Chanting, Meditation, and Winter Solstice Ritual

This kirtan concert at Spirit Rock Meditation Center in Woodacre, California, brings together call-and-response chanting, seated meditation and a candlelit winter solstice ritual in one evening. It is open to anyone, whether you have chanted before or never have, and it is led by kirtan artist Jai Uttal, Buddhist teacher Frank Ostaseski, yoga teacher and Odissi dancer Nubia Teixeira, and Prajna Vieira.

The evening takes up the season's themes of light and love and turns them inward. Chanting and meditation are used to move from the rush of "holiday mind" toward a quieter, more open heart.

What to Expect

The gathering runs from 6:30 to 9:00 in the evening, held on the land in the Great Hall of the Community Meditation Center. People arrive and settle in, and the first part of the evening is opening remarks and setting an intention.

Around 7:00 the chanting begins. Jai Uttal and Prajna Vieira lead call-and-response kirtan with an ensemble, so there is nothing to learn in advance: you hear a phrase and sing it back. Dancing is welcome if you feel moved to, and entirely optional. At about 7:45 the room turns to guided meditation with Frank Ostaseski. The last part of the evening, from about 8:30, is a candlelit ritual honoring the winter solstice, before the closing at 9:00.

The spirit of the evening is communal. The teachers speak of practicing and praying together for the healing of the world, and of the joy that surfaces when a room full of people sings together.

About Jai Uttal

Jai Uttal is a Grammy-nominated kirtan artist and world music pioneer, born in New York City and raised among jazz, rock and world music. He has been a leading influence in the Bhakti tradition for over 50 years, and devotion is the center of his musical and spiritual life. He is known for creating a safe, open atmosphere in which people can sing.

About Frank Ostaseski

Frank Ostaseski is an internationally respected Buddhist teacher, co-founder of the Zen Hospice Project and founder of the Metta Institute. He has lectured at Harvard Medical School and the Mayo Clinic, and to companies including Google and Apple, and he teaches at spiritual centers around the world.

About Nubia Teixeira

Born in Brazil, Nubia Teixeira is a yogini, author, teacher trainer and Odissi dancer who has devoted more than 35 years to studying and teaching yoga. She founded Mother Goddess Yoga, a devotional, earth-based approach rooted in Shakta and Bhakti traditions and dedicated to honoring the Divine Mother, and the Bhakti Nova School of Yoga & Dance. Her classes are built around mudra, pranayama and mantra, with movement from Odissi, the classical dance form that began in the temples of Odisha.

About Prajna Vieira

Prajna Brianna Vieira has taught yoga asana, yogic philosophy and bhakti yoga for over 20 years. A lifelong musician and dancer, she studies and performs kirtan, Odissi classical Indian dance, harikatha (storytelling) and ballet, locally and internationally. She is especially known for her work with kirtan artists including Jai Uttal.

The Setting

Spirit Rock Meditation Center is in Woodacre, in Marin County, California. This program is held in person only, in the Great Hall of the Community Meditation Center. It is a day program rather than a residential retreat, so overnight accommodations are not provided.

Before You Go

No prior experience with chanting or meditation is needed. The evening is structured to welcome newcomers and seasoned practitioners alike. It is offered in English and Spanish, and draws on Bhakti, Buddhist and yoga traditions.

Included are about two and a half hours of guided chanting, meditation and the solstice ritual, along with use of the Community Meditation Center. Meals and transportation are not included. Pricing is on a sliding scale with reduced-rate options, including scholarship rates for BIPOC practitioners and young adults, and work exchange may be available for in-person programs. Cancellations made at least two business days ahead receive an open credit or can become a donation, and there are no refunds.