Two special collaborative offerings with
Yoga Nidhi & wisdom roots wellness
hosted at HILLTOWN COMMONS
The Peace and Power of Vedic Chant
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The ancient wisdom of the Vedas contains the total body of knowledge needed for human existence, and offers a beautiful path into the heart of meditation. Immersion in the perfect sound of the Vedas draws one deeply inward to a sense of profound peace.
This body of knowledge, received by sages in deep meditation, and rooted in tradition, has been passed down from teacher to student orally through the ages. Through the practice of adhyayanam, keen listening and faithful reproduction, Vedic chant is a powerful tool for healing and transformation.
Some benefits of Vedic chanting:
Fosters deep relaxation and healing by soothing disturbances of the mind and disharmonies of the body.
Promotes ekagraha, one-pointedness of the mind.
The vibrations of the sound return the system to harmony.
Strengthens breathing capacity and vocal production.
Supports shraddha, faith and self-confidence.
Provides spiritual nourishment and connects you to your heart
Two opportunities to study with gifted teachers Sheela Shankar and Ravi Shankar at Wisdom Roots Wellness studio!
About our teachers:
SHEELA SHANKAR is a student of T.K.V. Desikachar who pioneered the use of Vedic Chanting as a meditative practice in Yoga. She has undergone the 2-year teacher training Diploma in Yoga at the Krishnamacharya Yoga Mandiram (KYM), Chennai. She was one of TKV Desikachar’s foremost teachers of Vedic Chanting and is also a trained classical singer in both the Carnatic and the Hindustani tradition.
Over the years, Sheela has continued to practice and teach Vedic Chanting and bhajans to several individuals and groups from various parts of the world.
She is the Vedic Chanting Course Faculty in Yoga Nidhi, India since 2000 and in Sadhana Mala, UK since 2017. She was the keynote speaker at the Association of Yoga Studies Convention, UK in 2019 with Ravi Shankar. She is the Vedic chanting faculty for the Der indische Weg, Miltenberg, Germany, and for Ropana, Japan.
RAVI SHANKAR has been on the path of Yoga for more than 30 years. He is a student of TKV Desikachar and has spent a number of years working under him and continues to teach in the same tradition. He has completed the intensive 2-year teacher training Diploma in Yoga at the Krishnamacharya Yoga Mandiram. The learning he cherishes most is the years spent working in association with TKV Desikachar on the KYM yoga journal - Darsanam.
He specialises in teaching the philosophy of the Yoga Sutra, Sankhyakarika, Bhagavat Gita, and the Taittiriya Upanisad. In addition, his breath-centric asana programs are very well received for their deeply meditative and therapeutic benefits.
He was the Scholar-in-Residence (2008-09), Denison University, Granville, Ohio. He was earlier the Lilly Scholar at the Laura C. Harris Symposium, March 2007 at Denison University, Granville, Ohio. He has conducted yoga programs for leading corporate houses in India in areas of Wellness, Stress Management, and Learning.
About Wisdom Roots studio:
The facilities:
Wisdom Roots Wellness studio rests within the Catskill Foothills, nestled nestled in the beautiful Hilltown Commons campus in Rensselaerville, NY. Our 1200 square-foot yoga & movement studio is blessed with plenty of natural light and hardwood forest views. Guests will enjoy the vibrant green of our indoor plant residents as well as occasional wildlife visitors on the grounds of the Commons' campus.
About Hilltown Commons:
The Hilltown Commons is a nonprofit organization whose mission is to nurture and empower community through dynamic programs that foster discovery, creativity, and connection. Located on an historic estate in beautiful Rensselaerville, NY, its 100-acre campus blends history with nature, bordering the Huyck Preserve with ample trail access, and offering sweeping views of the Catskill mountains.
Participants in the Vedic Chant training and Pancamaya workshop will be housed in Straus, where Wisdom Roots Wellness studio occupies the ground floor. The residence hall offers each guest a comfortable room with a private bath and queen bed, kitchen facilities, high-speed Wi-Fi, indoor and outdoor lounges, library, garden space, and firepit.
Three delicious ovo-lacto vegetarian meals will be served each day at the nearby Pub.
Participants are ensured a peaceful environment for study, reflection, creating connection to fellow seekers, and time in nature.
