Chants of a Lifetime

Searching for a Heart of Gold

By: Krishna Das

Narrated by: Krishna Das

Length: 10 hrs and 8 mins

Publisher's Summary

Chants of a Lifetime offers an intimate collection of stories, teachings, and insights from Krishna Das, who has been called "the chant master of American yoga" by the New York Times. Since 1994, the sound of his voice singing traditional Indian chants with a Western flavor has brought the spiritual experience of chanting to audiences all over the world. He has previously shared some of his spiritual journey through talks and workshops, but now he offers a unique book-with-audio download combination that explores his fascinating path and creates an opportunity for just about anyone to experience chanting in a unique and special way.

Chants of a Lifetime includes photos from Krishna Das' years in India and also from his life as a kirtan leader - and the audio that is offered exclusively in the book consists of a number of "private" chanting sessions with the author. Instead of just being performances of chants for listening, the recordings make it seem as if Krishna Das himself is present for a one-on-one chanting session. The idea is for the listener to explore his or her own practice of chanting and develop a deepening connection with the entire chanting experience.

This audio product contains a PDF with supporting material, and the PDF is available to download.

Download the accompanying reference guide.

©2010 Krishna Das (P)2021 Hay House, Inc.

Beautiful, no words to describe.

Beautiful, no words to describe. The fact Krishna Das himself is narrating makes this beauty.

It’s a beautiful and inspiring love story

I love Krishna Das’ voice, his chants have been keeping me company since I was 18 (now I’m 40), and I didn’t know anything about his trajectory. This book is a beautiful love story between Mahara-Ji and KD and an inspiring love story between KD and himself. We can learn a lot about unconditional love, having faith in our own path and detachment of expectations. Namaste 🙏🏾🙇🏽‍♀️🧡❤️

Beautiful. Read it. Or listen.

Truly beautiful on so many levels. It set me straight and answered questions that I’ve had about chanting; all the while entertaining me with a great adventure.

Amazing grace!

Gratitude for having Krishna Das as a spiritual teacher, and manifesting Baba’s blessing in such an authentic and beautiful way! He shares stories from his time with Baba and devotees...there are stories to be heard again and again, these stories are Maharaj-ji darsham to us all ❤️ ram ram sitaram

KD At His Best!

Fantastic to listen to KD narrate Chants of a Lifetime! So grateful to hear is life story and life's work!

Recognize this great text ASAP...

Since I was 14 I have read "The Life and Teachings of The Masters of the Far East", Autobiography of Yogi, Unvieled Mysteries, The Magic Presence, ect... AND THIS book IS In the Same League. Even at Krishna Das' inevitable protest, it remains true. This Is vital text, because it is made by One of us Struggling to get there, and in True Earnestness. I but wish I had stumbled into it sooner. Krishna Das indeed.
🥚💙🥚💜🥚💛🥚💛🥚💜🥚💙🥚

An Engaging Listen for the Spiritual Seeker

I've been a lover of Krishna Das's music for a number of years and had the privilege of seeing him perform live several times as well as attending a chanting workshop he gave in a small yoga studio; my interest in this book came out of those uplifting experiences.

I was most fascinated by Krishna Das's accounts of life on Maharaji's ashram. His tellings are consistent with Ram Dass's stories of the guru and have led me to the conclusion that Maharaji--the two men's guru, proper name Neem Karoli Baba--was an avatar.

The most endearing aspect of the book is Krishna Das's vulnerability in sharing his own foibles: his constant, desperate need to spend time with Maharaji, his lack of faith in himself and need for validation, and his reliance on drugs to fill the spiritual void when, back home in the US and away from the guru and ashram that offered him structure and a sense of purpose, he felt aimless and lost.

Krishna Das's narration is earnest and conversational, though his low tone of voice can be soporific or difficult to hear even at high volume, for instance, when driving on a highway.

The book is also quite long, with a fair bit of repetition in subject matter. As much as I enjoyed it, it took much longer for me to get through than most of the books I read. I feel the storytelling could have been condensed; many of the anecdotes about Maharaji are similar, especially in the latter half of the book, and spiritual insights are repeated.

All in all, this is a good read/listen for spiritual seekers, lovers of kirtan, or anyone with an interest in Krishna Das and/ or Neem Karoli Baba specifically.

An epic, heart opening journey

Krishna Das’ journey in this epic story had me laughing and crying. His time spent with his guru, Neem Karoli Baba, and the pain he faced after his guru left the body, opened my heart in ways beyond words. I deeply respect Krishna Das’ vulnerability and his ability to tell the many stories of his guru and the many old disciples who helped him become the man he is today.

Beautiful, Amazing and Relatable

This is a beautiful story, well written, relatable. I enjoyed every minute of it 3 times so far.

I can't wait to listen to this a 2nd time.

I really loved this book and I'm so glad that Krishna Das was reciting it himself. I have a personal belief that people who suffer as Krishna suffered are still tethered to the other side. I have also spent this year studying Neil Diamond and his personal struggle and connection to darkness, loneliness and finding his place in the world. For both of them it seems the music is what connected them to the light. Both beautiful souls deserve to feel Joy and not suffering. Through their suffering they bring beautiful light to us through their music. Music takes us to that altered state that we look for in meditation.

I'm so enamored with the chanting and harmonium that I purchased a harmonium myself a month ago and have started taking lessons. I know my review is not really talking about the book but the book is beautifully written about his intimate connection to his Guru and how this relationship saved his life. For anyone experiencing Darkness and trying to find that connection to the light this book is a blessing. Thank you Krishna Das. I hope to enjoy one of your concerts one day. I missed you by a week at Sivananda in the Bahamas back in 2019. May you experience Joy and peace for the rest of your life, whether or not you are chanting. namaste, Marcia Allen

Fabulous

What a gem of a book. Beautifully read by a beautiful man. My favourite so far.

Great book

Really good story and good read. The chants at the end are a bonus. I really enjoyed this book

Absolutely beautiful.

I could never tire of hearing stories about Maharaji, Ram Dass and now Krishna. The chanting at the end is absolutely beautiful.

Ram Ram

I really enjoyed this coming from a musicians point if view that I am developing my own chanting and learned a lot from this. Very honest and human. Thank you

The Author narrating is beautiful

This is a beautiful and thought-provoking life story of Krishna Das.

It gives hope where hope is needed and it gives more insight into what ‘Bhakti’ (Faith/Devotion) and ‘Karma Yoga’ really mean.

The story comes alive with the narration by the author himself (Krishna Das). The bonus of having the book in PDF form, with plentiful photographs, is great. And finally, the 5 tracks of chants at the end of the audiobook brings a sense of pure Bliss.