Long before the advent of printing, committing sacred or philosophical passages to memory was the only way to insure accurate preservation and transmission of the teachings from one generation to the next. Today of course our learning can be supported by the printed words, be they on a page or on a screen, but chanting allows us to integrate the teachings at a much deeper level. This can only be experienced through a proper chanting practice. At Upstate Yoga Institute, we offer two avenues for benefiting from this oral way of learning.

Yoga Sutra Study and Chanting

The Yoga Sutras of Patanjali is the foundational text for yoga philosophy. Learning to chant the short statements/aphorisms and hearing their practical application from an experienced teacher transforms our intention and makes our yoga practice deeper and more relevant.

Using our own voice can be uncomfortable at first but the methodology is such that one’s own voice is always supported by the voice of the group and that makes it much easier and, truthfully, quite joyous. A person can choose to just listen until they become comfortable with uttering the sounds. No one is ever asked to chant alone or even to chant at all.


Mantra Chanting

The practice of Vedic chanting focuses our attention on very special sounds called Mantras. Although these mantras come from the Veda, a body of wisdom which originated in India, they can illuminate a universal process of seeking timeless truths. Because mantra chanting affects our system at a subtle vibrational level, it is important to learn the mantras with correct pronunciation and intonation. This is done collectively through call and response with one’s own voice supported by the voice of the group. The meaning of the mantras is expressed in a way that allows all to find a comfortable, personal applicability. The practice does not require prior knowledge of music or sanskrit.


Teacher

Martine Burat is the main teacher for these classes. Martine was introduced to Chanting and Mantra practice 35 years ago by her yoga mentor, Mary Louise Skelton, founder of Upstate Yoga Institute. She trained in Sanskrit with Vyaas Houston, founder of the American Sanskrit Institute. After Mary-Louise Skelton’s passing, Martine continued studying Vedic Chanting with Sonia Nelson, director of the Santa Fe Vedic Chant Center. Since Covid, Martine has been continuing her education in Vedic Chanting and Philosophy under the guidance of Sheela and Ravi Shankar, from Chennai, India.