
January 2023
Practice practicalities – japa & pārāyaṇa
Some of the key practices taught at Veda Studies include Japa (repetition of mantra), Pārāyaṇa (one time recitation of longer hymns), Upāsana (practices including saṅkalpa, prāṇāyāma, japa & contemplation).
- We are always receiving emails from students with questions like:
- How many times should I repeat my mantra? Does it have to be 108?
- How should I prepare for my practice? What are some basic protocols to follow?
- What direction should I face during my practice? ...
February 2023
Śivamānasa pūja – Śivarātri workshop
Śivamānasa pūja is the mental performance of all the steps of a Pūja traditionally performed physically at an altar, thereby, creating an inner altar through this process. Composed by Śrī Śaṅkarācārya, this chant teaches us how to do a pūja quite vividly in our mind.
Find out more »Rudram – an introduction
Learning the Rudram is a serious commitment and tapas, requiring one to put forward their best effort during the learning process. In this free introduction, students will have an overview and will be able to learn the first few mantras of this magnificent hymn.
Find out more »Śrī Rudrapraśnaḥ – 1 year Sādhana
I'm excited to offer a one year study program on learning to the chant the most famous mantra & prayer to Lord Śiva or Rudra. Considered the most important sādhana a yogī can undertake, it provides the means for gaining eligibility for the knowledge unfolded by the mantra, revealing the truth of oneself. This hymn is also considered very efficacious in neutralising the result of wrong actions.
Find out more »Practice practicalities – women, rṣikā-s, brahmavādini-s
When our practices are aligned with a lineage, we receive clear instructions, allowing a distraction free sādhana to guide our lives. In the Veda, we know of many Ṛṣikā-s (women seers) as well as Brahmavādini-s (women teachers). Women practitioners are sometimes faced with these questions:
Are women allowed to chant Veda?
Women are not allowed to chant the Gāyatrī mantra, what is your advice on this?
What are the instructions for practice during menstruation?...
March 2023
Liṅgāṣṭakam – Śiva as liṅga – a workshop
Liṅgāṣṭakam is an octet (8 verses) offering salutations to Śiva in the form of Liṅga, the source of all creation. We praise Śiva the divine, as creator and creation, manifest and unmanifest, in the Liṅga.
Find out more »Veda chanting – foundation certificate course
I'm excited to offer this Foundation Program for Vedic chanting to give the best initiation to beginners to the practice. Through these 6 weeks of Live classes and guided self-study, students will understand how to get started with Vedic chanting as taught by Pundits of South India.
Find out more »Bhū & Nīḷā Sūktam – a hymn to mother Earth
A course of 6 classes to learn the beautiful hymn to mother Earth Bhū Sūktam. Bhū or bhūmi is the globe or earth on which we live. It is a glorious place in the cosmos, for we find the marvel of life here. In the vision of the Vedas, Bhū is a divine entity, a devatā, one of the various forms of Īśvara's manifestation.
Find out more »April 2023
Camakapraśnaḥ – April -Sept 2023 Sādhana
Exclusively open to students who have already studied Rudrapraśnaḥ (from any teacher, not necessarily with Veda Studies!!), this course which completes the "Rudram" is being offered as a 6 month study program (16 live class) which will run from April 2022 - September 2022 (with August break from classes).
Find out more »Annapūrṇa stotram – honouring our source of food
This well known hymn composed by Śaṅkarācārya honours our source of food, our lifeline, our most basic requirement to live this embodied life.
Find out more »May 2023
Narasiṃha kavacam – workshop & 4 days practice
Narasiṃha is the fourth incarnation of Lord Viṣṇu in the Daśāvatāra (10 incarnations), the unmistakable and fierce (ugra) manifestation as part lion & part man. The story of Prahlāda, the slaying of Hiraṇyakaśipu and restoration of dharma is the context behind this powerful "kavacam" - a genre of prayer that effectuates an armour to shield the devotee from harm and negative forces.
Find out more »June 2023
Prātaḥ smaraṇam – a morning prayer
This morning prayer of only three verses, directs our mind, speech and body to the Absolute. Chanted in the morning, dawn becomes the outer symbol of our inner awakening and sets the tone for how the rest of the day could potentially unfold for us.
Find out more »July 2023
Guru stotram – Gurupūrṇimā celebration
The very popular śloka, gururbrahmā gururviṣṇuḥ gururdevo maheśvaraḥ forms part of the Guru Stotram, a composition presented in the Guru Gītā. It is considered the means to connect with one's personal Guru and understand the Guru principle, creating the conditions to invite transformative teachings into one's life.
Find out more »