Vedic Mantra Chanting Workshop

What are Vedic Mantras & their benefits?

Vedic mantras are sacred Sanskrit syllables, words, or groups of words that ancient Indian Rishis (sages) first gave to the world. The first documented mantras are found in the Rig Veda and practitioners have used mantras for their spiritual growth & development of consciousness over the last thousands of years. The word ‘Mantra’ comes from the two Sanskrit words ‘man = mind’ & ‘tra = tool’. Therefore, mantras are considered tools for the mind to help focus the mind, body & breath in unison towards a specific thought, goal, intention, purpose or manifestation. They can be practiced on their own, or alongside meditation, yoga, pranayama etc. for a deeper spiritual practice.

From a scientific perspective, the frequency sound vibrations of the specific syllables (beej mantras) uttered during the chanting coincide with the frequency of various chakras (energy points) in our energetic body. Repeated chanting with proper pronunciation & intention can help with expansion and connection to our chakras, release of any stored trauma or tension in these energy centers and allow for greater amounts of prana, chi or vital life force energy, to flow through our bodies. Over time, neuroscientists in the West have also began highlighting the benefits of mantra chanting. Like Nikola Tesla says, “if we seek to unveil the secrets of the universe, we must think in terms of energy, frequency, and vibration”. Sound serves as the source of all creation, and resonance influences everything.

A word from the teacher, Shivani:

“I spent half my life growing up in the US and the other half in India and this gave me a unique perspective into both the worlds of Eastern and Western philosophy and spirituality. From a young age I was fascinated how Hindu Yogis and sages knew the primordial sound of the universe Om, or the distance from the earth to the sun stated in the Hanuman Chalisa, long before modern science & prestigious institutes like NASA could confirm it in the west. I am so grateful to have grown up in my grandfather’s house in South India where Rudram, Abhishekam, Mantra, Pranayama and Meditation were practiced daily with intention, humility and devotion. While I didn’t understand the scientific benefits in my early teens, I eagerly learned the different mantras and chants of the various Gods and Goddesses and practiced them with a great deal of excitement, curiosity and rigor. In fact, I was born in the womb of a mother who recited mantras throughout her term & my grandmother did the same for her – it was a practice passed down the lineage.

My mother’s lineage has been extremely powerful & influential in my spiritual growth & exploration from a young age, but only in my early 20s did I understand and delve deeper into the scientific significance and benefits of it all. As an avid scientific reader and quantum physics nerd, I was fascinated to understand the effects of vibration and frequency of these chants. I spent my time in various temples in South India, as well as living in Ashrams in Rishikesh and Buddhist Monasteries in Thailand while reading plenty of books on the subject to deeper my knowledge.

After exploring it from both a scientific and spiritual angle and firsthand feeling and experiencing the power of these tools, I am so honored and grateful to be a part of bringing the power of Mantra to the world. I left my high-paying Wall Street investment banking job and have gone on a journey to study my ancestral wisdom and now, I am so excited to share my roots with you all here in Austin, Texas. After graduating as commencement speaker of UT Austin’s Business Honors Program, I am currently pursuing my Masters in Indian Classical Dance & Philosophy, and this gives me another unique angle & perspective into my Mantra and sound explorations. If you feel called to explore or deepen your study of mantra, I hope you will join us for this workshop.

Mantras Covered in this workshop:

Goddess Mantras:

Gayatri Mantra – for happiness, good intelligence & deeper meditation

Saraswati Mantra – for knowledge, truth & light

Kali Mantra – for destruction of ego, evil & all that does not serve

Shiva & Ganesh Mantras:

Mahamrityunjaya Mantra – for liberation & freedom from illusion

Ganesh Mantra – prosperity, wealth, success in pursuits & removal of obstacles

Shakti Shiva Mantra – for focus, productivity & energy

Yoga Mantras:

Patanjali Yoga Opening Mantra – for the start of any yoga practice

Ashtanga Opening Mantra – for the opening of an Ashtanga practice

Ashtanga Closing Mantra – for the closing of an Ashtanga (or any yoga) practice

We will meet inside the Austin Salt Cave. Please bring something to sit on and come with an open heart and mind.

Host or Publisher Austin Salt Cave