silence follows each chant to allow the effects to settle in. The effect on participants has been described as a "buzz" that leaves people joyful and peaceful.
Morissette's devotion to music runs in the family, but unlike his famous twin sister Alanis, it was Morissette's desire to connect with the spiritual that brought him to the 2,500 year-old chanting practice.From the time he was a small child, Morissette was in search of a practice that would help him connect to his spirit, trying everything from karate to tai chi. It wasn't until his college roommate handed him a book by the name of The Mystic Path To Cosmic Powers that he decided to dedicate the next decade of his life to learning and teaching yoga, but his musical background would soon resurface.
During one of Morissette's many visits to India, he began to travel on the path of Devotional Yoga and started chanting - a process that stills the mind, dissolves worries, and opens the heart. "It's a natural way to tune into the frequency of love," said Morissette. He realized he could combine his two passions -yoga and music -to create his own original blend of indie rock/pop music with Sanskrit and English chants.
"My first concerts were in India, and people would come up to me and say that my music touched their hearts. I decided to take my music to different yoga studios across the world," he said.He has since released two CDs and leads workshops and retreats. His music has been well-received around the world and by the media. He's been featured in Yoga Journal, Macleans Magazine, the Vancouver Courier, The Province, Globe and Mail, The Sun and Shared Vision, and he's appearanced on Entertainment Tonight Canada, BCTV, CTV's E Talk Daily Canada and CBC Radio.
Tonight's event brings together the two Vinyasa yoga, beginning at 6:30 p.m., and kirtan, beginning at 8:30 p.m. Tickets are $25 for both or $18 individually and can be purchased at the Adventure Centre or by calling 604 815-5084.
