Hearing a recorded version of Deva Premal sing the Gayatri Mantra has been known to bring me to tears. So you can just imagine what it was like to see her perform live this past weekend at Sonoma Country Day School in Santa Rosa.

My relationship to Deva (or, rather, to her music) goes way back to when I first started practicing yoga around seven years ago. I'd be sweating bullets after muscling through my vinyasas and Utthita Trikonasanas and absolutely detestable Urdvha Dhanurasanas, and finally, it would be time for Savasana. My teacher would flip on the Deva CD Love Is Space and it was, quite literally, like I'd died and gone to heaven.

Watching Deva in concert is much the same, except that you get her live. She performed with three fabulous guest musicians and her partner, Miten, who brings humor, rock and roll, and even a little reggae to the proceedings. The show, which began with the whole room chanting OM, was more of a kirtan than a concert: Deva taught us the words to all of the mantras and then invited us to sing along. No one clapped in between songs, so entranced was the audience, and the musical group paused for long silences after every song to sit together in brief meditation on stage. In fact, the entire evening was like a meditation since the performers were so mindful about every note they played and motion they made.

I'll admit that a concert with Deva is also a bit of a scene with lots of men and women in flowy clothing and scarves, an extravagant feast of delish Indian chow, and little stands in the lobby selling carved silver and beaded jewelry. But never at a concert have I seen people so quietly and deeply moved by the music. There was even a lightness as scores of mood ring-wearing women lined up during intermission to gain admission into the hopelessly small two-stalled bathroom.

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Deva was only in town for one night for this benefit show for the Sonoma Ashram. If you missed her, check out her website to find out when she'll be back.