Sovatsky, Stuart (USA)
"Apology, Grief and Forgiveness Via the Voice: Letting Go Through Wailing and Inspired Sanskrit Chanting and Clear-seeing"
Singing that approaches the emotionally-complex release of wailing can include expressions of sorrow, despair, anguish, rage, forgiveness, contrition and transcendence--all in the space of a few minutes, and repeatedly so, over the course of longer expressions. We will explore inspired Yogic chanting of anahata-nad (spontaneous wailing) that is also heard in Sufi qwaali, Hebraic nigune, shamanic and Native American chanting and in the original "songs" of medieval Christian monastics. All such spiritual expressions can transmute the all too common feelings of despair and vengefulness into those of deeply emotional at-one-ment and reconciliation. In such a state, individuals and whole-cultures can rebuild themselves after times of misunderstanding and violence. After such chanting, at-one-ment becomes visible, even between previously dire adversaries Applications to highly disfunctional marriages will also be included, along with a critique of conventional (and often iatrogenic) cathartic psychotherapy methods
Stuart Sovatsky (AB Religion, Princeton; PhD; Psychology, CIIS) was first choice to co-direct Ram Dass's "Prison Ashram," was first in the US to introduce yoga to the homeless mentally-ill (1978); convened the first International Prison Yoga Conference and the World Congress on Psychology and Spirituality in India (2008) inaugurated by Lama Samdhong, Prime Minister of Tibet in Exile. His books include Words From the Soul , Eros, Consciousness & Kundalini and the poetic Your Perfect Lips: Journal and chapter topics include suicidal linguistics, awe and terror in psychosis and in infant crying, grihasthya (sacred family life), impermanence and psychopathology, Greco-Christian forgiveness psychology and clinical admiration. A 35 year kundalini yoga chant-master, he has three CDs with his band, Axis Mundi and has performed in the US, Europe and India. He is clinical director of the first spiritual emergence service in the world, Kundalini Clinic, since 1983, and is Copresident of the US Association for Transpersonal Psychology.
Stuart Sovatsky,PhD