TEMPLE CHANTING & MANTRA
Meenakshi went to a performing arts high school, and began singing at a young age. While in India, at the International Meditation Institute, she learned Sanskrit and began her journey of mantra, chanting and kirtan (call-and-response) chanting.
She produced her first cd, “Prayers” by Meenakshi in 2000 while spending time at the ashram, at the recording studio there.
Later, with her partner and keyboardist Ron Reid, they formed the band “Swaha”, and they travelled internationally performing and leading kirtan for 20 years.
They have produced over 5 Cd’s and recordings, that all can be found on itunes, spotify, etc. For more info on Swaha, please visit: www.swaha.ca
She has been teaching chanting for many years now… both in Yoga Teacher Trainings, workshops, intensives, and privately since 1999. As well as how to play a Shruti Box, or Harmonium, to accompany your chanting practice, or to lead Kirtan.
Mantra Focuses:
All practices can be done as an internal practice, or external practice for chanting.
Mantra’s & Prayers to Invoke the archetype of the Deities! We can work to invoke an “energy” that you are needing to call into your life.
Our focus can consist of any of the below:
Seed Syllable Mantra’s to work with in meditation
Short Mantra’s/Prayers that can be related to your archetype, or else abstract in nature, meaning “energetic” for chakra re-alignment and balancing.
Long prayers (Dhyaana Shlokha’s): These are meditation prayers…where we really visualize their form and their qualities to align our inner being to them. To a specific deity…for a deeper saadhana (spiritual practice)
Healing Mantra's: From the Vedas…to invoke a powerful HEALING intention in your body, mind and spirit.
SHRUTI BOX and HARMONIUM classes:
Shruti boxes provide a rich drone background that supports singing or playing almost any instrument. A Shruti Box is hand-pumped, so you can produce a slightly pulsating constant chord to support the right rhythm for the style of music you are playing. This instrument is smaller than a Harmonium, easy for travel, and has pegs or notes that you open and closes, whereas a Harmonium is more like a small keyboard.
The Shruti Box is an amazing instrument to accompany chanting or mantra practice!
Testimonials
"I wanted to thank you sooo for sharing you, and the magical Teacher Training weekend (at 889 Yonge Studio)! I find myself chanting my way through a good portion of the days. I was not sure fully what to expect from this experience.. It is so much more profound and humbling then I could have ever imagined. My gratitude for this... Thank you for having an impact, providing reflection, knowledge, and really opening of my mind. It was such a pleasure to meet you. I hope to cross your path again:) sending gratitude and well wishes."
~Sarah B. (Teacher Training grad/student)
“(Meenakshi)…Nothing short of a shower of blessings to be in her presence. Her teachings are full of light and wisdom generated from lifetimes of divine devotion. With a natural inner cadence, Meenakshi’s voice carefully guides you through asana sequences, while subtly setting your mind adrift into deeper peaceful contemplation. By far the best shavasana experience as she chants you into a state of final transcendence."
-Samantha M. (Yoga teacher, Writer)
“Meenakshi, I wanted to thank you with all my heart and soul for the experience you gave us today. It was beautiful, transcendental and unforgettable. I cannot begin to convey to you the sheer life-changing quality turning inward while practicing had on me. Connecting with the whole is something I have never really conceptualized until today. …Also, the chanting is incredible. You have a unique gift and I feel so blessed to be able to spend the few hours we have with you during this training. I had tears streaming down my face during our final chant. I found myself connected to a place within me that I had never been. So, thank you! I hope you realize the profound effect your sharing has on us!”
-Vanessa K. (Teacher Training Graduate)
For inquiries, and to set up classes for your needs, please email Meenakshi at: templeoflight108@gmail.com
TEMPLE MEDITATION & PRANAYAMA
Meenakshi spent many years at an ashram (spiritual hermitage) in the foothills of the Himalayas, and is a Certified Meditation and Yoga Philosophy Teacher from the International Meditation Institute, Kullu, Himachal Pradesh, India. She has also done intensive studies with Sri Sudhir Tiwari and completed an ADVANCED Pranayam Training with Sri O.P. Tiwari from the Kaivalyadham Institute in Pune, India.
She has taught Meditation and Pranayama in Teacher Training’s since 1999, and has been dedicated to these practices in her own life daily for many years
Private or Group classes:
Classes are tailored to your needs!
Single class or Monthly packages. Classes begin slowly with grounded practices that you can use in your daily life, and tweaked to the needs of the progress that takes place. For inquiries, and to set up classes for your needs, please email Meenakshi at:
Testimonials
“When you are with Meenakshi, you can feel that she has a lot of experience in meditation. She oozes love and light and a kindness and calming presence. Taking classes with her really helped me to drop deeper into my inner self and learn to understand who I really am. Thank you so much Meenakshi!"
~Suzanne R. (Private student)
“Learning pranayama from Meenakshi has been amazing! She is very detailed and goes step by step, with really good document support and practices to do in between sessions…I loved it!”
~Matt H (Private student)