Awaken Your Voice: Chanting for Wisdom & Creativity
Honoring Sarasvati, Goddess of Wisdom, with Lopön Chandra Easton and Friends
Chanting, Chai, Kitchari & Community
Saturday, September 19th, 4-6pm
IN PERSON ONLY
Join Lopön Chandra and friends for a sacred afternoon honoring Sarasvati, the Buddhist and Hindu goddess of wisdom, sound, and creative expression, known in Tibetan as Yangchenma, "The Melodious One." Through chanting, mantra, and meditation, we'll invoke her many forms, including Tara Vajra Sarasvati, and open ourselves to the descent of vidya: the luminous wisdom she embodies and bestows.
Sarasvati is the source of knowledge, wisdom, eloquence, and intelligence: the inspiration behind art, poetry, music, science, and every creative endeavor. This gathering is an invitation to cultivate your own devotion to her, to receive her blessings, and to let her wisdom flow through your voice, your mind, and your creative life.
What to expect:
Sound Yoga & Chanting: Open your voice through Sound Yoga (Nada Yoga) and traditional Sanskrit mantras and prayers to Sarasvati, sung together in kirtan style to open the heart and quiet the mind.
Japa and meditation: Mantra repetition and guided meditation to invite Sarasvati's presence and the felt sense of her wisdom descending.
Buddhist and Hindu Tantric wisdom: Exploring Sarasvati across traditions, including her tantric Buddhist form Tara Vajra Sarasvati.
Garden mandala walk: Come early to wander Pure Land Farms' beautiful garden mandala, designed after the pure land mandala of the Medicine Buddha, as a walking meditation. Sarasvati is deeply beloved at Pure Land Farms, making this sacred garden a fitting home for our gathering.
Community, chai & vegetarian meal: We'll share chai (decaf) and kitchari (Indian vegetarian rice and dhal), with time to eat and connect together in community after the session, so stay a little longer if you can.
This offering blends the devotional, embodied approach Chandra is known for: chanting, dharma talks, and meditation woven together to move participants beyond concepts and into direct, felt experience of wisdom and devotion.
All levels welcome, no experience needed.
Fee: $45
Your fees help make this evening possible — admin costs, snacks, tea, and donations to our musicians. We're so grateful for your support in keeping the arts alive!
If the price of admission makes this event inaccessible for you to attend, please email info@purelandfarms.com for financial assistance
Chandra Easton is a Dharma teacher, devotional chantress, author, and Dorje Lopön (Vajra Teacher) of Tara Mandala founded by Lama Tsultrim Allione, where she was given the name Lopön Yeshe Dawa Zangmo by H.E. Gochen Tulku Sang-ngag Rinpoche. She took refuge with the 16th Karmapa at age four, studied Buddhism and Tibetan language at the Library of Tibetan Works & Archives in Dharamsala, and holds a degree in religious studies from UC Santa Barbara. She is the author of Embodying Tara: Twenty-One Manifestations to Awaken Your Innate Wisdom (2023) and co-founder of the 21 Taras Collective (www.21tarascollective.org), recording music for the twenty-one Taras mantras. She co-translated Sublime Dharma, two texts on Dzogchen, the Great Perfection. Lopön Chandra has studied classical Hindustani singing with Rita Sahai and Sudhanshu Sharma, and teaches at venues including the Berkeley Alembic, SF Dharma Collective, Tara Mandala, and Esalen. Learn more at www.chandraeaston.com.
Saheb Singh is a dynamic tabla player whose work bridges tradition and innovation. He began playing at age 8 and performed publicly by 9, showing an early sensitivity to rhythm and musical dialogue. Rooted in Indian percussion and open to global influences, Saheb approaches rhythm as communication, connection, and healing. His playing weaves intricate patterns that elevate the collective sound. He has collaborated with artists across cultures, creating a rhythmic foundation that connects performers and audiences alike. Across classical, devotional, fusion, and contemporary settings, his artistry reflects integrity, collaboration, and expressive storytelling through rhythm.