Our holistic teaching curriculum (gurukulam) bears the name Hansavedas, which is also the name of our sangha and mission. This curriculum is placed first at the top of the seven levels of the Fellowship’s Teachings. Therefore the curriculum is the entry point for most seekers, servers and devotees looking to embrace authentic spirituality by imbibing wisdom teachings, living mindfully and ultimately building a regular practice of meditation. In this teaching platform, leading a life of mindfulness replete with meaningful service to the community is a natural after-effect of the centred lifestyle.
Applying ancient methods of inquiry to modern study
The Sanskrit term Hansavedas bears a specific meaning that embodies the journey to enlightenment through accelerated learning, introspective self-study and meditative revelation. The name personifies that supreme realized being (symbolized as a swan or hansa) who is the knower of consciousness, always self-reposed in the highest wisdom, and who reveals the Veda – the original Sanskrit wisdom.
Traditional Vedic learning is nonlinear and promotes accelerated learning due to a whole-brain approach. The methods have been successfully practised by generations of students to improve memory and lead a life of mindfulness. Children are inspired by whole-brain learning which brings about development of a noble character through improved memory power, emotional maturity, and graduation with values. This balanced learning approach brings about an understanding of conceptual truth (satya) and perceptual truth (ṛta), and ultimately prepares the seeker for mindful service to the community and liberation through meditation.
The Hansavedas teaching curriculum takes the essence of the time-honoured holistic learning methods and provides an authentic resource by integrating the salient thread (sutra) running through diverse aspects of meditative subjects. All essential components that supplement wisdom teachings and meditation, such as celestial music, sublime chanting, sacred art, yogic breathing, yoga-vinyāsa, wellness and mindfulness are integrated in a specific way as per the extant Sanskrit literature and guidance from lineages of meditation adepts. Even though to a mindful server, work is worship, in this paradigm, prayer reflects a subtle expression of inner peace and meditation is the primary form of worship.
The Hansavedas holistic curriculum is primarily offered to the public through direct teachings at our ongoing fellowship services and training classes, workshops and retreats. These fellowships invoke the traditional Vedic method of learning known as shruti or intent listening. The fellowship forum allows for high quality oral transmission and first-hand training. Many of our recordings from these regular services or public events, as well as those selected from our archives, are thereafter made available for online study. This online learning platform is steadily developing into a substantive rendition of original Sanskrit scriptures as a teaching resource in English.
The juxtaposition and interwoven elements of diverse learning bits and pieces, spiraling logic and built-in nonlinearity in our publication stream represent the Hansavedas concept. The teachings are collectively disseminated as a digital learning platform, hansavedas.academy and the coursework is being structured according to an ancient Sanskrit syllabus. The coursework being built up here online truly reflects the value-based holistic learning system from an authentic root source of indigenous knowledge.
