Chanting circle
facilitator course
4 - 10 August 2024 | Dörnberg, Germany
Deepen your ability to facilitate, hold space and lead Mantra Chanting circles and Kirtan with Kevin James and Susana
This week-long course will provide everything you will need in order to lead your own chanting circle with more confidence, to have the room singing together with you in harmony.
This course is for anyone interested in going deeper into chanting circles: from yoga teachers who want to lead a chant after a class, to budding musicians with a vision to hold their own circles, to those who want make a life of chanting, recording, and songwriting, we will be sharing all that reflects a lifestyle of Bhakti.
To put yourself as a leader in front of a group can be a daunting or even a terrifying obstacle to pass. This course is designed to help you to transform that experience into something that is inspiring, enjoyable and relaxing, where you can give people a heart opening, and profound experience of your music.
“My intention is to share the deeper meaning of what it is to hold space for these kinds of circles in community, in service and to hold your intention with what you are sharing.
I will give you the tools, based on years of on-the-ground experience to support your musical offering, either as a workshop leader, or professionally as a Bhakti singer.
All could benefit from these effective and powerful tools of connection.” Kevin James
The Chanting circles
If you’ve sat in a chanting circle, and let your voice fly, surrounded by other voices in harmony like a chorus of angels, then you know the feeling.
It’s pure magic, a feeling that, at the time, is beyond any need or wanting. It’s complete fulfillment that transcends time. For me, the chanting circle allows us to co-create a wave that lifts us higher.
As a chanting circle leader, our role is to ride that wave and guide the group energy to take flight, to a place where there are no leaders, and then recognize the moment to land us back again smoothly and safely.
For me, it’s a taste of pure presence, when what is happening outside of us is so beautiful that you can only surrender, and let go of the endless searching for more, and drop into your own true nature.
When we hold a chanting circle, we offer an opportunity for everyone to harmonize and connect with the source together, directly, without the middleman.
Over the years of leading chanting circles with different groups around the world, I’ve developed it as a form of art based on real experience, that follows a natural flow. Making chanting inclusive and accessible to everyone regardless of experience, language or culture.
I feel the greatest service we can give as a chant leader, is to provide a space that helps people to reconnect with their hearts, experience positive feelings, and also deal with challenging emotions or situations in their lives.
If you are passionate about singing, love mantras and want to provide this experience to others, then this course is for you
What we will cover
By the end of this course, you will have the tools, knowledge and techniques to lead your own chanting circles, and share your music with the world.
Here’s how we will do that together:
The Location
Our group will be hosted at the beautiful retreat center of Hofgut Bergerhof – Zentrum Neue Zeit in Dörnberg (1 hour northwest of Frankfurt, Germany), a quiet and peaceful place in nature and at the same time easy to access.
It´s a place with a lot of privacy and many different spaces to hang out.
If the weather is fine, we can be chanting in the open air or alternatively, in the beautiful yoga shala.
About the food
The dining experience at the course is top-notch, offering plant-based, mostly organic, locally-sourced, and seasonal fare crafted by expert chefs specially hired for this week. I think you may want to join just for the food!
Please let us know upfront if you have any allergies to take into account.
About the accommodation
The retreat center offers single rooms and shared rooms of 2 beds, both options with shared bathrooms. Bedding and towels are provided.
The distribution of the beds will be done per order of registration and keeping men and women separated.
Highlights
• Chanting and more chanting. There will be chanting every day and we will also support each other to lead the group.
• Open Bhakti night chanting circle. For the last evening, we will be welcoming people from outside the retreat center and create a “Bhakti band” where some participants will have the opportunity to lead the group and put into practice what we have learned.
• Song sharing sessions. Depending on the group, we will take some time to share and learn new songs and mantras from around the world, provided by Kevin, but also amongst each other as we feel, expanding our repertoire and sourcing inspiration.
• Tailoring to your needs. During the registration process, we send a detailed questionnaire that will make this course more tailored as best we can to your needs.
• Personal attention. The course will have a maximum of 25 participants, to make sure all of you have the guidance you deserve and we can all get to know each other.
• Evening Jam session. Every evening, after dinner, is free time and a favorite amongst our participants is to get together in the living room or out by the fire and jam. Sometimes someone just shares a song and we all support or we start that way and then completely create something new on the spot. Either way, to be part of a circle of devotional musicians together is a rare and amazing opportunity and experience.
• Course & retreat. We believe that the best way to learn something is to immerse yourself in it. That’s why we created this course to be also a retreat, where you can completely focus on receiving, disconnect from the daily distractions, and at the same time be in a peaceful and inspiring natural environment.
• Final project. After the course, we will encourage a “final project” (or starting project 😉) to create a chanting circle in your hometown, where we can support you online with any doubts you have in the process during the following 8 weeks after the residential course.
Format of this course
The course consist of 7 days in residence at the retreat center in Dörnberg, Germany.
There will be daily classes starting after breakfast until lunch time, and then will continue in the afternoon with more sessions and chanting until dinner time.
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6 weeks of follow up online support
We will create a Private online group, offering ongoing support.
“The final project” will be an option where you create your own chanting circle and we will support you with with any doubts that may appear before, during or after your event.
6 weeks of online support after the course, that will consist on resolving your doubts on the private chat group and a total of 3 Zoom calls distributed every 2 weeks
8 Possible outcomes when you implement this course
Set up and offer a professional, high quality chanting circle where it’s easier to feel confident, relaxed and at your fullest potential.
Facilitate your circle as a ceremonial experience, shifting the consciousness away from performance based, into an inclusive co-creation, supporting people to open their hearts and sing.
Know how to create a space where it’s easier to connect, where the participants feel a sense of trust in you as a leader, allowing you to guide the group from separation into oneness.
To adapt to different situations, groups, and energies.
Tap into your creative juice and expand your repertoire to have a great selection of mantras and heartsongs where you can flow through different moods and feelings.
Bring more of your personal taste into your chanting circles, to create more of an inspiring, authentic and fulfilling experience for all.
Save time and money when recording and avoid common mistakes to make the most of your abilities and music.
Know how to run and market your business in a way that is in alignment with what you sing about and staying connected to the heart.
- Feel part of a supportive community of like minded devotional musicians that are encouraging and inspiring each other, collaborating and sharing knowledge and also our challenges and weaknesses.
Price
SUPER EARLY BIRD
Until 31st of January 2024
Shared Room
2.080 €
Single Room (sold out)
2.180 €
EARLY BIRD
Until 30th of April 2024
Shared Room
2.200 €
Single Room (sold out)
2.300 €
STANDARD PRICE
From the 1st May
Shared Room
2.320 €
Single Room (sold out)
2.420 €
What is included?
What is not?
About Kevin James
About Susana
Susana Rodriguez is originally from Spain and met Kevin in 2016, soon after, they began their life journey together.
Susana studied Psychology and a Master’s degree in Human Resources. After years working in the corporate world, in 2013 she decided to drop her “secure” life in Madrid follow a calling to travel the world.
Three years later, when Kevin and Susana met, he passed her the harmonium.
Without having a musical background, her life was taking an unexpected turn to becoming a musician.
Thanks to her experience in previous jobs, she also started to support, not only with the music, but also in all the organizational part that is required to travel and create events.
She dived into event management, marketing, graphic design, website development, and travel agent so to speak.
As our friends sometimes say, Kevin is the “creative mind” the one who creates the music and Susana is the “practical mind” who keeps the structure.
What previous participants say about this course
Our philosophy
We respect each participant for who they are and where they are at, simply offering support, with the freedom for they to choose, because we recognise that each of us grows in our own way and in our own time. We just provide the best we can to help you grow.
So, no matter who you are, where you are from, your beliefs or music preferences, I will share from a universal perspective where you are encouraged to keep or find your own style and my mission is to help you to expand and own it.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Practical information
How do I register?
Here are the steps in order to register:
In order to adapt to the needs of the group and to make sure there is a similar level of experience with music and/or Kirtan, the first step is to fill out an application form HERE
After we receive and review your form application, we will contact you to communicate further information and with the details to make the deposit.
Once the reservation is done, you can start to plan your journey to Dörnberg and back home.
What level of musical knowledge is necessary to participate in this course?
This course is for you if you have an intermediate level of music experience or above. In other words, that you can play and sing multiple songs, and have basic knowledge of chords on your instrument.
This is not for you if you are completely new to music and singing (if so, hold tight as we will be holding a beginners course in the future)
How does the pricing work?
The payment is split into 3 parts as follows:
– Deposit: at the moment of the booking (it will vary depending of the type of price (super early, early or standard) and also the type of accommodation chosen.
– Second payment within the next 60 days after making the deposit.
– 3rd payment on arrival.
We want to make this course accessible to anyone who feels the calling to start or continue offering chanting circles.
If you would like to discuss an individual payment plan based on your financial situation, please mention that in the application form.
Special payment plans will be a possibility during the Super early bird period.
Recommended items to bring
Your instrument (guitar, ukelele or harmonium, or other), pen and notebook.
Loose and light clothing and warm clothes in case it gets fresh during the night, mosquito repellent, water bottle and your personal toiletries.
Getting to Dörnberg and Hofgut Bergerhof
By airplane
The closest airport is Frankfurt and it’s about 55 minutes by car from Dörnberg.
By train/bus
The closest ICE-Train stations are Limburg/Lahn or Montabour (about 25 minutes away from the center).
A transfers from/ to the ICE-Train stations can be organised upon request and can be shared between participants (we can help to coordinate that). Cost per trip is 45 Euros.
By car
Hofgut Bergerhof – Zentrum Neue Zeit address:
Bergerhof 1
56379 Bergerhof – Dörnberg, Germany
Language
The course is held in English.
Arrival & departure times
The course will start on Sunday 4th August. The check-in starts at 3.00 pm and our first activity will be at 5.00 pm.
And it will finish on Saturday 10th after breakfast, check-out and leave by 12.00 pm.
Cancellation fees
Sometimes plans change – in such circumstances, the following charges apply to cover costs already incurred with the processing of your booking: 50% charge of the first payment applies if a booking is canceled before June 1st, 2024. After this date no refund is possible, but you may transfer your booking to another person.
