From Dance to Stillness — With Lydia Hurley

Lydia trained to be a professional ballet dancer in school and feels the repetition and discipline required to study dance paved the way for her initiation into Indic spiritual practices.

By Sophia Ann French

Lydia Hurley was born and raised in New Jersey and grew up training to be a professional ballet dancer. She didn’t know it then, but in retrospect, she feels that her early training in learning by repetition and discipline prepared her for the spiritual path and that dance was her spiritual initiation. “I was spending so much time and repetition on dance, it became a sort of lesson in concentration,” recalls Lydia. While she studied dance in school, in college, she studied cultural anthropology, and one of her Indian professors ran a summer study abroad programme — this took Lydia to India. “That trip was my first real introduction to Hinduism and Indic knowledge. I was interviewing widows in India to learn about how they receive pensions, and the work involved understanding material aspects of their lives. I just felt that God was always present in India. Everyone has a shrine in their home. When I got back, I was planning on studying for a doctorate but didn’t do that and ended up doing a Yoga TTC and teaching Ashtanga for three years,” says Lydia. From ballet to yoga, and recently, Lydia completed the Indica Veda Studies Teacher Training Programme (2024) — in conversation with Veda Studies’ Sophie French. 

Sophia: How did you find out about Veda Studies, and what inspired you to practise Veda recitation? 

Lydia: I came across Veda Studies on Instagram, as two people I trust, Author and Yoga Teacher Eddie Stern, and the Co-Founder of the American Hindu Foundation, Suhag Shukla, follow Veda Studies. I had been reading the Yoga Sūtras, and I wanted to do everything Pantañjali suggested, especially Īśvarapraṇidhāna. That inspired me to start studying Veda recitation. 

Sophia French: How did reciting Veda add value to your existing spiritual practices, and what benefits did you receive from practising Veda mantras?

Lydia: I started studying with Shantala in 2021, and the chanting inspired me more than āsana. I start my daily practise by chanting and practise āsana afterwards because the chanting inspires the other practices. I suffered from seasonal depression, and growing up Christian, I would often turn to prayer in the winter, but I always turned to prayer when I felt deprived. When I started chanting, my prayers are no longer seasonal; they are a regular part of my life. Chanting brings me peace of mind, and I love having this direct connection to God through this beautiful practice. 

Sophia: How did you achieve the precise phonetics of Veda recitation? 

Lydia: It was difficult. Luckily, when I started studying with Shantala, I had a lot of time. I would practise twice a day at times. I think it was just the constant repetition that helped. The Veda Studies colour-coded phonetic guide also helped. When I was in India, I had learned a little bit of Hindi, so I was familiar with the Sanskrit alphabet, as the two share a few similarities; that aided my understanding of Sanskrit. 

Sophia: Tell us about the Indica Veda Studies Teacher Training programme? 

Lydia: Before the teacher training, I chanted mostly by listening and even though Shantala explained the rules in classes, I think it wasn’t until the teacher training that I fully understood the rules. I now feel like I’ll be able to explain the rules to my students. Not everyone can listen and repeat, and I think some people need an explanation to understand how to chant. The TTC equipped me to offer that understanding — it is so valuable and unique. The other students in the TTC are so wonderful and supportive. Online training can be impersonal, but our group was different. We got to know each other through our chanting, and I have never felt less nervous doing a presentation. Shantala attracts many people who have been studying in other Indic knowledge systems, so you meet all these incredible people through the teacher training, and they can help you grow and learn in several ways. 

Sophia: Why do you think a spiritual practitioner who studies Veda should study both practice and theory? 

Lydia: I don’t know about theory, but I loved how Shantala integrates her personal stories into the practice. When we were studying the Srī Sūktam, I loved how she shared her father’s devotion and told us the story of how he grew flowers for pūja. I started my garden after that. It wasn’t very successful (laughs). The point is, I understood how to express devotion through practical applications, such as growing your own flowers or worshipping books… I appreciate how much Shantala talks about the living tradition.

Sophia: What does spirituality mean to you? 

Lydia: To me, spirituality is the connection I have with myself, other people and nature. Practices like chanting help me develop those relationships so that I become aware of how even the most mundane aspects of life are special. It’s an awareness and reverence for existence where I find inspiration. 

Sophia: What’s your advice for people who want to practice and study Veda?

Lydia: Keep repeating what you learn and don’t get discouraged when you begin a new mantra. Every time I learn a new mantra, it seems so hard, but then with repetition, it just comes along. It is such an amazing process. 

To get in touch with Lydia, email her at [email protected]