BY KAREN BOSSICK

Shantala, a husband-wife duo that has appeared in the Wood River Valley before, will lead kirtan—an evening of chants--at 7:30 p.m. Saturday, April 6, at Light on the Mountains Center for Spiritual Living near Ketchum.

Heather and Benjy Wertheimer will be joined by special guest Greg Barnett on bass.

Kirtan is a practice of Bhakti Yoga, which is one of the four main yogic paths, said Cathie Caccia, who organized the evening. The word Bhakti means “devotion” or “love,” and Bhakti yoga is considered the easiest yogic path to master and the most direct method to experience the unity of mind, body and spirit.

Bhavani Maki once said that those who chant sacred incantations discover they are on the path to breaking old spells and en-chant-ments.

Of the other three yogic paths, Hatha Yoga requires a strong and flexible body, Raja Yoga requires a disciplined and concentrated mind and Jnana Yoga requires a keen intellect. But the only requirement for Bhakti Yoga is an open, loving heart, said Caccia.

“Bhakti Yoga complements other paths of yoga well, and it is said that jnana, or knowledge or wisdom, will dawn by itself when you engage in the devotional practices of Bhakti Yoga,” she added. “It has been taught that in the current age of the Kali Yuga, in which quarrel, hypocrisy, and dissension prevail, chanting is the easiest method for the practice of Yoga. We are almost never too sick or too far gone to chant.”

Caccia, a longtime yoga teacher in the Sun Valley area, met the Wertheimers at a yoga retreat in southern Utah in 2001 where Benjy was playing a tabla, djembe and esraj with the world-renowned chant master Krisha Das. The three formed a quick bond and Caccia has been bringing the two, who call their duo Shantala, to the Wood River Valley ever since.

“For me, these evenings of kirtan, or call and response chanting of the Mantra, are among the most magical evenings of the year,” she said. “Truly stunning, enthralling and magical. Coming together in sound and song to harmonize, celebrate and be inspired is an unforgettable experience!”

The evening of call and response chanting is part of Shantala’s Sacred Fire of Devotion Tour. Admission is $20 when paid in advance and $22 at the door. Tickets are available at http://cathiecaccia.com/workshops-special-events-kirtans/

Light on the Mountains is located at 12446 State Highway 75—about four miles south of Ketchum just north of the Sawtooth Botanical Garden. Look for the colorful banners denoting the driveway.