In Charya Practice, Singing is Mantra and Dancing is Meditation and Healing, says Vajracharya

Nepal Oregon News reporter

Portland, (Nepal Oregon News): When it comes to the Newah Vajrayana Buddhism and Charya Nritya, in the West, Rev Guruju Prajwal Vajracharya is a name to be reckoned with.

Addressing a global zoom event "Healing Our Earth -- Celebrating Dance" on Sunday, Aug 22, 2021, Rev Guruju Vajracharya said:"In Charya practice, singing is the mantra, while dancing is the meditation and healing.  When you combine the two -- Charya giti and Charya nritya -- that becomes He Vajra Tantra, then the transformation takes place."

Pundit Vajracharya went on saying:"Charya dance, which dates back to more than thousand years,  is a meditational dance that tells stories of the inner qualities and awakening of Buddhist deities. Through it you grow spiritually, and you can liberate yourself from the bondages and limitations."

Shedding light on Mudra Yoga, the veteran Charya guru said that the Buddhist deities embody hand mudras for purity. power and wisdom. " We begin our practice of Mudra Yoga with the meaning and significance  of each finger. Applying the appropriate gesture can heal the organs, tissues, bones and nerves of the body," said Rev Vajracharya.

He said:"There are many, many ethnic groups in Nepal and each ethnic and indigenous group has its own songs and dances. Charya Nritya is an ancient dance form that used to be exclusively performed by Vajracharyas within the Newar community."

The global virtual program was hosted by Honey Kalaria and moderated by Sharron Rose.

On the occasion, giving a short introduction about Prajwal, Kalaria said that he is a priest of one of the Vajrayana Buddhist lineages of Nepal and a ritual master both of the Charya Nritya dance tradition and other ritual forms performed by the Newar Vajracharya lineage.

Presenting her remarks before the virtual audience, Kalaria said:" Prajwal began his training in Charya Nritya at eight years old, receiving formal instruction mainly from his father, the Buddhist scholar and ritual master late Ratna Kaji Vajracharya."

"Prajwal is now the premier teacher, practitioner  and performer of the tradition and is a veteran of several world tours with beginning and advanced students around the globe," she said adding that he and Helen Appel founded Nritya Mandala Mahavihara in Portland in 2009 to preserve and expand this rare art form and its related traditions.

Likewise, expressing her views about Rev Guruju Prajwal, Sharron Rose said:"I have seen his performances and dances, they are so beautiful, so amazing. We are old friends. The embodiment and transmission of deities in dances -- that is so unique. This is a very special form of dance. I am grateful to you (Prajwal) for keeping it alive."