Admissions
Download 2011 Admissions Information Packet
Dear Prospective Student,
Vedika Gurukula offers a unique, back to tradition, Ayurvedic education specifically designed to integrate the ancient oral Gurukula tradition with its inherent spiritual practices and practical modern applications.
Vedika’s Acharya Shunya Pratichi Mathur and teachers Vaidya Mahesh Sabade and Vaidya Abhijit Jinde are joined from time to time by an international faculty to impart deep knowledge and practical hands-on training along with psychological and spiritual insights.
Vedika's students benefit from affordable tuition, advanced study opportunities in India, supervised clinical internships beginning in third year and repetition of the self-healing first year at reduced cost. We invite new students to initiate their own healing by joining Vedika’s next batch of first year Ayurvedic immersion studies, beginning on January 14th, 2011.
Overview of the First Year
Self Healing Immersion
The first year in Vedika is uniquely crafted to teach students the fundamentals of Ayurvedic medicine and firmly establish them in its history, culture, and introductory level theory, skills and practices. A significant parallel focus in the first year is on initiating the healing processes of the student’s own body, mind and soul.
Along with an emphasis on academic studies, students are encouraged to begin living the daily and seasonal regimens that they are taught. The first two months of the year will focus mainly on imparting well-being promoting practices, so that in the following months Ayurveda’s healing wisdom supports the journey of the student as they tackle more advanced topics of study. This means embarking upon detoxifying, nourishing, lightening diet protocols (as applicable), and adopting practices such as meditation, mantra chanting, Suriya Namaskar, yoga, and pranayama into their daily routines.
Additional requirements include participating in Vedic festivals which typically carry seasonal, astrological and spiritual significance, interacting within the mutually supportive conscious community called Vedika Sangha, and rendering selfless service (Seva) to the parent non-profit, Vedika Global, helping further its humanitarian mission worldwide. Such activities not only supplement classroom education, but significantly aid the healing of the mind and the social self of the student, tap hidden skills and unearth passive strengths. With participation in these three areas, students are supported in crafting a rooted personality that serves as the foundation of enduring health – physically, mentally, spiritually, socially, and interpersonally.
Throughout the year, loving support and guidance will be warmly provided to all students. The option will remain open to repeat the Self Healing Year until well-being is activated from within and knowledge becomes internalized through the living of Ayurveda principles and lifestyle practices.
The Path of Ayurveda Sadhana
Ayurveda education requires sincerity and true effort. As per the Gurukula tradition, it is not merely a matter of memorizing information and taking tests on how much one has “successfully memorized”- but involves subjectively experiencing Ayurveda’s healing wisdom by sincerely following its recommendations.
Resistances and doubts are gradually dissolved through the student’s sadhana (dedicated pursuit) of sacred knowledge under the watchful and guiding eyes of the teachers. The loving transmission of knowledge that is provided to the students of Vedika in the first year, along with practices that can be done at home to regain health, greatly assist the healing process and activate the manifestation of timeless laws of Ayurveda in the body and mind of the student.
Vedika believes that personal transformation must become the foundation of a wonderful journey of studentship in Ayurveda and will continue to inspire the student’s continuing sadhana. After the student has become personally convinced about the merit of Ayurveda, the student will become a lifelong advocate and believer of this great art and science of health and well-being. Earnest studentship opens the way to crafting accomplished healers as well as sincere and knowledgeable teachers of Ayurveda.
Looking Ahead
Second Year
In the second year students will build upon the knowledge gained in first year and shift focus from personal care and self-healing protocols to an understanding of general fundamental principles of pathology (Vikriti Vijnana) and disease (Rog Vijnana); pharmacology principles (Dravya Guna); advanced study of Yoga, Mediation and Pranayama techniques; deeper studies in Ayurvedic psychology (Manas Roga); and deeper studies in Vedanta and Yoga Darshans (Yoga Sutras) through study of advanced texts. Systematic study of Sanskrit language will continue in this year. The second year student may from time to time continue to be exposed to a variety of workshops on supplementary topics such as Jyotish, Vaastu Shastra, etc.
Third Year
The third year builds upon the education provided in the previous two years in Vedika, and the student steadily gains the knowledge and hands-on skills to become a competent well-being and lifestyle counselor. After learning about the causes of disease in the second year (pathology), third year students are ready to learn about types of disease and their management. In the 3rd year, students begin the exhaustive study of Ayurvedic Internal Medicine (Kayachikitsa). The third year also concludes specialized training in subtle therapies of Yoga, Meditation, and Pranayama along with several classified Gurukula methods of increasing wellness. Third year includes continued instruction in Pharmacology, Psychology, Vedanta and Yoga Philosophies and Sanskrit language along with specialized workshops from time to time in allied subjects such as Jyotish, Vaastu Shastra, etc. At the successful completion of the third year, students will be awarded the title of Vedika Bheshaj – Lifestyle and Wellness Counselor.
Fourth Year and above
Curriculum beyond the 4th year is currently under development.
Additional Information for First Year Students
Daily Immersion
The daily immersion refers to the time spent living the spiritually energized Gurukula curriculum, including Gayatri sadhana, meditation, Yoga asana, Pranayama, Abhyanga, etc. It is recommended that students adopt these practices mindfully and go through them daily in the tradition of experiential education. When such practices are sincerely adopted in daily life, the multidimensional healing tradition of Ayurveda gives fruitful results.
Studies in Yajna Shastra
In keeping with the timeless Gurukula culture, students of Ayurveda become seekers (Shishyas) of its path and teachings by participating in a Vedic ritual called Upanayanam (as recommened in the Ayurvedic text Charak Samhita). The word "Vedika" itself means the altar in which the fire of transformative knowledge blazes. It is believed that the sacred fire activates the seeker within the student, blesses the path of rigorous, dedicated studentship and consecrates the relationship between teacher and student. Students learn about the foundational principles of Yajna Shastra from India's leading Vedacharya who will visit Vedika Gurukula from time to time and lead the students through an experiential passage through the fire altar in their own Upanayanam (initiation) ceremony held once every three years or so. The students will chant Vedic mantras together and pour ghee and herbs into the flame and understand the tangible and non-tangible benefits of the healing science of Yajna. Certain steps are involved in this process, including mandatory participation, attendance and upholding the vows by students who embark upon the education path in Vedika. Please discuss with the Director of Admissions in advance about what is involved before submitting an application.
Cross Class
This refers to the presence of more than one batch (level) of students in the same class at the same time. Several batches of Vedika Gurukula will come together for special instructions, lectures, festival celebrations and other special occasions. Cross Classes may at times fall on non-class days; however, attendance in Cross Classes is mandatory to integrate Gurukula's experiential education, and requires planning ahead of time on the part of the student.
Sangha Meets
All students mandatorily participate in an open community forum (sangha) that involves the sharing of Ayurveda wisdom, food and joy of transformative lifestyle through informal discussion, demonstration and mutual support. These hours are part of the required curriculum hours. Sangha gatherings are memorable landmarks of studentship at Vedika Gurukula. Besides benefiting the body and mind, Sangha participation aids the healing of the social self of the student and supports Ayurveda’s potential of fostering universal well-being. Students are encouraged to invite friends and family and usually bring an offering of food to the common table. Sangha meets are usually held one Sunday per month from 2-6pm.
Seva
The Gurukula culture is one where students support the teaching and promotion of wisdom through the not for profit school and support the efforts of the Vedika leaders who are pioneering a new humanitarian, low-cost and authentic model of Ayurveda in the 21st century. Students are asked to offer seva (selfless service) in support of the various programs of Vedika Global, Inc., the parent not for profit organization, which include: Vedika Gurukula, Vedika Sangha, and Vedika Jyoti (low-cost Ayurveda clinic). Other projects can include seva in administration, organization, leadership and support of various departments within the Vedika structure. Seva can range from taking out the trash to serving as Director of Admissions of the Gurukula. This core culture of Vedika not only minimizes program costs for students while continuing to provide excellent education with renowned teachers from India - but also grooms students in Vedic entrepreneurship that is energized from the heart, selflessly and not for money. This includes cultivating compassionate and democratic leadership, joyful teamwork, and patterns of giving without grudge while receiving with love. Students who have questions regarding this expectation must discuss this with the Director of Admissions and Acharya before filling out the application. Seva may range from a few hours per month to every day, and the only credit given to students is spiritual growth.
Vedic Festival Learning and Celebrations
Vedic festival celebration is integrated into the curriculum and counted in the hours of study. You will be asked to attend these Vedic festivals even if they fall outside the regular class schedule. You will learn the "why" and "how" of festivals and their Ayurvedic, Astrological, lifestyle, seasonal, dietary, mental and social significance.
The five festivals celebrated in Vedika Gurukula include:
Makar Sankranti (January 14th every year)
Guru Purnima (Celebrating our Gurus, Sadhus, Acharyas, parents, teachers and the whole tradition of the Vedas)
Navratri (Nine-day Goddess festival)
Dhanvantari Puja (God of Ayurveda)
Deepawali (Victory of light over darkness)
Classified Curriculum
Apart from the syllabus in Ayurveda, from time to time, the students will also be taught Gurukula Gupta Vijnanam which is the internal classified teaching of the Gurukula tradition. The classified teachings increase in volume and intensity with each progressive year of study and immersion inside Vedika Gurukula.
Required Attendance
85% attendance in classroom hours, Sangha meets, Vedic festival events, retreats/field trips and special lectures is mandatory to graduate to second year. Any leave of absence longer than 2 classes in a row must be planned ahead of time and notice given to the registrar in writing.
Annual off-site self-healing retreat attendance is compulsory. Students must plan a leave of absence from work, school or other ongoing engagements ahead of time. Children are not permitted at the retreat.
At-Home Assignments
Periodically, students may be asked to compose responses to questions posed by the teacher at home and submit them during a later class. The purpose of these assignments is to encourage integration of the concepts taught in class for the benefit of the student and allow the teacher to know which topics need further discussion. These exercises are not exams and are not graded. First and foremost, education in a Gurukula promotes a culture where students fall in love with the science of Ayurveda through systematic exposure and exploration, not an environment of competition for grades or the “right” answer on a test.
Self Study
Vedika Gurukula promotes Swadhyaya - which means being with the wisdom in silent attention. Students are encouraged to sit quietly with closed eyes, and reflect upon knowledge transmitted in class; or pore over study notes, recommended books, and scriptures; or make flash cards and detailed self study notes with minimal distractions. One hour per week is easily managed by most students so the recommended self study time per month is 4 hours in the first year. Just being with the Gurukula knowledge by conscious effort, reviewing the written pages again and again, drawing inner conclusions, allowing the interconnections to occur with ease, enjoying the sweetness of what this knowledge has to offer, savoring each piece of wisdom and internalizing it through meditative contemplation is called self study or Swadhyaya in the Gurukula tradition. There is merit in keeping ourselves surrounded by this wisdom that has the capacity to heal our bodies, enhance the mind based awareness and liberate our soul from conditionings and material restrictions.
Next Steps to Enrollment
Call with any questions. To speak with an administrator and student about the program, call toll-free 877.708.3342 ext 14.
Schedule a class visit. We welcome interested students to attend a portion of a weekday evening class to meet the teachers, experience the teaching style, and talk with other students. Call Ishani at 877.708.3342 ext. 14 to make an appointment.
Enroll in Preparatory Classes. This series of classes gives an introduction to Ayurveda and are invaluable for prospective students as it provides an opportunity to explore, understand and experience the spiritually energized curriculum of Vedika Gurukula, its roots in an oral tradition, and its style of education. It is also a wonderful opportunity to meet the Vaidyas, the learned ayurvedic healers and practitioners, who teach at Vedika Gurukula. Classes are held on Tuesdays evenings from 6 - 9pm, September 10, September 17, October 1, and October 15. Cost is $30 per class. Call 877.708.3342 ext. 14 to enroll.
Complete your application. Download or submit the application online at http://vedikaglobal.org/vedika_gurukula/admissions/application.html.
Seats are limited in the 2011 batch so you are encouraged to start the process as soon as possible to ensure your space
It is with a warm heart and many blessings that I welcome you to the Vedika Gurukula.
Shunya Pratichi Mathur
Founder and Acharya
Vedika Global, Inc.
Emeryville, California
www.vedikaglobal.org
877.708.3342
© Vedika Global, Inc. 501(c)3, 2010 p. 1
© Vedika Global, Inc. 501(c)3, 2010 p. 6
Igniting a Community Healing and Wellness Movement with Classical Ayurveda
Vedika Gurukula
Ayurveda Wisdom School
