Escaping Samsara Live from Varanasi! The Gently Down Project on Talismans, Ritual Objects, and Ashtanga Yoga
Feb 19, 2025
Spiros Antonopoulos and Barry Silver, artists and yoga practitioners, join forces to discuss their transformative project, Gently Down, inspired by the sacred Ganga River and the Kumbh Mela festival. They explore the power of consecration and how everyday objects can become sacred vessels. The duo shares insights on artistic expression intertwined with spirituality, emphasizing the importance of ritual cleansing and the significance of symbolic designs, like their unique silver coin. Their journeys reflect deep personal connections to yoga and the spiritual richness of Varanasi.
AI Snips
Chapters
Transcript
Episode notes
Origin of Gently Down Project
- Barry and Spiros began their collaboration around 2001 after the towers fell, building a chai tea stall at an Ashtanga yoga school in New York City.
- This chai stall became a community hub and starting point for their artistic and spiritual projects together.
Transforming Clothes to Talismans
- The Gently Down project transforms mundane T-shirts into sacred talismans through ritual, imbuing them with deeper spiritual stories.
- This practice changes the narrative of clothing from superficial fashion to meaningful spiritual symbols.
Consecrate Objects with Ritual Bathing
- Bathe objects on auspicious days like Amavasya at sacred rivers to cleanse darkness and impurities.
- Utilize the energetic power of major religious events like Kumbh Mela for spiritual purification.