Wednesday 4 October 2017

Timetable Spring Summer 2017

­­­­­­­­­Wild Lotus Arts Classes    Spring - Summer  
  
                                                                                                            
 Teacher; Gerard Menzel    - 0407734479   gmenzel@hotmail.com
Venues
1. The Forge in 341 Barker st Castlemaine  
2. Carisbrook         
3. Newstead Library complex  
4. Wesley Hill Market    
5. Botanic Gardens Castlemaine  
 For latest updates see; wildlotus-arts.blogspot.com.au (click classes, timetable)    

Sumie -  Zen brush painting venue 1 (Note the venue number above)
Aikido - workshops building regular class group or private lessons. For kids / Adults . Aikido is a non violent martial art which focuses on the spiritual development of the person as well as martial skills.   Venue to be notified. Proposed start Feb 2017 Kids and adult class
Yoga – Hatha, Bhakti type, mantra, asana, bhajaan includes Bhakti devotionals  Venue 1, 2,
Tai Chi -  the Yang, Wu, Chen, style - Venue  5
Tabla & Indian drumming  Private class  Venue 1 Carisbrook or the Forge. $35 lesson


Healing Massage Shiatsu, Thai, Chinese, $35 per 30 min - Venue 1/2/3
I Ching (Chinese Book of Change) Readings, An ancient form of divination   










             Gerard Menzel
@wildlotus-arts.blogspot.com
http://gerard-menzel-wild-lotus-healing.business.site/


Mon
Tue
Wed
Thur
Sat
Sun
0830

Tai Chi
Botanic Gdns

Chi Qong
& Tai Chi
Botanic Gdns


0930




Acupressure  Shiatsu Healing  
Wesley Hill Mkt
0915 -1330

11.00

Shiatsu & Healing @ The Forge
11.30 – 14.30
Booking only




Shiatsu & Healing @ The Forge
11.30 – 14.30
Booking Only



Monthly Kirtan
1stSunday 11.00
Devotional singing
The Forge
12.30






1400

Sumi-E Painting
90min




1800

Yoga (Carisbrook)
Start 1835

Tai Chi
Botanic Gdns


Gerard Menzel     gmenzel@hotmail.com
Sumie Rooster by Gerard
Terms 4 or 8 weeks @ $15 or $12 con. Per class
Private classes Start @ Single $35    Pairs $50   Trio $60     Four @ $65   Per  Hour
Healing - 30 min  $35 details @ wildlotus-healing.blogspot.com
*Concession pensioner healthcare card card please bring on first class   #Single class $18
http://gerard-menzel-wild-lotus-healing.business.site/

Gerard Menzel M.Ed has studied Asia arts since the 70’s and teaching in 1985. He has studied and worked in India, China, Japan and the Middle East. The Lotus school began in Adelaide in 1988.

Monday 25 September 2017

Spring Kirtan October 1

 Kirtan Caravanserai in Spring



Thank you everyone to everyone who has contributed to Kirtan Caravanserai thus far and now it is Spring. Spring heralds joy, new growth and the burgeoning of  new breath and life into this journey.

Where Castlemaine @  The  Forge Yoga 341 Barker st


From the peaceful heart felt chanting to the divine exuberance of soaring ecstacy. Space limited secure your spot come 10.50
First Sunday Monthly 1100 -1330  Cost $5 Chai $2

How to practice Yoga Kirtan

1 The space where Kirtan is practiced ought to be quiet and free from clutter, have fresh air and aromatic.

2 When singing focus on the breath and the vibration of the sounds on the body.

3 Feel the emotion of the vibration coming from the body.

4 Feel the effect of the sounds of the dieties on the chakras or energy centres as you sing and allow the diety to flow freely with via the sound. For example Shiva will enter via the stomach region chakra and vibrate  within.

5 Allow the feelings and joy from from the lower chakras flow up the body into the heart and head region.

6 After singing sit quietly for some time and allow the prana to open the heart and flow freely throughout the mind and body.

7 Musicians ought to play for the music not oneself. Play as a spiritual practice, become an instrument of the sound in order to facilitate the expression of the love and joy within the sound of the bajaan. 

Kirtan Caravanserai Terms & Conditions

By asking to play with Kirtan Caravanserai you automatically agree to the terms & conditions.

1 To apply for a place to play contact the management one month before you are available and agree to a screening process to gauge your individual suitability and musicianship.

2 The aim is not for profit but any minor profits will be collected firstly for the management and secondly the running of future events, equipment, hire, office, advertising, one off sub contractor costs and any charity chosen by the management.

3 Kirtan Caravanserai has all rights to media coverage of the venue and contents. Media will not be  forwarded for profit to a third party. Media may be used for advertising  & the internet.

4 Any dispute or disagreements will be taken to the management first by email. The aim is to  resolve them within 30 days.

5 The management may cancel an event without with notice at any time. Notification will be endeavoured via the internet,  via the wildlotus web portals,or sms

6 Musicians volunteer their practice and playing time except on agreement in special once off events.

7 Children who are uncontrolled or distruptive should be taken out to play. For the benefit of the kirtan get a friend to care for the kids while you meditate and sing.

8 By auditioning or when admitted with Kirtan Caravanserai you the musician or event worker automatically agree to the terms & conditions.



  

Friday 28 April 2017

Bajaans; Saraswati and Hari Krishna





The Forge Yoga Monthly Kirtan Preview for May 2017
11.00 Monthly the Forge 231 Barkly st (Gardens side end) opp The fish shop
Come and join in a spiritual singing community for 2 hrs Free Chai Door Cost $5 entry
This Month we sing to Saraswati and Krishna
Saraswati (Sanskrit: सरस्वती, Sarasvatī) is the Hindu goddess of knowledge, music, arts, wisdom and learning worshipped throughout Nepal and India.[3] She is a part of the trinity (Tridevi) of Saraswati, Lakshmi and Parvati. All the three forms help the trinity of Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva to create, maintain and regenerate-recycle the Universe respectively.[4]
The earliest known mention of Saraswati as a goddess is in the Rigveda. She has remained significant as a goddess from the Vedic period through modern times of Hindu traditions.[5] Some Hindus celebrate the festival of Vasant Panchami (the fifth day of spring) in her honour,[6] and mark the day by helping young children learn how to write alphabets on that day.[7] The Goddess is also revered by believers of the Jain religion of west and central India,[8] as well as some Buddhist sects.[9]
Saraswati who is revered as a goddess of knowledge, music and arts is also found outside Nepal and India, such as in Japan, Vietnam, Bali (Indonesia) and Myanmar.[10] (wikipedia)






Hari Krishna and George Harrison

George funded the first Krishna centre in London and was a huge follower of Krishna.
His autobiography tells it all.






Jagjit Singh does a nice Krishna version as always




Monday 24 April 2017

Taoist Chi Qong for Lower back



Taoist Chi Qong for the lower back

full length 30 min

To see full video get the youtube link by emailing Gerard and paying Aus $15

For the full video contact Gerard

gmenzel@hotmail.com
61 0407734479

Tuesday 4 April 2017

Spirituality Music and bajaans workshop


Ravi Shandar & George Harrison




Workshop
Spirituality Music Devotional Bajaans 
1st Sunday of Month 14.00-1530

Where; The Forge Yoga 341 Barker st Castlemaine

 Gerard 0407734479   Cost $15 / $12  When;May to October (6 times)

How to enrol Go to wildlotus-arts.blogspot.com.au Fill in the form
Mob 0407734479  Co ordinator Gerard Menzel Yoga teacher and Tabla player

The workshop will be an exploratory one looking at the way sound “Nada”and Yoga work as a spiritual force and we look at the theoretical and practical ways music works as a powerful spiritual practice. We will also try to have guest musicians /Yoginis etc in the different areas and will you inform monthly.

This will be the first of a series of 6 planned if interest is shown

Areas of study will include
Spirituality 

Prana breathing
chakras
posture
Ragas

Deities, shakti
Harmonium, Tabla
bajaans types and devotion
Bhakti tradition
Guru lineages
Surrender in yoga
Ghandharvas & music high spirits
Gurus & historic masters; Mira Bai, Thyagaraja,Tansen
Music instruments
tradition & culture
The Nada music path and tradition
Indian tones Sa Ra Ga Ma Pa....
Healing with sound
Liberation of the mind
Meditation
Vibration theory
The Kirtan as Yoga
The ego’s liberation

Who and why?  If your interested in yoga and meditation and also love music and the wish to further enter the bhakti tradition of song, music and meditation join in.


Sunday 2 April 2017

Bajaan to Ma Durga Kirtan Caravanserai April 2017


Bajaan to Ma Durga
"Sri Ma Jai Ma  Jai Ma Jai Jai Ma Jai Jai Ma"

Goddess of Mother nature 


Chrissy and Toby
Castlemaine Chanting@Facebook


The Forge First Sunday Month 
Kirtan Caravanserai 11.00

This, the second of 2017 Kirtan Caravanserai had many new faces and was a beautiful sharing of Shakti.  

Many soaked up the healing energy and walked smiling and relaxed thanks to the power of the mantra Ma Durga.

Chai Ma
Chrissy Heydon,  the best of Chai Wallahas brewed up the most rasa filled potion the world has ever tasted and it soothed the mouths of the masses on the day.

Toby's electric guitar was soothing to the soul and the echo of the blues drifted in on the back of her tiger that is ... Ma Durga.

Thanks to the new djembe drummers whose names have left me for the moment...apologies (Virginia???Maybe ) You know who I mean anyhow....It was a welcome inclusion we can all build on.

Prasad
Lany is now initiated as our Keeper of Prasad and giver of Prasad. Her hands and humility and joy emancipated us all. Thank you Lany.

  

Wednesday 22 March 2017

Mira Bai a story of a devotee and the Beloved



A story about Love and spiritual devotion.



The story of Mira Bai the Bhakti devotee of Krishna
followed by bajaan Radhe Radhe Govinda.

Chrissy singing and Toby on guitar from Castlemaine Chanting 
Tilopa – Bousouki         Gerard -Tabla

A Wild Lotus Arts Production 



Friday 17 March 2017

Bhakti Love and the power of the realized

Sometimes you get a podcast or a conversation that stops you in your tracks and you think and think over and over what was said for days and months, not all the time but quietly at the back of your mind.

I was listening to Tapestry on CBC radio and heard Krishna Das a devotee of Neem Keroli Baba. Ram Das was his student too and wrote a very nice book of  stories from the followers  "The Miracle of Love'.

Miracle of Love; PDF

I had read this book whilst in Rishikesh in the 1990's in an ashram by the Ganges and was transfixed by the stories in it of how peoples lives were swept away and healed by the wizardry of Baba.

This podcast by Krishna Das is one such journey and all I can say is that I know how this magic works as it also shaped me and my amazing journey through life after I met my teacher 'Maharaj'.
Life will never be athe same again when one surrenders to the power of love.


Podcast of Krishna Dass

Links  http://tindeck.com/listen/aauoe










Monday 13 March 2017

Monthly Kirtan 1st Sunday 'Ma Durga' Praise Supreme Earth Mother


Next Kirtan The Forge 2 April 2017

 Bajaan to Ma Durga

Jaya Jagat Ambe
Maa Durga
Om Narayani Om
Narayani



Hail to Durga, the mother of the world.Praise Narayani, goddess of compassion

She is 'Prakriti' - living earthly consciousness Divine Earth Mother Goddess Supreme Compassion and love.









Sunday 12 March 2017

Radhe Govinda Bajaan ; Full @ Kirtan Caravanserai The Forge 3 2017





Picture
Mirabai a Rajput princess was a ecstatic bhakta, a  Krishna devotee and saint in Hinduism. She was bethrothed to a powerful Local Prince but refused her husband Rana Bhohjraj of Sisodia. She said she was married to Krishna already and despite attempts to assasinate her she remained loyal to Krishna until they finally banished her.  Finally after later living in her parents kingdom which was under seige she went to Vrindavan the home of Krishna where she passed away in the Dwarka temple.

Born1498, Kudki, India
Full nameMeera
SpouseBhoj Raj (m. 1516–1521)

This bajaan is devoted to Krishna.
Radha - krishna's consort 
Gopal- (gopi femminine) cow herder or follower of Krishna the supreme Gopala
A follower / Gopi of Krishna embodies unconditional love.








This is a longer version of the First Kirtan Caravanserai at the Forge.

Musicians Gerard Chrissy Tony and Toby