In collaboration with INDICA, we launched our first Chanting teacher training program in 2022, which comes to an end this month with a graduation ceremony on the 27 of May. Congratulations to all our graduating teachers! We present here a synopsis of this intensive program.
Learning to teach mantras from both the Veda as well as the daily prayer Hindu tradition in South India, a strong focus on cultural context, theory, memorisation & refinement in chanting, getting organised and skilled to lead chanting classes were some of the key elements of this training.
The program was an intensive 108 contact hours of training, with additional time invested in four guest lectures of 1.5 hours each. Also, students have been making presentations either LIVE on the INDICA platform or within the training program.
A key feature of this program, has been the rigorous selection criteria for students to enter this program. Participants with an established chanting practice were selected so we could deep dive into the pedagogy of teaching and refining chanting skills to be able to teach.
Theoretical studies:
- Insights into the Śīkṣā literature with particular focus on Taittirīya Prātiśākhyā.
- Qualities of a chanting teacher as described in Śīkṣā & practiced in the Veda vidyālaya tradition.
- Overviews of Indic knowledge systems, Veda overviews, nomenclature of Veda – Samhitā, Brahmaṇa, Āraṇyaka & Upaniṣat.
- The tradition of feedback in Veda chanting – how to prioritise corrections with students.
- The living tradition of chanting in India, daily prayers, important festivals, chanting practices and terminology for various types of compositions.
Chanting (learning to perfect & teach them):
- Veda chants: Śraddhā, Agni, Medhā, Durgā, Devī, Gaṇapati Atharvaśīrṣā, various Śānti mantras, 12 Gāyatrī mantras of the Mahānārāyaṇa upaniṣat, Āyurmantraḥ, Sūryanamaskāra, Laghunyāsaḥ, Virajā homa mantras.
- Nitya prārthanā – 35 popular Śloka-s as daily prayers (not from Veda).
- Meditative practice – Gāyatrī upāsana (Saṅkalpa, prāṇāyāma & japa with Gāyatrī mantra).
- Special chant taught to the group directly by my teacher Guruji Sreenivasan to our teacher group: Saṃvāda Sūktam (the last hymn of the Ṛgveda).
Guest lectures:
- Vedic chanting & sustained memory – Shreeraksha Sreenivasan, MSc Neuropsychology & daughter of Guruji Sreenivasan.
- Chandas in Veda and Sanskrit poetry – Dr.Sampadananda Misra, Author, Sanskrit scholar and prof at Rishihood University.
- Indic knowledge systems overview – Dr.Vinayachandra Banavathy, Director of Indica Yoga.
- Qualities of a Veda student, teacher – Guruji Sri M.S.Sreenivasan (Challakere Brothers).
Our graduating teacher group consists of Sanskrit teachers, Yoga teachers, students of Vedanta & Indology, meditation teachers, Chanting teachers, students of Ayurveda and Jyotiṣa, temple board members and purohits! A diverse group but so focussed and committed to honour the lineage and tradition, we have been spending a lot of time together online. Here are some links to what some of them have been up to! This is not a complete list by far, we hope to share more with you in the future!
The second Chanting teacher training program which will begin in 2024, also in collaboration with INDICA is now open for applications. We will start accepting students from June 15 onwards. Applicants are requested to ensure eligibility before applying and write to us ([email protected]) for the replay of the information session that was held in March this year.