Svādhyāya

A Chanting, Study & Yoga Retreat
with Sheela & Ravi Shankar
in Puducherry, India
Sat 7 – Mon 23 Feb 2026

The Content

a) Vedic Chanting

While any engagement with Vedic chanting is beneficial, the refinement of the engagement yields benefits that are far greater. This refinement comes from a close observance of the rules of Vedic chanting. Most importantly, it comes from having a teacher set the benchmark and challenge the student to reach and maintain it. 

The true goal of this engagement is, however, not the technical mastery of Vedic chanting, but to have it lead the person inward to a place of peace and silence. 

To come together in an immersive practice of Vedic chanting over a number of days can be transformative. The constant attention to detail, the immersion in the sound of the chants, the absence of distractions, the conducive environment, and the power of the group all come together in helping the person achieve an inward turning that is transformative. 

A very important part of the refinement is the opening and training of the voice. Voice culture, therefore, would be an integral part of the Vedic chanting intensive. For many people this release of the voice and the awareness and realization of its potential is itself a transformative experience. 

Some of the aspects of this Vedic chanting intensive are:

• special emphasis on svara, the following of the chant notations
• voice culture exercises to help open the throat, maintain pitch, and most importantly, to maintain sama 
• the understanding of Sanskrit sandhi rules as they apply to the passages chanted to maintain santana 
• the close attention to matra and the mistakes made in this regard when chanting
• a grounding in the points of origin of the different aksharas within the mouth thereby maintaining varna and balam 
• the chanting of selected chant passages to become aware of these rules and the mistakes commonly made in chanting
• working to fine tune the unique voice of each participant and further to teach techniques that will help overcome the different hurdles that come in the way of chanting effortlessly while following the six rules of siksa

b) Bhagavat Gita study

The major commentaries to the Yoga Sutra are unanimous in declaring that svadhyaya is the study of the Upanisads. To study the Upanisads and reflect on them is the surest and safest way to turn inward and engage in svadhyaya.

What better way to study the Upanisads than by turning to the text that distils their essence and presents their teaching in clear and actionable models – the Bhagavat Gita

sarvopanishado gavo, dogdha gopala-nandanah
partho vatsah su-dhir bhokta, dugdham gitamritam mahat

All the Upanishads are the cow. The milker of the cow is Krishna, the son of Nanda. Arjuna is the calf. The magnificent nectar of the Gita is the milk. The wise partake of this milk and savour it.

The Bhagavat Gita takes a person to the final inward destination through the teaching of two paths – karma yoga and jnana yoga. In reality, these two paths are different stages of the same path, in a similar way to how the Yoga Sutra describes the work of antaranga sadhana and bahiranga sadhana. 

The study will comprise the exploration of Chapter 2 (Sankhya Yoga) and Chapter 3 (Karma Yoga) of the Bhagavat Gita. 

Dates and Flights

Please note the intensive runs from Sat 7 Feb – Mon 23 Feb (16 nights). Thus, depending on your travel plans this would typically meaning leaving the UK on Fri 6th Feb for early morning arrival into Chennai on Sat 7th, and an early morning departure from Chennai on Mon 23rd arriving the same day back into the UK (time difference makes this possible).

Cost & Payment Schedule

The cost for the intensive is £2700 (single accommodation) and £2300 (shared accommodation – and there large twin rooms at Puducherry), to be paid as a £300 non-refundable deposit with the balance payable by 1 Sept 2025.

The deposit is payable to Sādhana Māla for simplicity, but the balance is due directly to Yoga Nidhi via direct transfer (Yoga Nidhi use Wise, a reputable money transfer service which is very straightforward).

What is included?

accommodation – three meals from a diverse Indian cuisine every day – mineral water bottles – transport to and from the airport – yoga, chanting and philosophy sessions listed in the retreat schedule – study materials 

What is not included

cost of round-trip flight to India, visa to India and travel & health insurance – laundry – alcoholic beverages – ayurvedic massages – medication and medical applications – tips (approximatelyGBP2.5/day/person)

Cancellation policy:

• Until 30 September 2025, 90% of the balance amount paid will be refunded
• From 1 October 2025 to 31 October 2025, 75% of the balance amount paid will be refunded
• From 1 November 2025 to 30 November 2025, 50% of the balance amount paid will be refunded
• From 1 December 2025 to 31 December 2025, 25% of the balance amount paid will be refunded

No refund for cancellation from 1 January 2026