Naad Opening:

• Naad resonance basics - cultivating energized intentional sound by bringing awareness to our tone

• Shiksha - pronunciation of Sanskrit alphabet, attuning to resonance of each letter in the body

• Aum chanting

Mantra Meditation:

• Chakra beeja mantras (Lam, Vam, Ram, Yum, Hum, Aum)

• Basic mantra chants:

  • Om Namah Shivaaya

  • Om Gam Ganapataye Namah

  • Om Namoh Bhagavate Vaasudevaaya

  • Mahamantra

  • Gayatri Mantra

Mantra Meditation:

• Basic suktams, slokams, and sahasranamams

• Development of Swara sense

Mantra Meditation:

• Basic Vedic chanting

  • Sri Rudram

  • Namakam

  • Chamakam

  • Arunam

• Mahanarayana upanishad

Mantra Meditation:

• Vedic Chanting in Samhita

Mantra Meditation:

• Vedic chanting in Krama

Mantra Meditation:

• Vedic chanting in Jhata

Mantra Meditation:

• Vedic chanting in Ghanam

Intention: Opening our Naad and bringing awareness to our energy frequency by paying attention to the sounds we make

• Naad Opening:

  • Naad resonance basics - cultivating energized intentional sound by bringing awareness to our tone

  • Shiksha - pronunciation of Sanskrit alphabet, attuning to resonance of each letter in the body

  • Opening vowels, integrating consonants, enunciation, vocal placement basics

  • Aum Chanting

• Concepts:

  • Sur - pitch recognition of 7 swaras, and 12 tones, ability to match pitches

  • Taal & Laya - work on ability to clap to a meter, ability to keep Taala clapping while singing

• Raaga Meditation:

  • explore energies with scale, chalan, and short alap

  • Explore fixed compositions from the 25 common Raagas list

• Read Sargam notation

Intention: Developing our Naad and exploring basic intentional movement

• Naad Opening:

  • Hindustani technique training 1:

    • Shuddh Bani - Pure tone intonation, Sapaar practice

    • Meend, Andolan, Khatka - movements between notes

    • Palta - basic pattern practice

    • Alankaar - small ornament patterns

    • Gamak - basic touch patterns

• Concepts:

  • Understand the form of a basic Khyaal Raaga rendition

  • Understand the form of a basic Dhrupad Raaga rendition

• Raaga Meditation:

  • Short Alap

  • Explore compositions with fixed elaborations in the 25 common Raagas list

• Play Tanpura

Intention: Deepening our Naad, connecting with the energetic essence of the Raaga energies

• Naad Opening:

  • Hindustani technique training 2: Understanding movement

    • Adding Gamak fluidity to scale sapaar movement

    • Clarity with more complex Alankaar ornaments

• Concepts:

  • understand difference between Swaras and Srutis

  • Understand Dhrupad alap structure

  • Understand Chhota Khyaal taan elaboration structures

• Raaga Meditation:

  • Raag practice and Dhrupad style Raaga Alap with Asthai and Antara, also understand Sanchari Abhog

  • Chhota Khyaal taan improvisation

  • Fixed Bada Khyaal compositions

  • Explore fixed compositions in 75 Core Raagas list

• Play basic Taalas on Tabla

Intention: Exploring Raaga energies through various forms of containment

• Naad Opening:

  • Hindustani technique training 3, Advanced technique training:

    • Expanding the mind with complex paltas

    • Thinking creatively with Raag and Taal

    • Opening manodharma connection

• Concepts:

  • Understand Dhrupad Jor-Jhala elaboration

  • Understand Bada Khyaal structure and elaboration and its link to Dhrupad

    • Use Dhrupad Raaga alap skills for first half elaboration

    • Use Chhota Khyaal improvisation skills for second half elaboration

  • Dhammar elaboration structure

  • Light classical: Alankaar based elaboration structures

  • Specialty style identification and structural familiarity

• Raaga Meditation:

  • Raaga alap-jor exploration

  • Exploring full Raaga composition sets in 75 core Raagas

  • Light classical Raaga based elaboration - developing manodharma telling stories with music and lyrics

• Play Tanpura, keep taal, and sing

Intention: Lead a full Raaga musical meditation in either a Dhrupad or Khyaal style and use the tools learned so far to express yourself

Naad Opening:

• Refine resonance

• Refine technique

Concepts:

• Manodharma - express yourself using your internalized knowledge

• Expand elaboration study - understand the differences in Gharana styles of elaboration

• Find your voice - start expressing your relationship and understanding and feeling or bhaav of a Raag

Raaga Meditation:

• Full Raaga meditation in 25 common Raagas with elaboration practice

• Deepening Raaga study with fixed compositions in 101 Common Raagas

Intention: Let the Raaga lead you, allow it to start to express through you

Naad Opening:

• Refine resonance

• Refine technique

Concepts:

• Manodharma - ask the Raaga what it wants to say and allow yourself to be a vessel for it to speak

• Find your voice - what is your personality?

Raaga Meditation:

• Full Raaga meditation in 75 common Raagas with elaboration practice

• Deepening Raaga study with fixed compositions in 101 Common Raagas

Intention: Be an open vessel for your highest self to express - be a channel for the divine to express through you

Naad Opening:

• Refine resonance

• Refine technique

Concepts:

• Manodharma - what energies are trying to express through you?

• Find your voice - what energies do you need to change or transmute in yourself to allow yourself to be a clearer vessel?

• Lifestyle - What supports your creativity and highest vibration?

Raaga Meditation:

• Full Raaga meditation in 101 common Raagas with elaboration practice

• Exploring rare Raagas -opening up to the full Raaga list through fixed composition and elaboration practice

• Naad Opening:

  • Naad resonance basics - cultivating energized intentional sound by bringing awareness to our tone

  • Shiksha - pronunciation of Sanskrit alphabet, attuning to resonance of each letter in the body

  • Opening vowels, integrating consonants, enunciation, vocal placement basics

  • Aum Chanting

• Concepts:

  • Sur - pitch recognition of 7 swaras, and 12 tones

  • Taal rhythm - Laya rhythm proficiency for Kirtan Taalas, ability to clap to a meter, and stay in accordance to a beat

  • Knowledge of basic Raaga scales, and phrasings

  • Building Kirtans from Raagas and scales

  • Flow and elaboration

• Musical meditation:

  • Raaga based Kirtan call and response learning different melodies

• Naad Opening:

  • Naad resonance basics - cultivating energized intentional sound by bringing awareness to our tone

  • Shiksha - pronunciation of Sanskrit alphabet, attuning to resonance of each letter in the body

  • Opening vowels, integrating consonants, enunciation, vocal placement basics

  • Aum Chanting

• Concepts:

  • Sur - pitch recognition of 7 swaras, and 12 tones

  • Taal rhythm - Laya rhythm proficiency for Bhajan Taalas, ability to clap to a meter, and stay in accordance to a beat

  • Knowledge of basic Raaga scales, and phrasings

  • Breaking down Bhajans from the point of view of Raagas and Taalas

  • Flow and elaboration

• Musical meditation:

  • Bhajan practice learning new compositions, call and response practice