This second Q&A from the 2025 Sacred Community Retreat features a discussion on acting with kindness and the creative tension between acceptance and ambition and how it intersects with our careers, artistic pursuits, and spiritual lives. It ends with a few Ram Dass stories for good measure. 

It also contains an in-depth discussion about cultural appropriation. This topic is a big one, and though the facilitators don't claim to offer any universal answers, as a group they explore the question from multiple viewpoints and cultural perspectives.

Connor Burns leads a 20-minute meditation using the Zen concept of "just sitting" as a doorway into accepting the moment with an open heart and being in "relationship with the vastness of reality." This guided meditation from the 2025 Sacred Community Retreat ends with an invitation to continue with your own walking meditation. 

In this satsang from the 2025 Sacred Community Retreat, Vasu Jon Seskevich teaches the essence of Hanuman, sings the Hanuman Chalisa in English, and shares stories of his time with Ram Dass.

In this first Q&A from the 2025 Sacred Community Retreat, the facilitation team answers the question, "What does it mean to live spiritually and authentically in everyday life?" This episode features Lakshmi Abrol, Swapnil Abrol, Connor Burns, zander cole, Pavan Das, Sitaram Dass, and Beverly Hsu. 

Sitaram Dass tells the story of Krishna and the Gopis, those gurus of devotion that dropped everything at the call of Krishna's flute. Accompanied by Swapnil Abrol on flute and recorded at the 2024 Sacred Community Retreat. This live track is featured on the album, Sacred Community Project Live (V.2). 

There is something that happens when a room full of people chant together—call it Magic, call it Bhav, call it Love, call it Joy, call it the Spontaneity of the Grace-Filled Moment. It can't be manufactured, manipulated, or coerced. But, if we listen, its slow swelling can flood the senses as we enter a state of Holy Allowance.

Sitaram Dass discusses how to love imperfections without having to "jump through cognitive hoops" to do so.  This talk was recorded on day 3 of the 2024 Sacred Community Retreat on Salt Spring Island, and it preceded a 40-minute Loving-Awareness mantra meditation.  

In this talk from the 2024 Sacred Community Retreat, Sitaram Dass talks about Love, lessons learned from ram Dass, and mantra meditation as a form of "applied Bhav."

Swapnil Abrol discusses unconditional love, and why we perform the bhakti ritual of aarti. Recorded from the 2024 Sacred Community Retreat in British Columbia.

Sitaram Dass and Pavan Das tell stories about their time with Ram Dass and answer the question, "What did you have to let go of to be with him?" Recorded from the 2024 Sacred Community Retreat.

In this third Q&A from the 2024 Sacred Community Retreat, Sitaram Dass leads a discussion on transitioning from a spiritual retreat into our everyday lives and ends by answering an audience question on the nature of grief. He is also joined in the conversation by Pavan Das, Swapnil Abrol, and zander cole. 

In this second Q&A from the 2024 Sacred Community Retreat, the facilitation team continues in the topic of practice and grace, discussing how to "bring the sacred into everyday," Guru Kripa, the steps of aarti, and the role and pitfalls of psychedelics. Lakshmi and Connor share some Ram Dass stories, and Swapnil tells his story of his training in the jungles of Peru.

The Sacred Community Retreat facilitation team discusses the role of practice and grace on the spiritual path. Recorded from the second day of the 2024 Sacred Community Retreat, this episode features Lakshmi Abrol, Swapnil Abrol, Connor Burns, zander cole, Pavan Das, Sitaram Dass, Beverly Hsu, and a special guest appearance by Vasu Jon Seskevich. 

A short and intimate video of the annual Sacred Community Retreat that happens on Salt Spring Island. In it, filmmaker zander cole karlin (they/them) asks the question, “What does Sacred Community mean to you?”

In this Q&A from the 2024 Sacred Community Retreat at Just Love Forest, retreat facilitators Hari Scott Whitmore, Pavan Das, and Sitaram Dass tell stories about their time caregiving fro Ram Dass.

Connor Burns leads a short mindfulness meditation at the 2023 Sacred Community Retreat that was held on Salt Spring Island in British Columbia.

Sitaram Dass gives a lecture and leads a mantra meditation on the essence of Loving-Awareness.

Swapnil Abrol gives a talk on Bhakti Yoga and weaves english storytelling into traditional Bhajans.

This album was recorded in the Summer of 2023 during Sacred Community Project’s first fundraising tour and retreat. It features chants led by Pavan Das and Sitaram Dass and supported by zander cole (vocals, kartals), Swapnil Abrol (dholak, vocals), and Jeanettee Kangas (tabla).

Pavan Das guides a variation of Anapanasati to awaken the heart of Loving-Awareness in this 30-minute meditation.