Workshops

Baird Is presently offering these different workshops. Check our calendar for upcoming workshops.

Nada Yoga
Seeking The Sacred Inner Sound
"One who desires the complete union of Yoga should give up all mental activity, and with an attentive mind concentrate on Nada alone."
— Yoga Pradipika 4.93
Through group singing, focused listening and guided meditation we will turn inward from the sounds of the external world to the sounds of our internal world and finally toward the eternal transcendent sound. This workshop will give direct instruction on the four levels of Nada Yoga.
  1. Vaikhari-vak: ordinary audible sound
  2. Madhyama-vak: mental sound
  3. Pashyanti-vak: visual sound
  4. Para-vak: transcendent sound.
As we move step by step through these four levels we move from the distractions around us, our mind chatter, and our intrusive thoughts toward the sacred inner sound. By turning our single pointed attention to ever more subtle gradations of this sound we learn to quiet the mind and come to a place of peace.

Our Higher Voice
Learn the fundamental techniques of Natural Voice Overtone Singing.
"Concentrate only on the subtler than subtle sound"
— Yoga Pradipika 4.87
The perfection of harmonic vibration relaxes the body, focuses the mind, opens the heart. This workshop will teach you the fundamental techniques of Harmonic Overtone Singing. When mouth and throat are shaped into a resonating chamber, it's possible to sing a regular pitch and add a mellifluous harmonic tone above it. This is how Tibetan Buddhist monks and Mongolian throat singers sing two or more pitches at once.

Instruction will include:

  • Focusing harmonics through vowel production
  • Filtering harmonics by tongue shaping and placement
  • Sharpening your external and internal listening
  • Breath control and expansion
  • Understanding the Harmonics Series
Come join in the joyful sound of many voices singing as one and there together we will find "Our Higher Voice"

The Voice of the Heart
Making Our Voice An Instrument Of Our Heart
"Go, go, go beyond, go beyond beyond. On to the other shore awaken in enlightenment"
— The Heart Sutra
Keening and crying are a way to pass through loss and morning. Laughter and song a way to fully embrace life. These are feelings expressed as sound. Music is a universal language. No matter what language a song is in, if the singer is singing from their heart, we will know by listening what they are feeling.

The emotions that we strive for, happiness, joy, serenity, contentment, all have beneath them love. Those emotions which prevent us from living our lives fully, sadness, anger, hatred, envy, all have underlying them fear. Through breath and the sound of our voice, a connection is made to our heart and these deeper emotions. As our heart opens our Higher Voice emerges as a pure expression of what is held in it. By giving voice to these feelings we can let those states which grow out of love be present in our everyday lives and allow those that are based in fear to fall away. Obstacles that prevent us from making the connection of heart and voice are cleared away through a series of heart center singing meditations. This shared experience of making a beautiful sound with others, reflects back to us what we are each moving through individually. It also focuses the group on surrendering our individual voices into one unified sound. The fruit of this single pointed action is the deep and powerful experience that, in the expression of love, our collective voice is far greater than just a collection of voices.

Individual Study
Baird is now offering individual one hour overtone singing sessions over the internet. You can study with Baird no matter where you are.

You need three things:

  1. a webcam with a microphone
  2. a good (fast) internet connection
  3. an Instant Message or Skype account (they are free and easy to set up)
Baird also teaches individual students at his studio in Woodstock.

Individual Lessons and Packages
    © Baird Hersey & Prana