About
The Vedas are considered the source texts for Yoga, Vedānta, The Bhagavad Gīta and several other important practices and philosophies from India. Have you always wanted to explore and learn the Vedas but don’t know where or how to start? Perhaps you have attempted to study but encountered an overwhelming amount of information without a logical beginning or end or guidance on where it all fits in your life?
Extremely vast literature
The Vedas are indeed extremely vast literature divided into four major books – The Ṛg, Yajur, Sāma and the Atharva Veda. Each book is further categorized into Saṃhita, Brāḥmaṇa, Āraṇyaka and Upaniṣads. If we just even consider the Saṃhita sections, the Ṛg Veda alone has 10552 mantras and the total number of mantras in all the 4 Saṃhitas sections are 26226!!
How can you therefore study in a practical way that allows you to have an overview and understand the central message of the Vedas? How can you also learn more deeply, the significance of Veda mantras in your daily life and in your life as a student and teacher of Yoga? Finally, how can you make this experience of study rich and meditative?
A practical and meditative study
Veda Belgium teaches several courses, workshops and mantra meditation events that allow you to learn the basics – like the Sanskrit alphabet or a formal initiation into the practice of Veda recitation. You will also be able to start learning all the important mantras from the Vedas which transmit the central message of the Vedas and develop a beautiful daily recitation of chanting.
You will learn the strict rules involved in the recitation of these mystical hymns, which eventually allow you to develop your breath and power of concentration.
All the classes are taught following traditional śruti parampara or oral tradition, with students repeating after the teacher. Accurate texts are provided, and precise rules explained, which have been taught to me by Vedic scholars, pundits and exponents of Veda recitation from the South of India. The deeper spiritual meanings of mantras are explained and not simply literal translations. This will allow your practice to go deeper and help awaken and develop different positive human psychological aspects.
The mantras have a direct impact on us in terms of our development – developing will power, conviction in our practice, the power of memory, the ability to invite abundance or creativity into our lives or develop confidence. These are all the themes of the several hymns taught in classes that will become an essential companion on your yogic journey.
About the teacher
Shantala Sriramaiah
All classes are taught by Shantala Sriramaiah who was born and raised in Bangalore, India. She studied Sanskrit and chanting from an early age, as part of her family tradition as well as in school. Much of her inspiration comes from her mother Saroja
(read more about her here), who taught chanting classes in their family home for over 30 years.
An Engineer by qualification, Shantala left a 20 year career as Head of Human Resources in the technology sector to start sharing the knowledge of Veda recitation as a means to deeper self-development. All the courses and workshops reflect her long background in Learning & Development with clear learning objectives, structured lessons and access to learning resources to sustain the teachings. The ultimate goal of all the teachings are to create regular practitioners who benefit from the knowledge of Vedas.
Shantala invests a significant amount of time studying with several teachers who guide her through her personal practice as well as mentor her for the classes she teaches.