Events Platfrom: Yoga

The tradition of chanting sacred texts has been passed down through Śruti Parampara over millennia in India. To this day it continues to be a profound practice of expressing devotion, learning and imbibing the teachings of ancient scriptures and an integral part of ritual, meditation and contemplation.

INDICA Yoga and Veda Studies are very happy to bring you this Chanting teacher training certification program to skill future teachers through a rigourous selection, training and preparation process which covers both mantras from the Veda as well as the Hindu daily prayer tradition.

Our intention is to create a community of Yoga teachers who will continue to be supported after the training, through ongoing events and a platform to connect and engage. Some highlights of this highly structured program will be an immersion in the tradition Shantala Sriramaiah  grew up in, watching her mother build a devotional chanting community, sharing her experience studying with The Challakere Brothers – insights, practices, being, committing, practicing & the continuous study. Learning to teach mantras from both the Veda as well as the daily prayer Hindu tradition in South India, a strong focus on theory, memorisation & refinement in chanting, getting organised and skilled to lead chanting classes are some of the key elements of this training.

The intensive teacher training will run online from September 2022 to May 2023. The first information session will be held on 21 of May. Interested students can have full visibility into the program before applying.

Commenting on the launch of the program, Hari, Founder, INDICA said “At INDICA Yoga we offer diverse and inclusive Yoga that is authentic, immersive and transformative. We believe practice of Hatha Yoga is an important first step towards Well being & Liberation. In addition to Asanas one’s practice has to include Mantras & Mindfulness, Sanskrit & Shastras. Such a practice when combined with the science of Ayurveda and the wisdom of Vedanta brings about a complete transformation. Our current programs include workshops, retreats and festivals and we soon hope to launch Yoga Foundation, 200 and 500 hours programs. However our long term goal is to launch a Yogacharya program, a masters course in Yoga that is unique and currently not offered by any institution. We already conducted two round table discussions to develop a curriculum for this program. Towards this goal we are launching a series of specialist teacher training modules for Chanting, Sanskrit, Textual Studies, Vedanta, Ayurveda, Meditation which we will eventually integrate into the Yogacharya program. We are very pleased with the launch of the first of the teacher training modules for Chanting in collaboration with Shantala Sriramaiah. She brings an extraordinary rigor and commitment to advancing chanting and the curriculum she has designed is both comprehensive and intensive. We are looking forward to the hosting the first batch of the program.”

On the occasion of the launch Shantala Sriramaih, Veda studies said “My vision for this program includes a long-term engagement with our teachers beyond the program timelines. The collaboration with INDICA will therefore be a vital part of this program with our participants having access to high caliber scholars, teachings and retreats for continuing education in the future. I’m looking forward to commencing this journey with our first group of teachers!”

Commenting on the launch, Vinaychandra, Director and Head of INDICA YOGA remarked “Vedic Chanting has been one of the most invaluable gifts we as humanity have received from the ancient sages of India. The fact that it continues to be a living tradition for more than 5000 years makes it even more precious. This has been made possible only due to the dedication and untiring efforts of the teachers of the lineage. Therefore, the best way to strengthen and honour the tradition is to create more teachers committed to the cause. Indica Yoga with its unflinching commitment to authentic teachings of the tradition, is elated to collaborate once again with Shantala Sriramaiah to offer an immersive Vedic Chanting Teachers’ Training Programme. We are all excited about this upcoming programme and I am sure our friends in the yoga community are equally looking forward to it”

Program content:

The group will meet online twice a week (2 hours each) and one Saturday a month (2.5 hours). Each month we will have one week off to allow time to practice and integrate the teaching. All the dates are published along with the curriculum. In addition, we are honoured to invite several guest lecturers who will contribute to your learning.

• 108 contact hours of live online teaching
• 20 hours student presentations, Q&A sessions
• Four guest lectures:

	Dr. Vinayachandra Banavathy holds a Ph.D. in Sanskrit and a Masters in Yogic Science from SVYASA, Bangalore, in addition to three Masters in Psychology, English and Sanskrit. He has also been trained in a 6-year rigorous traditional Gurukulam education in Sanskrit and Indian Philosophy and travels globally to share teachings.
	Dr. Mishra is passionate Sanskrit scholar and author of several publications who has spoken at various conferences, seminars, and literary & religious festivals. He holds a Ph.D in Sanskrit (2003) and has been conferred the President’s award by the Govt. of India for his outstanding contribution to Sanskrit.
	Shreeraksha Sreenivasan, daughter of Guruji M.S. Sreenivasan has been learning Veda chanting since she was two years old and started teaching at the age of eight. She is currently pursuing a Masters degree in Neuropsychology while also teaching chanting at Trayee Veda Vidyalaya conducting special classes on Sanskrit grammar and Vedic phonetics.
	Guruji M.S. Sreenivasan has been teaching Veda for over 30 years. The family, better known as The Challakere Brothers, have dedicated themselves to sharing the tradition and preserving this sacred Indian culture. The recording and sharing of their chanting via CDs, YouTube and other media has served a vital role in setting high standards to the practice of chanting Veda.

Timings:

Mondays & Wednesdays (5pm-7pm Brussels time) will be for 2 hours, 3 weeks per month + 1 Saturday a month will be for 2.5 hours

The program is intensive, and it is recommended that you be studying this program exclusively to benefit from it fully. Applicants who already have an established chanting practice are invited to apply.

• Applicants should have completed the Foundation course in Vedic chanting.
• Proficiency in any two Sūktams as taught by Shantala.
• Svara competency – a high standard in maintaining svara will be an expectation. (Audio recording of any sūktam to be sent along with application)
• Mahāprāṇa sound proficiency.
• Knowledge of Veda chanting rules.
• Sanskrit basics – varṇamāla & basic sandhi.

The Challakere Brothers’ lineage of teaching invites practitioners to reflect upon one’s lifestyle for those who wish to seriously dedicate themselves to learning, teaching, and preserving the Veda. A vegetarian and alcohol-free lifestyle is therefore encouraged.

Program objectives:

At the end of this program, students will: