All Night

To be honest, I'm not sure I'm ready to process the experience of the all night ecstatic chant at Omega yet, but I know how time moves. And it's likely that I'll never get a chance to process it at all. So here goes.
The photo above is of Krishna Das, Ty Burhoe (on tablas at left) and gives you an idea of how the stage is set for kirtan. Well at Omega anyway. Basically, the performers or kirtan walas, as they are called, are on a platform just slightly above everyone else seated on the floor around them in a semi circle.
There were 200+ participants in the ecstatic chant workshop, so the headcount for last night's all nighter was likely closer to 300, including the Omega staff who never miss a chance to chant with KD, Deva Premal and Miten, Wah!, plus Robert Gass, Shyamdas, and Steve Gorn who welcomed us into the dawn with classic Indian ragas played on flute.
I've only been chanting for about a year now. My first experiences were at Omega, first during a staff kirtan, and later with KD. Now, I chant as often as possible, but chanting to a cd is completely different from being in the room with all the energy that rises from people literally singing their hearts out. And the line up above is of world class performers guided by deeply spiritual practices. They are all artists who have followed the paths to their art, and heart. The stories they have to tell, like all artists, and all spiritual seekers, are stories of mountains and valleys, dark places and light, stories that inspire us to follow our own hearts, and find our own paths to the art of our lives.
Kirtan or chanting is an expression of Bhakti yoga, the yoga of devotion. And I've really never experienced anything quite like it. My rational mind will tell you that it connects me to childhood experiences of singing at camp, and feeling connected before one even knows what it is like to feel disconnected. But the truth is, while chanting I have felt my heart open, and last night, even explode (in a good way!). I wrote down this short quote from Krishna Das to remind myself what chanting is all about:
"Chanting removes the dust on the mirror of our hearts. [It reminds us] that everything we long for is possible. Everything has already happened. We are here."
I didn't actually stay up all night. Not many people did. (There were bodies sprawled and curled up everywhere, in sleeping bags, blankets and shawls.) But after staying awake as long as possible, probably somewhere around 1 or 2am, I began drifting in and out, chanting myself to sleep and stirring to the sound of chant, tabla and flute -- it was dream-like.
There were two tables filled with fruit (which is a traditional offering or prasad), organic biscotti, cookies, and chai. Keeping hydrated is especially important when you're chanting. It's a huge expenditure of energy, so I was up and out every hour or so, enjoying the exquisite end of summer night sky. The field next to Omega's main hall is a great place for star-gazing, and last night's gaze was just glorious.
I had intended to take a few short walks, but was reeled in by the chant. And the warmth of voices, bodies and drum beat.
The rhythm of the night moved seamlessly from sweet sacred chants sung like love songs, to all out jamming, everyone-on-their-feet clapping. A number of the chants were dedicated to the victims of the hurricane, and as we all lay sprawled out on the floor of our own volition, we were reminded of how very blessed we were to be there this night. As Krishna Das said, early on in the night, "Welcome to another day on Earth."