A childhood curiosity for learning about the Self led Devorah on a lifelong journey of spiritual seeking, and she finally feels at home with Veda…
By Sophia Ann French
Devorah Sacks has been interested in healing from a young age and has always had a curiosity and desire to understand the deeper meaning of life and her true Self. Being very physically active in college, she started going to a gym as an outlet, but never really enjoyed it. “It’s an interesting story because it was at that gym that I first saw a man practising yoga, and I even went up to him and asked him if he was practising yoga. I remember thinking to myself, ‘I’m going to do that.’ I was around 17 or 18 at the time. I moved to London after college, and there was an Aṣṭāṅga class next to where I lived, so I started practising Aṣṭāṅga, and it suited me very well. When I returned to the States, I continued practising and that became my entry point into yoga,” recalls Devorah.
She continued to pursue her Aṣṭāṅga practice and eventually started teaching — she has been teaching for 25 years. At present, Devorah lives on a farm in Grass Valley (Califronia) with her husband, dogs and chickens, and she has a Yoga Shala on her property where she facilitates yoga therapy, somatic embodied healing, and Veda recitation (she is a recent graduate of the Indica Veda Studies Teacher Training Programme — 2024). “When I started practising yoga, I wasn’t satisfied with just the āsana part of it. I wanted to understand myself as well, so I started studying the Yoga Sutras. I also looked into Sāṃkhya philosophy, Advaita Vedānta, Kashmiri Śaivism… I enjoyed chanting the Yoga Sutras, and I also did some Kirtanam chanting, but I was very confused because I heard so many versions of pronunciation. I always loved chanting and felt I knew what I was doing, but one conversation with Shantalaji changed that (laughs). That’s how I got into studying at Veda Studies,” says Devorah.
A Systematic Study of Veda
Most students of the Veda Studies community will reiterate Devorah’s observation about the confusion we felt about Vedic chanting before we started studying with Veda Studies. One of the things we appreciate is the detailed phonetic guide that Shantalaji designed and the structure of the syllabus, where each student is guided through the invocation mantras and then moves on to study intermediate and advanced texts. “What inspired me to study Veda is that the more I deepen my practice, the more I deepen my sādhana. I’m just so inspired to feel the essence of the teachings and to feel the essence of the energies of these deities. Reciting mantras is a subtle healing energy, and the only way for me to become quieter and more still,” says Devorah.
She has had a steady spiritual practise for almost three decades and feels reciting Veda has “Changed everything! What is most essential for me in Veda chanting is that it is my medicine. It is what brings me to a place of peace and ease inside of myself that reminds me that everything is ok. That I am ok. The mantras penetrate straight through to my soul. I also feel closest to myself when I chant. There is always so much moving and changing both inside of me and around me, but when I chant, I get a straight shot into that part of me that never changes, and that is always present. It is the greatest medicine I’ve known. It has also improved my memory and increased my focus. It has been a very empowering process. Studying with Veda Studies makes me confident that what I am chanting is being chanted in the way it was intended. Studying with Shantalaji and knowing the authenticity of the teachings that we’re getting has put me into a deeper relationship with my practice,” says Devorah.
Spiritual in Theory and Practice
Devorah is no stranger to India and has been to India several times. I asked her how the theoretical aspects of what we learn at Veda Studies fit into her understanding of spirituality. “Spirituality to me is knowing that I am a part of something much greater. I am part of a larger fabric that connects us all. So spirituality to me is having a visceral connection to this understanding that I am a part of something bigger, and Veda chanting is what connects me to this deep knowing. It is the medicine that brings me home. I have a curious, seeking mind, and the theoretical aspect just puts everything into context. I did the 16-week Veda theory course. I’m doing the Level 2 Teacher Training, where Shantalaji is going to go much deeper into the deities. For me, that’s essential. When I have the theoretical aspect, there’s a context that allows me to connect the teachings into my life in a really rich way, and also as a teacher, it allows me to offer the teachings of Veda in a way that is accurate and that makes sense,” shares Devorah.
Her advice to people who want to study and maybe eventually teach Veda recitation is to “Take it seriously. Go slow and be patient. Give yourself time if you’re going to take on this study. Be humble, and know that there’s a lot to learn and that precision is essential, so take it slow.”
To learn more about Devorah, visit her website at https://devorahsacks.com/