Chants according to… by Rao & Leonardo (2012, released 2020)
— This is a free album. Use the download button above, fill in zero, check out and you are ready to get it–
Chants according to…
For many years we chanted Mantras during Yoga classes that were conducted by Rao; the easy short ones that we, western people,were able to learn. Once we tried to do a long Vedic Peace Mantra, but we abandened the project and returned to our familiar chants.
Some years ago I got the idea to make recordings of the Mantras and Slokas, just to keep the memory of their melody and rythm, as well as their pronounciation. Along with that I had the wish to ‘do something with them musically’. At that point I didn’t know how to. As producer/musician I did some projects that led me into a new direction. Then I remembered the Mantras and things fell in place. We arranged for recordings in my studio and did two sessions for vocals. The process of making the music was one of catching the moment. Mostly I started with some kind of drone, and soon ideas would come, that made me pick up certain instruments, and play along. It was all very leisurely, and the music didnt take long to reveal itself.
For this private project I use of many different instruments. It gives the music a sparkling quality and makes it free flowing and organic. The result is not a ‘traditional’ way of instrumentating Mantras nor is it ‘New Age’. It’s Mantra like you’ve never heard before!
Rao has been of great help chanting traditional Mantras and Slokas from the Bhagavad Geetha and Upanishads. But also in providing translations and notes. There are so many Mantras and different ways of chanting. The same Mantra can be sung with a different rythm and melody, according to different traditions. It was our aim to represent the chanting in a traditional way, the way it has been taught Rao in India…
So enjoy our beautiful creation, that is rooted in OM!
There are 20 bonus tracks; the vocal recordings without music. The album comes with an 8 page booklet with lyrics and translations. Also included is a pdf for printing the Mantras and Slokas on A4.
1 Śuklāmbara dharam
2 Vidyā-rambhē
4 Sadyojatham
5 Om Namah Shivaya
6 Aham vaiswānarō
7 Brahmārpanam
8 Gayatri 1
9 Karma nyè
10 Ahamāthmā
11 Ātmānam
12 Deepam
13 Samam kāya
14 Gayatri II
15 OM
16 Maharshinām
17 Samno-mithrah
18 Poornamadah
19 Om asato ma
20 Sarvē bhavanthu
Rao received his training as a Yoga teacher from Kaivalyadhama Yoga Research Centre at Lonavla near Bombay, India. At this centre traditional Yoga techniques are researched and refined in the light of modern science.
He also studied Vedanta philosophy and Vedic chants in Swami Chinmayananda’s Ashram for 2 years.
He has taught yoga for over 40 years, including 8 years with the Kaivalyadhama Yoga Research Centre at Lonavla, 7 years at the Kaivalyadhama Yoga Health Centre, Bombay, and 10 years at Rishi Valley School (J. Krishnamurti Foundation, India).
Since 1990 he has been working independently conducting Yoga training programmes, therapy workshops and meditation sessions in Europe, as well as in India.
A number of his articles on Yoga dealing with such problems as hypertension, spinal ailments, digestive disorders, heart attacks, asthma, diabetes, etc., have been published in India and the U.K.
‘There is a wealth of what can be shared and learned such as philosophy, advanced Yoga techniques, Surya-namaskaras with traditional names, meditation, India’s vegetarian cooking according to the principles of Ayurveda, considering nutrition and health, or just listening to Indian classical music or learning about India’s culture, listening to J. Krishnamurti’s videos and other allied subjects.’
Rao passed away on the 24th of januari, 2020. He promoted Yoga, meditation, Indian philosophy and culture without any commercial motive. This free release is in his memory.
———————————————————-
A Drop in the Ocean – Lhamo Dukpa (2013)
How “A DROP IN THE OCEAN” was inspired.
By Lhamo Dukpa.
The year 2012 was memorable and historic in my life as it has created and rooted the principle and moral values of the Project “A drop in the Ocean” which has unlimited advantages of emancipating the people; who are in dire need of help at any point of time. The magical event took place when I travelled to Stockholm from Bhutan for taking a course on copy right. As preplanned I had to fly to Groningen after the training to participate in a show, which was organized by my friends for the good cause of collecting some money for the reconstruction of Wangduephodrang Dzong in Bhutan, which was unfortunately gutted by fire on 24th June 2012. Mr. Arnold Pilon, who is a staunch friend of Bhutan was really taken aback when he heard about the incident. He is the pioneer for establishing the personal and professional relationship between Holland and Bhutan. In the year 2008, during the Coronation of the 5th King he under took a big project to travel by road all way from Holland to Bhutan. As he and his friends had successfully completed the targeted journey they were also able to witness the ceremony and events of the coronation.
The concert at Groningen would not have been successful if Mr. Arnold Pilon and his Dutch Musicians Ms Linde and Mr. Bert were not involved in the show. The Dutch people by nature and could go to any extend in helping anyone for good cause. So they invested all their emotional and spiritual energy in collecting the money for Wangduephodrang Dzong. In the show most of the people said that what they contribute is insignificant to what they actually wished to offered. To such unconditional kind gestures I spontaneously exclaimed that, “it is not the amount of the money that one contributes, but the intention and genuine feelings which counts on the moral and spiritual values” To further illustrate this principle I cited a buddhist saying, which compares a small genuine contribution as a drop added to the ocean, which will be part of the ocean and remain until the ocean dries up. This buddhist philosophy of compassion brought tears in their eyes and has vibrated the heart of everyone. To my surprise, after the show Mr. Arnold Pilon handed over a piece of paper to me and as I eagerly unfolded it, I saw a phrase inscribed as “A drop in the Ocean”. He said that it is worth to produce an Album on the principle of compassion and he went to the extent of sponsoring the production of the Album, which would be sold for good cause.
Later he visited Bhutan in April which gave us more opportunity to seriously discuss about the production of the said album. I told him that as I being one of the founders of Kidney Foundation, it would be worthwhile to donate 50% of the sale product of the CD to the said Foundation, which moved him further and inspired me to make further commitment.
The Meditational songs that I am singing are very sacred tunes with symbolic values.
CD comes with a 12 page booklet containing translations and background information. You can buy a CD at Bandcamp. Search for downloads in your favourite shops!
Singing: LhamoDukpa
Music: TandinDorji & Ata Yeshi from Bhutan (Songs 1, 3 and 4), Leonardo (songs 2 and 5)
Tune: DorjiWangmo, TsampaGyatse, LhamoDukpa
Photography: Nanda Kumar (Bangalore), Arnold Pilon
Cover Design: Nanda Kumar, Leonardo
Sponsored by: Arnold Pilon, Louwke Mandema
I made electronic arrangements for two songs on this album (Baza Guru).
It is music for meditation, deeply rooted in the Bhuddist tradition of the Kingdom of Bhutan. The songs are sung by the famous singer Lhamo Dukpa
Green Tara Mantra (2020)
This is a very special project, together with singer Lhamo Dukpa from Bhutan. Traditional Bhuddist mantra meets electronic music!
The Green Tara mantra is one of the most important Bhuddist mantra’s.
As green is the universal color of healing, regeneration, and growth, the Green Tara embodies the healing energy of release from fear and ignorance. Human ignorance comes in many forms—from jealousy to pride—and it’s the healing energy of Green Tara that brings awareness and relief from these negative aspects.
She appears as a female bodhisattva in Mahayana Buddhism, and as a female Buddha in Vajrayana Buddhism. She is known as the “mother of liberation”, and represents the virtues of success in work and achievements.
“Thank you so much Leonardo Soundweaver for the wonderful music arrangements for the Dolma Chant. May Green Tara bless all the sentient beings around the world and leberate them. Inspired by His Holiness Dalai Lama’s advise to chant Om tare tutare ture Soha at this situation. Thank you la.”
(Lhamo Dukpa)
Chanted by Lhamo Dukpa.
Produced & arranged by Leonardo Soundweaver.
You can get a free download of the mantra on bandcamp!