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Sanskrit Wisdom and Ancient Practices for Modern Times with Dr. Katy Jane
Dr. Katy Jane elucidates the bridge between traditional practices and modern relevance.Ā Dr. Katy Jane is a Sanskrit scholar, Vedic astrologer, and spiritual guide known for making ancient wisdom accessible and relevant to modern seekers.
Our conversation with Sanskrit and Vedic Astrology expert elucidates the bridge between traditional practices and modern relevance. "Sanskrit is a technology for awakening consciousness. It is designed for us to tune into it, so the sounds can awaken our natural intelligence." -Dr. Katy Jane
AnandraĀ had the great privilege to have ta...
Sound Yoga Therapy vs. KÄ«rtan: Whatās the Difference?
A lot of folks assume I'm a performing kÄ«rtan musician like so many others out there... however I'd like to be clear that while I love kÄ«rtan and enjoy singing with people very much, my true and deepest love (and the thing I'm most experienced with) is being a sound yoga therapist leading a chant experience.Ā
KÄ«rtan vs. Sound Yoga Therapy: 4 differences
There are many differences between performing kÄ«rtan musicians and sound yoga therapists leading a chant experienceĀ here are four main distinctions.
What a Sound Yoga Therapist does:
- Prioritizes the participant's ...
KÄ«rtan Chanting and the Brain: Mirror Neurons and Direct Sensory Experience
KÄ«rtan is a call-and-response musical form that's unique!
I have been musing about this lately, and recently wrote a short piece about this I thought I'd share on my blog. :)
With call and response mantra chanting, participants in the chant experience get to enjoy both: ā
1ā
Listening to a leader sing or chant a mantra (and often accompanied by wonderfully skilled musicians in the kÄ«rtan band!) ā
This activates the mirror neurons or what I connect to the "guru principle", giving the participant a sense of aspirational elation when observing someone do something that's...
10 Years of Heart of Sound: Raising the Bar for Sound Yoga Therapy Worldwide
This year marks a milestone:Ā 10 yearsĀ since the first cohort of Heart of Sound teacher trainees gathered to immerse themselves in the transformative practice ofĀ nÄda yoga and mantra-based healing in Rishikesh, India!
Since then, hundreds of graduates have carried the essence of this lineage-rooted, heart-centered training into the worldāinto yoga studios, trauma recovery centers, refugee camps, hospitals, cancer wards, classrooms, and homes.
And in this tenth year, we want to give a shoutout to the diversity and ingenuity of our trainees! It's inspiring and humbling ...
AUM Chanting Personality Type Quiz: What kind of OM chanter are you?
What Happens When a Group OM is Being Led?
Whether you're attending a yoga class, joining a kÄ«rtan chant session, or receiving sound healing, there's often that beautiful, shared moment when a group OM is chanted together. For some, itās a moment of blissful resonance. For others, it can be surprisingly awkward or uncomfortable ā even if you love the idea of chanting.
As someone who has spent decades immersed in the practice and teaching of sacred sound, Iāve witnessed all kinds of responses to this one simple syllable. Hereās a little breakdown I put together ā see ...
Benefits of Daily Mantra Meditation (Self-Care through Sound Healing Yoga)
Evidence-Based Benefits of Mantra Chanting
In our fast-paced, high-stress world, ancient practices are making a profound comebackāand for good reason. One such practice, mantra chanting, is emerging as a powerful tool for wellness, backed not only by thousands of years of tradition but also by cutting-edge neuroscience.
Whether youāre a seasoned yogi or just beginning to explore the power of sound, mantra meditation offers a unique, holistic approach to healing and transformation. Hereās a closer look at the evidence-based benefits of chanting:
1. Reduces Anxiety & ...
Shakti Mantra FAQ: What is Iccha Shakti? Are Goddess mantras only for women?
What are Shakti Mantras?
- Åakti Mantras are Sanskrit mantra soundĀ vibrations that stimulate an inner experience of energy
- Shakti mantras tend to have a predominant I sound (sounds like eeee in the word glee, the English word for very very happy!)
- That vowel sound is considered the primal shakti mantra, because when we make that sound in our bodies, we naturally feel what is called "icchÄ Åakti"
What is Iccha Shakti?
- IcchÄ Åakti is a term that describes the power to create.
- It's a trembling sensation, full of lively vibration that is the impulse to act, to ma...
My Story of Assimilation: What it taught me about NÄda Yoga, Mantra Shakti, Tantra, and Patriarchy
A bit of my story...
After almost assimilating to be a āgood Indian girlā studying these traditions since I was 19, I woke up *just in time* to realize that there are 5,000+ years of baked in patriarchal systems of oppression in nearly every aspect of yoga culture. (Not to mention my own American culture!)
I had been baking inside the whole assimilation enchilada for 2 decades:
- wearing full saree every day for years, as comfortable as putting on sweats.
- Studying Hindustanī classical vocal music in New Delhi with my beloved music Guruji.
- Speaking Hindi and servin ...
Vocal Empowerment for All! Transform Your Life through the Power of Sound with Chloe Goodchild
Chloe Goodchild is the founder of The Naked Voice, a pioneering vocal training program founded in 1990 that explores voice as a spiritual practice, sustained by conscious core practices, devotional music, and audiobooks that empower you to embody and express your authentic voice. The Naked Voice Charitable Foundation was established in 2004 to restore ethical, healthy, happy, and harmonious relationshipsāpersonal, global, and universal.
Chloeās seminal book, The Naked Voice ā Transform Your Life through the Power of Sound (North Atlantic Books, 2015), provides a compr...
Is there a Right or Wrong way to Chant OM? (The Most Frequently Asked Questions Mantra Teachers Get)
All About Aum...
This blog post is adapted from aĀ mini masterclass all about Aum. that I taught recently,
Known as the mantra of all mantras, Aum carries immense therapeutic benefits and is a cornerstone of mantra practice, a sound healing practice, most yoga classes, and definitely kīrtans!
This post compiles some of the most frequently asked questions I've received about Aum in my 10 years of teaching teachers (and nearly 30 years of being a mantra nerd!), along with some of my practical insights on chanting.
What Is Aum?
Aum is an audible echo of an inaudible ...
