• Strengthens the link to your own spiritual connection
• Fosters an overall sense of well-being
THE PRACTICE OF
Vedic chanting
The practice of Vedic chanting is called adhyayanam, meaning ‘that which takes you inside’. This term comes from the words adhi (inside, the light in the heart) and ayanam (to move towards). It is a form of svādhyaya, the process of developing self-awareness and understanding.
The practice of adhyayanam involves listening to the teacher chanting the mantras and then doing your best to repeat the sounds exactly as you heard them. This process hones your ability to listen in a subtle way, to the teacher and to yourself.
Sound can penetrate to the most subtle aspects of your being, to create positive vibrations at the level of the emotions and personality. Chanting Sanskrit words engages the mind through concentration, and as you practice more and more, your breath capacity increases.
As you begin to find your voice, your posture will naturally improve, in order to accommodate the sound that is moving through you.
Lynda together with her chanting teacher, Mrs Menaka Desikachar
Prarthana-Shlokah
We recite these chants at the beginning of our practice, to express gratitude to our teachers, and to acknowledge the lineage of teachers who have carried the wisdom of the Vedas through the ages and preserved it for the benefit of humanity.
With these chants we also ask for support, protection and nourishment from divine forces, so that the obstacles to learning are removed.
Gurvashtakam
This chant was composed by the great yogi Ādi-shankara. It emphasises the importance of the relationship between the student and the teacher. This relationship, which is at the heart of the yoga journey, is the key to our transformation.
Without a competent teacher, we may struggle to find a clear direction, and to overcome the obstacles that will undoubtedly arise as a result of a dedicated practice.
BEGINNING
A unique practice
Vedic chants differ from other mantras and compositions, and are protected by certain rules to ensure that they are preserved in their original form. It is said that the Vedas were received by the ancient yogis while in deep meditation. For this reason the label ‘sruti’ (that which was heard) is used to describe them.
Other texts, including the Yoga Sutras, as well as various commentaries on the Vedas, are attributed to specific authors, and are labelled as ‘smrti’ (that which is remembered). Pronunciation of smrti texts may vary from one teaching tradition to another, while the sruti texts must always be recited in their original form.
Since we are beginning our exploration of Vedic chanting with relatively simple mantras, it is enough to know that the rules exist and to focus on listening carefully and repeating the sounds as accurately as possible. Through the practice of adhyayanam you will develop an experiential understanding of the rules.
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