Orienting students to the context in which Indian wisdom traditions exist
Upcoming Course
Nāda for Healing
Journey into Rāga, Rhythm & Bhakti with Dr. Shubham Kulkarni & Smt. Nina Rao
Live Online via Zoom, 25 Oct – 24 Nov 2025
Life Map
An introduction to a world view based on Indian knowledge systems, and a way to visualize our place in and through it
Vedic Threads
An introduction into, and exploration of the many rich concepts common to Indian knowledge traditions, and to life in general
Death & Dying
This thought-provoking course invites participants to delve into the universal and inevitable process of death through a unique blend of Indian wisdom traditions, and end-of-life care practices.
“People don’t know… every line of the Hanuman Chalisa is maha mantra”
~ Neem Karoli Baba Indian knowledge systems grew organically from cultural, historical, and spiritual roots on the Indian subcontinent, assuming forms that pervaded all aspects of thinking and practice, including philosophy, medicine, literature, art, music, and all branches of science. As random as such a development is expected to be, these knowledge systems also fall into "natural" categories and organizational schemes. This is largely because they operate both within themselves and leak into each other. Medicine does not operate independently of philosophy or language; music does not operate independently of astronomy or spiritual practice. And so on. Satsangam brings together the entire gamut of Indian knowledge and experiential practices in a way that is accessible for anyone. Our satsanga or "good company" in a quest for knowledge has proven over the last year to be rewarding for everyone involved.
~Fred Smith
Seeing the entire universe in the Self and vice versa gives rise to true knowledge.
~Caraka Saṃhitā: Śārīrasthāna:V:7 For explanations of truths and principles quoted from other branches (of science or philosophy) and incidentally discussed in the present work, the student is referred to expositions made by the masters (of those sciences or philosophies), since it is impossible to deal with all branches of science, etc. in a single book (and within so short a compass)... By the study of a single Shastra, a man can never catch the true import of this (Science of Medicine). Therefore, a physician should study as many allied branches (of science or philosophy) as possible.
~Suśruta Saṃhitā: Sūtrasthāna:IV:5-6
Wisdom waters flow from the heavens, as rivers through mountains into a multitude of streams to meet us where we are in the One ocean. As seekers and practitioners when we are washed by the streams and rivers of a practice, we are inevitably drawn toward the Source of these waters by the blessings of teachers of the past. It is on this journey of study and exploration that we come in contact with and realize the interconnectedness of the various streams of knowledge systems shared down the ages. We honor those streams or lineages by our effort to learn about them and our attempt to understand and integrate them into our lives so that we may receive the grace of the transmission in these teachings for our own healing of body, mind, and spirit.
~Nina Rao
In the words of the Rg Veda, "Ekam sat vipra bahudha vadanti": "The truth is one, and the vipra expresses that truth in various ways." A vipra or sage is literally “one who is inwardly stirred, inspired”. If we wish to truly learn a vidya, a manifestation of living wisdom, we must invite it into ourselves and permit it to possess us. Its shakti can then inspire us, in the most literal way; it will begin to live and breathe through us. But, as humans are imperfect, no manifestation of any vidya is perfect. Therefore, when we expose ourselves to others among the wide range of subjects in Indian knowledge systems, we can gain a more holistic understanding of the nature of sat.
~Dr. Robert Svoboda Studying more than one tradition can help non-Indian individuals better appreciate the breadth, depth, and richness of Indian culture, and can assist Indians to be better able to facilitate the sort of cross-cultural understanding and cooperation that is becoming increasingly urgent in today’s world to foster harmony.
~Dr. Robert Svoboda
It's good to pull out and widen the focus. To see and remember the field, and not get so lost in the isolated tree of your specific interest. The West has a hard time doing this, maybe because its education system isn't built on the principle of inherent connection and coming back to something, but on principles of colonialism? Vedic education is built on Veda, and that essential truth predates cultural nonsense. When all the threads intermingle and the full story is present and we can see the tapestry of creation, we feel more whole, and that feeling of wholeness eases our sense of separation and isolation.
