Kripa is a kirtan group born out of the love of Ram Dass, Neem Karoli Baba, Siddhi Ma, and Hanuman and inspired by their central teachings of “Love, Service, Remembrance, and Truth.” They are deeply committed to the wide accessibility of devotional and contemplative practices, and they have partnered with The Sacred Community Project to offer affordable, donation-based offerings and prison outreach.
Learn more about our service work through the Sacred Community Project
VISION
Our core vision is a world of Sacred Community, where interdependence is valued over individualism, truth over manipulation, caring over exploitation, presence over distraction, and where an expansive, all-inclusive Love joyously welcomes all Beings into Its warm embrace.
WE BELIEVE
For this to come to fruition, we believe we can no longer separate the systemic, the communal, the relational, the personal, or the Sacred. These are interwoven and mutually-dependent threads forming the tapestry of Sacred Community.
MISSION
Sacred Community Project works to lower the barriers of access to contemplative and devotional practices through affordable, free, and donation-based offerings and prison outreach.
A BHAKTIMALA FOR RAM DASS
We offer this garland of devotion to honor our beloved teacher, Ram Dass.We released the first iteration of this project on December 22, 2020 to commemorate the one year anniversary of Ram Dass's passing. And now on April 6th, 2021, we offer a “Deluxe Edition” in honor of his 90th birthday with several new tracks.All proceeds from this album are offered in support of Hanuman Maui: Ram Dass Loving Awareness Sanctuary.Hanuman Maui was born out of the vision to preserve Ram Dass’s home as a spiritual sanctuary.As a 501c3 Nonprofit, Hanuman Maui works to preserve and share Ram Dass’s home on Maui and foster community through the teachings of love, service, and devotion.Produced by Kripa and Hanuman Maui, December 22, 2020
WHO WE ARE
Each member of Kripa was a caregiver for Ram Dass. They continue to serve through activism, kirtan, workshops, teachings, and writings.
Hari
Hari began leading kirtan in Ram Dass’s living room, and he has had the honor to accompany many incredible kirtan wallahs including Krishna Das, Nina Rao, Devadas, and his bandmates in Kripa. As the Director of Outreach for the Call and Response Foundation, he organized kirtans in prisons and recovery centers throughout the United States.
Krishna Prem
Krishna Prem was born into a living stream of devotional music in the Sufi lineage of Hazrat Inayat Khan. He is a kirtan wallah, community organizer, and lover of exploring music and sound. His popular chant, "SitaRam," was recently featured in the Netflix documentary, Ram Dass: Going Home. He resides in Portland, OR, studying music and sharing community.
Pavan Das is a multi-media artist, mindfulness teacher, and nonprofit leader. He resides on Maui where he serves on the board of Hanuman Maui: Ram Dass Loving Awareness Sanctuary. His time with spiritual leaders, like Ram Dass and Thich Nhat Hanh, informs his commitment to fostering resilience and community through contemplative and devotional practices.
Sitaram Dass is a poet, counselor, teacher, kirtan singer, and lover of God. As the director of the Sacred Community Project, he works to provide affordable, free, and donation-based offerings as a praxis of Sacred Community. His new book, From and for God, is an intimate and contemplative collection of writings on the spiritual path.
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CONNECT
Featured on the Ram Dass Soul Land Music Series
Albums
We offer this garland of devotion to honor our beloved teacher, Ram Dass.We released the first iteration of this project on December 22, 2020 to commemorate the one year anniversary of Ram Dass's passing. And now on April 6th, 2021, we offer a “Deluxe Edition” in honor of his 90th birthday with several new tracks.All proceeds from this album are offered in support of Hanuman Maui: Ram Dass Loving Awareness Sanctuary.Hanuman Maui was born out of the vision to preserve Ram Dass’s home as a spiritual sanctuary.As a 501c3 Nonprofit, Hanuman Maui works to preserve and share Ram Dass’s home on Maui and foster community through the teachings of love, service, and devotion.Produced by Kripa and Hanuman Maui, December 22, 2020
In May, two of our dearest loves welcomed their first child into the world. As Father’s Day approached, momma dreamed up a little project to celebrate papa stepping into the sacred role of fatherhood.The instructions were simple “just some sweet songs of love and joy and spirit in any form you like! Oh ps chill vibes on it - super bhakti but doesn’t have to be super pro”So here we are! Ranging from old style country twang to acapella mouth trumpets, this collection of songs is a celebration of new life, the whimsy of childhood and the tenderness of family.As so much of the world continues to fight against long-standing oppression and unprecedented sickness we want to offer some NEW SOUNDS inspired by a NEW LIFE.We had so much fun creating this heartful little album, we hope to share some of the joy we’ve received in the process <3.We chose to share this album with you in celebration of Dassi Ma's birthday and all the mothers in our world.
The "EXPERIMENTS" collection explores the edges of creativity and devotion.
CONNECT
We'd love to hear from you :)
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SCHEDULE
of Kripa Members
Weekly Kripa livestreams from Hanuman Maui: https://www.hanumanmaui.org/liveOngoing events schedule at Sacred Community Project: https://sacredcommunityproject.org/schedule
SACRED COMMUNITY PROJECT
Kripa works to lower the barriers of access to contemplative and devotional practices and offers affordable, donation-based offerings and prison outreach through the Sacred Community Project. If you would like to learn more or if you are in need of spiritual support, reach out.
Spiritual Support: Video-chat, phone, and email support for anyone seeking spiritual direction and guidance on their paths.Prison Outreach: Kirtans, workshops, & letter writing to people in prisons across the country. We provide educational materials, books, CDs, instruments, mala beads, etc.
Donation-based kirtanSliding scale retreatsBesides fitting in with our vision of “no one ever turned away from the teachings,” these will help raise awareness and funds for our outreach work.
Videos
Writings
** Music**
PodcastsThis content is available for free, ensuring that the teachings and practices are widely accessible and helping to raise awareness and donations for our outreach efforts.
Just as we have benefited from the teachings passed down to us, we feel a responsibility to be of service to future generations.A part of our Seva is to support the temples, artists, and teachers who keep alive the living streams of authentic tradition.
SHOP
T-shirts, stickers, books, and more through the Sacred Community Project Shop.
The SCP Shop aims to be a regenerative hub that honors everyone involved, including the patrons, artists, cultures, laborers, supply chains, Earth, and the people SCP is in direct service to. In this way we move beyond “ethical capitalism” and towards an embodiment of Sacred Community.
