Speaker Bio

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Bhavani Lorraine Nelson offers experiential workshops throughout the world from her home base at Kripalu Center in Stockbridge, MA, with which she has been aligned as a program director since 1988. Bhavani has practiced and taught many techniques of meditation, including mantra, for over 40 years.

She also teaches yogic tools to transform stress; and the power of the voice, including sounding, singing, chanting, sound healing, and public speaking. She has conducted inspirational seminars, sounding experiences, and vocal coaching in educational, medical, corporate, and religious settings.

Since the 1960s, Bhavani has been a professional singer/songwriter in the folk idiom, performing in concerts and clubs in major cities in the US, Europe, Mexico, Japan, and Iceland. Her heart-opening performances soothe and inspire audiences of all ages. She discovered Sanskrit chanting through Ram Das in 1970 and has since practiced and led both Sanskrit and ecumenical chanting at Kripalu, in worship services in churches, and at other venues.

Bhavani has produced many albums, including Soulflight: Chanted Mantras for Healing and Illumination and Amba Bhavani: Meditations in Chant, in Sanskrit; Into the Hands of God, containing chants in English; and A New Dawn, containing songs, mostly written by Bhavani; as well as Meditation Made Possible Vol. 1: Meditation on the Breath, which is an instructional CD. She is also a professional-level Kripalu Yoga teacher.

Early in life, Bhavani discovered a longing to experience the truth church ministers spoke about, leading her to a life-long study of meditation and spiritual philosophy. Her teachers have included Dr. Kenneth G. Mills, Yogi Amrit Desai, Sharon Salzberg, Joseph Goldstein, Sylvia Boorstein, Ruth Dennison, and Jack Kornfield. To learn more about Bhavani’s work and the types of workshops she can present in your area, connect with her in our community.