The spiritual concept of “seva,” a Sanskrit word that translates to “selfless service,” runs deep through most yoga practices. Indeed, the poses that yoga practitioners use were created for the purpose of strengthening one's body in order to better help others in need.
Asa Dustin, owner and primary instructor at Concord's At Om Yoga studio, has spent years of training to ingrain that seva into his very being. So when he saw that another local institution that practices that same selfless service was in need of some selfless service itself, he couldn't help but get involved.
“There is an ancient tradition of feeding the hungry,” Dustin said. “In India, anyone who's homeless can go anywhere and be fed at any time.”
In Concord, that spirit was embodied by the Friendly Kitchen, the area's only soup kitchen. A local institution since 1980, it has helped feed Concord's hungry bellies for over three decades. But when fire tore through its Montgomery Street location back in April, the Friendly Kitchen was forced to temporarily close its doors. Now, it needs all the help it can get to re-open in a new, permanent location. That's where Dustin and the At Om studio come in.
Dustin arranged for a benefit concert, or “kirtan,” to be held at the At Om studio at 40 N. Main St. Kirtan refers to a style of chanted mantra set to music. The event, which takes place on Sept. 23, will feature Girish, a renowned performer in the kirtan genre.
“It's hard to articulate,” Dustin said, “but he has a practical relationship to the mantras. He's just wicked skilled, wicked talented and very beautiful in his harmonies. You don't at all have to be a fan of yoga music to appreciate it. It's just very good, clean, downtempo rock music with elements of funk, jazz and hip hop.”
Aside from the kirtan, the event will also feature a flow yoga class, accessible to all levels of yoga experience, accompanied by acoustic Girish and drums.
“(The music) brings a beautiful, rhythmic element to practicing the yoga pose,” Dustin said.
There will be a raffle of local goods as well as a community dinner.
“The dinner, from Rasa's Vegan Kitchen, will be a nice bridge between the community and the classes,” Dustin said.
The yoga community in Concord is stronger than ever right now. Dustin remembers opening the studio 10 years ago and there being only one other studio in town. Now there are studios full of stretch-pants-clad Concordians all over our fair city. For this event, the Friendly Kitchen is counting on that community uniting.
“It's hopefully going to be a coming together, a confluence of all the different yoga studios around town,” Dustin said.
No matter how successful the kirtan fundraiser may be, it's probably not much more than a drop in the bucket when it comes to rebuilding the Friendly Kitchen. For more information about how to help, visit thefriendlykitchen.org.
For more information about the At Om yoga studio, visit atomyoga.com.
Friendly Kitchen benefit kirtan event details
Sept. 23
5:45 p.m.: Yoga class with live music by Girish and Ko Dustin on drums.
7 p.m.: Dinner provided by Rasa’s Vegan Kitchen.
8 p.m.: Kirtan with Girish and band, accompanied by Irene Solea.
Tickets: For the kirtan, $20 in advance and $25 at the door. For just the dinner, $10. For just the class, $15 (plus regular class fee).
Location: Phenix Hall Theater, 40 N. Main St.
