For almost two years I have been doing seva (âselfless serviceâ) for Amrita Virtual Academy. And, since I rarely get to take any of the courses, I honestly got very curious about all thatâs in the Amrita Virtual Academy Membership. I love almost all the topics I see, and want to know exactly what I can learn. So, I decided to try out the Membership for 24 hours, have fun, and take you along. Youâre invited to join me as I share my weekend adventure with you!
SATURDAY NIGHT
To begin, let me first login, and take another look at the AVA Membership⌠On the Student Dashboard I see all kinds of courses presented right away. Hmm… What shall I choose? Iâve got to start somewhere. What Iâve been longing to check out are the âNatural Living: Health and Harmonyâ and âArt of Natural Plant Dyeingâ courses, plus the âAmrita Prasadam Indian Cookingâ and âDevotional Singingâ courses. (I also work as a classical singer, so I am curious to dive more deeply into devotional singing.) Also, I looooove, love, love cooking, so I want to see the amazing recipes and videos of the Indian Cooking classes.
My only activity tonight is to look around the Student Dashboard, and watch some of the content, so I know what to plan for tomorrow. Letâs start with my absolute favorite, Natural Living!!!
Exploring the Wellness Course, âNatural Living: Health and Harmonyâ
Oooh, a prayer to Amma before the course starts. Love it!Â
And, the video shows the Ecoshop in Amritapuri! Iâm in India now, so I can easily go there. But, I imagine if you are in the West, and you miss the ashram here, then seeing the Ecoshop can literally feel like AVA is bringing Amritapuri into your home.
Oooh, we can learn to make eco-friendly gifts that support nature!
Look, itâs my singing friend in the video! âHi Tejasvini! You look so cute in your white-and-pink sari!â
Right, we are going to make Mist Sprays with Essential Oils! I have wanted to do that for so long. I donât have the essential oils at home that she speaks about, but tomorrow I will check which oils I DO have, and then make a home-and-body spray! Yippie!
Okay, next…I would love to cook something this weekend from the Indian Cooking courses.
Oooee, what are these Vegan Bliss Balls in Natural Living?
Wait, what? I seriously have everything in my flat (apartment) to make these balls tomorrow! But you know, since Iâm no longer tired, Iâm going to start making them right away.
Looking in my kitchen I see I have 90% of the ingredients, and have decided to replace the oatmeal with puffed quinoa. First I mix the dry ingredients, then add the wet ingredients, and make the bliss balls. Wauw, they are delicious! And, so easy to make. Well, after that, I am still energized, so Iâm going to see if I have any essential oils to make the mist spray taught in the course. Hmmm, I donât have any, except a few final drops. But, what I do have, is a brown, plastic spray bottle I can use for when I do have oils. (You can see a photo of the brown bottle above and a fabric strip of my mumâs embroidered roses pictured in the background.) Iâm going to head over to the Ecoshop in the coming days, and check if I can get some affordable oils to make my own spray. We will be going on tour with Amma soon, so I donât want to spend too much now.
SUNDAY MORNING
Learning Indian Cooking with the âAmrita Prasadamâ Courses
There are so many wonderful Amrita Prasadamvideos and recipes to choose from! I decided to make dosas, and check out the recipe for Coconut Chutney. Coolâall the recipe videos are right there on the Cooking page. (I clicked on âCookingâ in the left menu, on the Student Dashboard to bring up the Cooking page. I could also just type âcoconut chutneyâ in the search bar to get there.) And, there is a video with the recipe: âMasala Dosa & Coconut Chutneyâ. Right, I see this is high-level Indian cooking. This is a great recipe for coconut chutney, but I donât have everything needed in my little kitchen, so letâs make it with what I have! Yeah! It turned out to be yummy. Thank you, Vaju! <3
The prayer to Amma in the beginning is really awesome. Since we do it before every seva in the ashram, it becomes a regular part of life. Also, itâs beautiful how the focus of the singing course is on connecting more to Amma by singing bhajans. Ooo⌠I see itâs a course for 8 weeks.
I looked quickly through it and saw videos with all kinds of vocal exercises to learn ragas. (A raga is like a set of rules for building a melodyâvery similar to the Western concept of a music scale or mode.)
Wauw! I wanna learn this. And you know whatâs amazing? You can make a video of yourself, and send it in to the teaching assistant to get feedback on your singing! In the coming weeks I will continue taking this singing course with Ratna. (Sheâs Brahmachari Ramanandamritajiâs sister!) I have seen the satsang, âThe Essence of Musicâ, with Swami Amritaswarupananda Puri in the past weeks, and it is just gold! A must watch for music lovers.
SUNDAY EVENINGÂ
Enjoying The Art of Natural Plant Dyeing
Now, finally I can go into The Art of Natural Plant Dyeing! I was âdyingâ to dive into this one⌠Okay, I see now that the course includes 12 hours of videos. So, letâs get started!
This whole course was recorded here in Amritapuri, in the Saraswati houseâa place not everybody knows of yet. I was there a while ago, and it felt as if I went into the forest to see the medicine lady (the good witch) of the village to learn about the healing properties of different plants and herbs.
The sevites (volunteers) in the Saraswati house make all kinds of beautiful clothes with fabrics and natural dyesâone of the ultimate feminine and natural spots in Amritapuri.
Ayurvastra is an old âcraftâ or âscienceâ about the healing art of natural plants in fabric. I learned from the class that it takes far more time to dye fabrics this way than it does to dye fabrics for the clothes we buy in regular shops. But, it is so healing for us, and also for the environment. âFast fashionâ becomes landfill garbage. I would love a sari dyed with Ayurvastra! Also in the Amrita Boutique here in Amritapuri, garments are sold that are made by Padma, who volunteers in the Saraswati house. (You can see her in the photo here, along with our Mindful Movement instructor, Neelima.)
Like Devotional Singing, Art of Natural Plant Dyeing is an 8-week course. I will be watching it in parts in the coming weeks, since I donât want to overload myself now.
CONCLUSION
Iâve learned itâs especially good if you can join the year-long AVA Membership option, because, dear Goddess, itâs so beautiful, all this content! Soooo much valuable learning, plus arts and crafts…I am so grateful I have found this.
I didnât even get into the language courses, the retreats, and the gardening courses yet. This is a true treasure chest of knowledge, with amazing spiritual lessons and satsangs everywhere you look! Truly âLearning Values Through the Arts!â
Love, Tanmayi Netherlands
P.S. Hey, thatâs me in the AVA Membership⌠Ooooh Itâs from my own little singing course…
In December 2022, I began taking music instrument classes from Amrita Virtual Academy, starting with the ganjira. In February 2024, I also started learning kaimani. Both classes have had a strong impact on my life, my path and my sadhana. They have given me access to a practice that has sent its roots deep into many areas of my life.
The classes have helped connect me to other spiritual seekers in a beautiful way. They have challenged me to expand at multiple levels and shown me that it is most important that my actions be connected to love. They have also shown me that Amma is very much with me, that her plans are often surprising, and that her work is deep and constant. I feel very lucky to find myself in these classes. I would not have predicted that I would do something like this.
In this first blog post, I would like to tell the story about how, by Amma’s Grace, I started to attend these classes, beginning with the ganjira, and how I found my ganjira teacher, Br. Vipin.
The story begins in Amma’s Ashram AmritapuriâŚ.
The first time I remember hearing a ganjira was in the Kali temple at Amritapuri. It was in the fall of 2022 on my first trip to India. Every morning, women gather for archana in the Kali temple. The 1000 Names of the Divine Mother are followed by the Sri Mahisausuramardini Stotram – a chant depicting an epic battle where the Divine Mother in the form of Durga slays various demons. Normally, there are no instruments played during the chanting but one day, the woman who was leading the chant played the ganjira.
This changed everything for me.
The stotram came to life. I became enchanted and wondered if I could learn to play that instrument to bring this experience home with me.
Connecting to the ganjira back home
I am not really musical, and I had never heard a ganjira played like that before. No one I spoke to had either. The thought of my learning to play one seemed like a long shot. But as it turned out, some time after I got home, I saw lessons offered online through the Amrita Virtual Academy. So now, all I needed was the instrument.
A few weeks later, I rode with a friend to the San Ramon Ashram in California to attend satsang.
That very night, someone was playing a ganjira, in the bookstore, after bhajans. And sure enough, he was a student of Br. Vipin who teaches both in-person and online ganjira classes through Amrita Virtual Academy. We then discovered that a few ganjiras were for sale in the bookstore. We each bought one that very night.
“This is how the Amma introduced me to my teacher and to my instrument.“
But that is not the end of her grace.
The online classes
Now that I had my own ganjira, I quickly signed up for the online class. The class is detailed and starts with a comprehensive lesson on how to approach the instrument, how to hold it, and how to respect it.
Br. Vipin introduces a few basic beats (or rhythms) used in Indian music which we are encouraged to practice with a metronome. Then step by step, beat by beat, the classes add something new each time. Each section of the course is followed by an invitation to connect with Br. Vipin and submit a sample of our homework in video format. Br. Vipin then responds with encouraging words and clear and precise recommendations for improvement.
At the beginning, my playing was a bit stiff, my timing was off, and in some ways, not strong. Despite this, weâthe ganjira and Iâwould practice and play together. If I found an exercise too challenging to do on my own with the metronome. I would just set a 20 minute timer and play along with Br. Vipin and the demonstration videos, until it felt natural to me.
Returning to Amritapuri
In September 2023, I returned to Amritapuri where I was able to meet Br. Vipin in person and take in-person lessons. During our first lesson at the beach, he mentioned that this day was Ganesh Chaturthi (celebration of the birth of Lord Ganesh) and that a group of young people would be playing bhajans as part of the Ganesh puja at the Kalari (the space where Amma first started to give darshan and where the fire ceremonies are now held). He invited me to join them. It turned out to be a wonderful experienceâvery vibrant, fun and dynamic. This opened up to other opportunities for me to play along with others.
There is a video from the Ganesh Chaturthi 2023. You can see it here.
Shortly after Ganesh Chaturthi, during Onam (the harvest festival of Kerala where the relationship between man and Nature and human beings and God, is celebratedâread more here), I was able to hear first-hand other forms of percussion that are found in Kerala. This helped to give me a context for what I was trying to create with the ganjira.
“As we continued our in-person lessons, Br. Vipin helped refine my playing. He stressed that the purpose of playing is a meditationâa way to come closer to God, to bring the name of God to others, and to multiply the blessings of what we have received.“
The ganjira as part of my spiritual path
Br. Vipin also gave tips to help me reduce my tension by encouraging me to slow down, relax, be in the moment and to play naturally. Through these suggestions, as well as through the focus on playing as a meditation, he wove ganjira playing into my spiritual path.
In Napa Valley, California (also known as wine country) people talk about âterroirâ, a way of referring to the unique, recognizable qualities that a specific soil of an area offers to a grape, and later to the wine it produces. Being immersed in the rhythms of Amritapuri and the surrounding area, I was able to feel that terroir of the rhythms of the Ganjira. I could hear them echoing from their origin.
Recognizing this instrument as a form of Ammaâs love has helped me to keep practicing. Every now and then, I hear something lovely in my playingâit feels like a kind of grace, an attunement with the beauty contained within all things. This has become my meditation practice.
Try out the Ganjira Course with Brahmachari Vipin, here.
Amrita Virtual Academy offers a wide range of musical classes, from singing to learning different instruments. See more here.
As a Amrita Virtual Academy member you have access to more than 60 different courses in different fields. Discover more about the AVA Membership here, and join.
Every year, humans destroy around 10 million hectares of forests, causing huge ecological imbalance that affects earthâs climate and biodiversity. Deforestation has a profound impact on mankind, wildlife, and other life forms in nature.
As deforestation continues, urgent action is needed to protect the planet’s biodiversity and ensure the survival and wellbeing of countless species on earth.
The Civil 20 working group on Sustainable & Resilient Communities (SRC), under the guidance and vision of Amma as Chair of C20 for Indiaâs G20 Presidency, is deeply honored to launch a âGlobal Seedball Campaignâ that will work towards producing and distributing 1 million seeds of hope in the year 2023.
A seedball is made up of soil and seeds, often mixed with clay and other organic materials to hold the ball together. They are designed to be thrown or scattered in areas where vegetation is desired and rely on natural rainfall to germinate and grow into mature plants. This is an ancient technique used for reforestation and soil restoration. Seedballs offer an environmentally friendly and low-cost solution to a global problem and has the potential to make a significant impact on the health and resilience of our planet’s ecosystems.
Amrita Virtual Academy offers this video tutorial with step-by-step instructions to join in on the challenge. May the spread of seedballs and increased awareness of the importance of trees lead to restoring ecological balance.
During the coronavirus pandemic, we began offering online music classes. Before, I only taught the Ganjira in person, and only at Amritapuri. Many students were eager to learn, but some could only visit the ashram for one or two weeks and so did not have enough time to delve deep into their studies or take many lessons.Â
Since people couldnât come to Amritapuri at all during the pandemic, we began to conduct Ganjira classes online through Amrita Virtual Academy, with great benefit. As learning an instrument can take some time, students could progress from home at their own pace through a large variety of rhythms and beats. They could submit video assignments or join us for live sessions according to their own schedules. It was really inspiring to connect over Zoom and offer feedback and encouragement. Our students are so sincere and dedicated. Here is some feedback from one of our Ganjira students from Spain named Sridevi:
I have just finished the first Ganjira (Headed Tambourine) course and I want to share my experience with you.
As a whole, it has been a blessing, as are all of the ways Amma gives us to grow and become closer to ourselves. I would not say that learning a new instrument has always been easy for me, but the whole time I felt I was in the best company possible. During the classes I felt very well cared for â guided through all of the hurdles and gently brought out of any potholes on the road of learning.
I had never learned how to play any other instrument before I started the Ganjira course at Amrita Virtual Academy â a virtual holy space inspired by Amma. Because of this my progress felt slow, but the effort was worth it to grow closer to Ammaâs teachings and the feelings of inner spiritual presence this musical sadhana offers.Â
Learning an instrument is a very easy and sweet way to keep your mind on God all day, because you go so deep into the lesson that you can spend a great part of the day delving into the bhajan you are studying that week. It also helps us become oblivious to any toxic atmospheres we may be subjected to in our day-to-day lives. Bhajans are a great inner companion â always offering positive thoughts and vibrations â in contrast with what we sometimes have to hear when living in the world. Immersing ourselves in bhajans is like wearing a shield!
Devotional practices are always sweet, even from the beginning. However, trying to learn something new can be frustrating at times, and that is a great time to practice some of the qualities Amma constantly reminds us to cultivate: patience, acceptance, will-power, perseverance, determination to continue, focus, and self-confidence. It is a very long list!
Playing takes a lot of coordination, as the left hand also plays its part in making the music! One hand (the right) strikes the Ganjira, while the other hand (the left), helps tune and adjust the quality of the sound. Iâm so grateful for this excellent step-by-step course, which helped me make strong progress in learning this instrument.Â
Iâm sure that anyone with an interest in learning the Ganjira will really enjoy this course, and soon be joyfully playing along with Ammaâs bhajans. May the grace of the divine be with you all in your musical inner journey! May the Divine Mother bless us all with her presence within every time we pick up our instruments.
Om Namah Shivaya! Sridevi
It really brightens my heart to hear such beautiful thoughts from this student, who obviously has been studying hard while connecting with the depths and deep benefits available from the gangira and other instruments we teach at Amrita Virtual Academy.
We are so grateful to all our students who have helped AVA come to life. It has been a beautiful few years together. We look forward to further learning and growing together. If you have any questions about the Ganjira, please contact us at support@amritavirtualacademy.com.
When the 2023 G20 Summit convenes on September 9-10 in New Delhi, the leaders of the worldâs major economies, comprising 19 countries and the European Union, will address the major global issues of our time.
The Government of India holds the G20 presidency for 2023, and has appointed Amma (Mata Amritanandamayi) as the chair of an official G20 engagement group known as Civil20, or C20. As a platform for Civil Society Organizations (CSOs), C20 will bring forth non-government and non-business voices and present specific policy recommendations to the world leaders gathering in New Delhi for this yearâs G20 summit.
Since Ammaâs appointment as C20 Chair, numerous C20 conferences have catalyzed new levels of collaboration and problem solving among civil organizations. It is within this significant global framework that the C20 Education & Digital Transformation Summit was held on May 20-21, 2023 in Trivandrum, Kerala. The event featured 66 speaker presentations by prominent leaders in this fieldâincluding one highlighting the work and vision of Amrita Virtual Academy (AVA).
AVA educator and program coordinator Chandrika Suliman began her presentation by sharing what makes Amrita Virtual Academy unique: that every course offering is rooted in spiritual values. As a result, AVA students experience growth well beyond the knowledge and skills acquired.
Chandrika then presented a case study demonstrating the power of such an approach. The case study highlighted a collaboration between AVA and Amrita University, initiated during the pandemic, when Amrita University professors observed that their Computer Science students had become disconnected from the natural world. The professors noticed campus littering was on the rise. And with students glued to their laptop and phone screens, social skills had also diminished. In hopes of reversing this trend, Chandrika was requested to give a 45-minute presentation on love for nature. Amazingly, just after the presentation 200 of the 400 attendees signed up to learn the principles of Regenerative Agriculture through an AVA Amritaculture curriculum.
Of those students who were accepted into the pilot program, 72% not only completed the course, but also wanted to continue learning and become youth leaders in the field of ecology and regenerative agriculture.
âPeople are longing to return to a harmonious relationship with nature,â Chandrika observed. âIn this time of climate crisis, people are longing to move beyond the feelings of despair and hopelessness, and into an experience of connection and empowerment. As Amma encourages, âLight your little candle and step forward.â This pilot course was a beautiful way to help people know how to do that.â
She continued, âWhat I learned from those 200 students, who were so eager to contribute back to nature, is that thereâs still hope. Thereâs still hope, and we just need to be intelligent and loving and keep moving forward.â
By Ammaâs grace, may the course offerings of Amrita Virtual Academy continue to ignite such optimism and determination within us all.
