David Newman ‘Durga Das’ is both a singer songwriter in the western folk rock vein and a practitioner of the ancient art of Indian devotional chanting known as kirtan. David’s songwriting flows from his devotion and mystical revelations and communicates a message of universal love.  His chanting brings forth the ancient yogic tradition of sound as a healing path toward self discovery.  It is both the spiritual intention and the unique merging of song and mantra which elevates the impact of David’s music.  His lyrics mirror the poetic grace of the likes of Bob Dylan and George Harrison, while resonating the timeless truth in a devotional context.  David’s music is both celebratory and transformational, carrying the essence of eastern wisdom while appealing to the sensibilities of the western listener.  David spreads the light of his musical and spiritual inspiration through his recordings (Soul Freedom and Lotus Feet: A Kirtan Revolution) and by performing at an array of diverse venues including yoga schools and spiritual centers throughout the US.   

David is also the creator of Inner Fire Yoga, a style of yoga that emphasizes spiritual discovery, mantra, meditation, breath, movement, and the application of yogic principles in daily life.  In 1992 he founded Yoga On Main, a yoga school in Philadelphia and since then has taught in a wide variety of contexts including to the elderly and cancer patients and has trained yoga teachers for over ten years. David resides in Philadelphia when not traveling.