Welcome to the first Mantra & Yoga of Sound Training!

I am over the moon to practice with you virtually, and share my deep love of music, sound, and mantra with you over the coming hours. Please sit back, relax, and dig into a little bit of my personal history as a musician and "seeker" and allow me to explain the outline of this course. Deep humility and love for the blessings and grace of my teachers! And thank you to each and every student. May your path be littered with unexpected gifts, delights, and sounds beautiful and soothing to the ears. It is with humble and near-ecstatic gratitude that I share my love of this topic with you. I hope that you receive much benefit in your daily lives from exploring this with me!

In this week's module, you'll receive an introduction to the course that aims to provide a small foundation for our learning in the coming days.

I would recommend carving out a quiet and comfortable space to delve into your learnings. You might like to have a notebook or journal & pen, headphones or nice speakers for listening, a comfy chair / meditation pillow / folded blanket for sitting. It could be lovely to decorate a space with candles, flowers, incense, photographs of your teachers / ancestors / loved ones, crystals or other sacred-to-you items. The dream for this course is to begin to instill a daily practice into your life, or add an element of sound to your practice if you already have one. Having a sacred corner, room, or table / alter to come to each day can infuse your space with the reminder that peace & nourishment is available when you come to this place ... and hopefully beyond.

As I say many times, this course is JUST the tip of the iceberg. I am a white, femme-identifying American and this is my interpretation of very sacred, important, and beautiful practices. I have been a performing musician and songwriter for over 20 years (or since 1998, depending when you enroll in this course), and a musician since about 7 years old. I have been a certified yoga instructor since 2009. My experience and study on this topic is fairly deep, however with humility I know that I am just beginning and have so much to learn. This course will be updated whenever I need to make a correction or an integral piece has been unveiled. Please do accept my humanity / humility and please let me know of any corrections you notice that I need to make and I will do my best to remedy.

Thank you so much for your enthusiasm and trust in my teachings. I am so grateful to have the opportunity to explore this beloved topic with you virtually, in your own pace and timing. The course amounts to 30+ hours of content if all of the lectures, videos, and practices are completed. If you would like to enroll yourself for Yoga Alliance continuing education credits, you can do so here (or I can enter you - please let me know). Since this is my first e-course, please pardon the 0 rating ;)

This week's module incorporates the following with listening / viewing times listed as well as estimated practice, meditation times. Please note that some of the content will only show up on a desktop or laptop computer, even though the teachable mobile app is great (you can download it for your smart phone in your respective model's app store).

Please also note that embedded videos will immediately start playing when you open the module, so you might have to scroll down, search for which thing is playing and pause it. When you complete a section in your module, you can click "complete" and your course will show you right where to go next.

Week One Content includes:

Video: Warm Welcome from you guide Mary Bue - 28:04 mins

Mp3 Audio Lecture: Mantra Yoga Training Introduction 26:45 mins

YouTube Video: The Sound of the Big Bang 1-2 mins

Text of Vedic Creation Story (to read while listening to the Big Bang!) 

Video (of Audio Lecture): More Introductions to Mantra - The Benefits of Mantra Yoga (Recorded live during a virtual training) 6:24 Mins

Audio Lecture: Cultural Sensitivity - 27mins

Journaling Svadhaya - Self Reflection Questions - 30 to 60 mins

Reading - Cited articles approx 30 mins

Audio Lecture: Panca Maya Kosha mantra & Refresher - 28 mins

Video: Basic Music Theory 29:26 mins

3.5 to 4 hours of content - depending on if you do the self reflection, read the articles, listen & watch all videos.

Please do not hesitate to reach out with any questions, or technical issues. I will respond do my very best to respond within 24 hours of your inquiry.

Namaste (not me, but you ... the teacher in me bows to the teacher in you ... the spirit in me honors the spirit in you) and BIG LOVE!

Mary

Deep gratitude to Lucia Yess and Yess Yoga Studio for inviting me to present this training for the first time. Yess Yoga Studio is an inclusive, comfortable, hip, and welcoming studio in South Minneapolis. Check out all of their offerings (currently virtual!) at YessYogaStudio.com

If you would like to learn more about my indie music and creativity offerings (retreats to Bali and things!!), please head on over to MaryBue.com

Here are some links to the teachers I referenced. Please explore and enjoy their teachings!

Tracy Weber, Yoga Therapist, Author, and Animal Behavior & Welfare Specialist in training(Tracy is currently purusing ANOTHER Masters degree in this at University of Edinburgh). Former owner of Whole Life Yoga Studio in Seattle (no owned by the wonderful Kim Tull-Esterbrook). I received my first 200 hour training certificate with Tracy, and was a TA for the following year's teacher training.

Tara Cindy Sherman // Tree Spirit Yoga, Yoga & meditation teacher and teacher trainer, retreat guide, kirtan goddess, and creatrix of Radient Shakti Flow. Check out her retreats and trainings and her beautiful work with Goddess energies. Tara was one of my master teacher's in my 300 hour training.

Kevin Kortan // Evolutionary Yoga, Yoga teacher & teacher trainer, dancer, Feldenkreis specialist, Yoga therapist! I've been practicing chanting in private small group sessions for a few years and have deeply benefited from his guidance. Kevin was also one of the master teachers in my 300 hour training.

Bhuwan Chandra // Nada Yoga School, Rishikesh India Traveling to Rishikesh to delve into the yoga of sound and receive yet another 200 hour certification in one of the historic yoga capitals of the world. Bhuwan is a phenomenal sitar player and offers beginning sitar instruction on YouTube and of course you can take the leap and go study with him in India when we can travel again!

ABOUT VINIYOGA

Sri T. Krishnamacharya - Tirumalai Krishnamacharya (November 18, 1888 – February 28, 1989)^[1][2] was an Indian yoga teacher, ayurvedic healer and scholar. Often referred to as "the father of modern yoga,"^[3][4] Krishnamacharya is widely regarded as one of the most influential yoga teachers of the 20th century. Like earlier pioneers influenced by physical culture such as Yogendra and Kuvalayananda, he contributed to the revival of hatha yoga.^{[5] - Wikipedia}

Sri T.K.V Desikachar was a yoga teacher, son of the pioneer of modern yoga as exercise, Tirumalai Krishnamacharya. The style that he taught is called Viniyoga.^[1][2][3]

Gary Kraftsow was a student of Sri Desikachar and was Tracy Weber & Kevin Kortan's teacher, helping to bring Viniyoga to the west. He founded the American Viniyoga Institute.