Notes of a Devotee
“Carnegie Centennial”
By Shawn Vale
The City That Never Sleeps carried on business as usual while 40 feet below street level friends and members of Self Realization Fellowship (SRF) gathered from far and wide in Zankel Hall to unite their voices as one. I was fortunate to be among them. That was April 18, 2026, 100 years to the day when Swami Yogananda appeared on the main stage of Carnegie Hall before a crowd of thousands. This had been a momentous event that introduced kirtan to the West.
Zankel Hall is intimate and modern compared to the stage our guru graced in 1926. This was not my first visit, yet I “saw” the space for the first time. American sycamore and blond maple wood covered the high walls in warm-toned panels. Whether by design or not, the hall was perfect for the occasion. In my mind, the space became a sacred grove where Guruji was presiding.
Sweet emotion colored everything that followed. Friends who had once been dear to me suddenly appeared in the sea of faces. All around, devotees were exchanging greetings with exclamations of joy. Their faces were shining, lit up from within. More than one person marveled, “Being here feels like Convocation.”
In 1926, it is said that Guruji led the audience in the chant O God Beautiful for over an hour. The New-York Tribune reported there was a “divine atmosphere of joyous praise.” On this night, too, Master was present. His spirit was evident in the fervor of Brother Devananda leading the Monks Kirtan in O God Beautiful. A photograph of Gurudev playing the esraj, a stringed instrument found throughout South Asia, was projected high on the wall behind the stage. He was smiling down on the performers, on all the volunteers who ensured the event’s success, on his emissaries, the monastics, and not least of all on the audience members. I have never heard O God Beautiful sung so beautifully.
On the following day, we had a luncheon at a beautiful church near our SRF New York City Center. Brother Devananda spoke about the importance of a regular meditation practice. He encouraged us to experiment with the scientific principles of yoga meditation and shared some examples from his experience. We chanted. We meditated. Love was flowing. I looked around at Master’s family. Keeping company with God- loving souls increases our receptivity. That is why I never leave these gatherings unchanged and why I keep coming back.