The beautiful Gayatri Mantra is dedicated to Surya, the sun, and to the Goddess Gayatri: to all that which illuminates and brings light to our being on all levels of our existence.

In this workshop you will gain a deeper insight into the Gayatri Mantra and experience the benefits of chanting it: health, positivity, clarity and the ability to see the highest and best in ourselves and the people and situations around us.

Lalita Doerstel, one of Dru's senior-most teacher trainers is renowned not just for her mastery of mudras, but her profound sensitivity and presence as a human being. In this special workshop, you will learn how to use the Gayatri Mantra together with the ancient sequence of mudras which are traditionally associated with the practice of the Gayatri.

There are altogether 32 mudras; we'll start with the 24 that are traditionally practised before reciting the Mantra. These remarkable mudras are related to the 24 tattvas (elements) and also to the 24 syllables of the Gayatri Mantra. A further 8 mudras are practiced after reciting the Gayatri Mantra, and these will require further study. 

Each of the mudras and their corresponding element bring you the ability to become very precise about the qualities you want to bring into your life. For instance, practicing the earth mudra brings you grounding; practicing the mudra for the mind brings you strength of motivation and freedom from emotional reactivity. You are going to learn 24 of these!

On Mudras:

Mudras are gestures of the hands, face or body that promote physical health, psychological balance, and spiritual awakening.

They are an invaluable support for Yoga students, teachers and those who are aspiring to personal development.

The sanskrit word mudra can be translated as gesture, seal, attitude, or signature. They are gestures that evoke psychological and spiritual attitudes and qualities. The word mudra is derived from two root words, mud which means delight, pleasure, or enchantment, and rati, which means to bring forth.

Learning the art of practicing Mudras will

• manage prana or life force energy flow in your body 
• deepen your concentration and focus on meditation and pranayama
• have a positive impact on a wide variety of health conditions
• have beneficial effects on your hands 

Reciting the Gayatri Mantra in combination with the Mudras promises many benefits:

• It will improve health, positivity, clarity, and the ability to see the highest and best in ourselves and the people and situations around us
• Chanting the mantra in combination with the mudras has the ability to improve your power of concentration and to bring great peace of mind
• It will stimulate the hypothalamus within the brain and improve your immune system
• Awaken and balance the chakras within your body
• According to British Medical Journal, one of the greatest health benefits of Gayatri mantra is that its recitation synchronizes and regularizes the beating of the heart, helping it stay healthy
• It will stimulate the pituitary gland thereby encouraging the release of endorphins and other types of relaxing hormones

How will the course be delivered?

The workshop will consist of live online sessions from 10am until 1pm, and from 3pm until 5.30pm.

We will look at the philosophy of the Gayatri mantra and its relevance for our lives. We will teach you how to chant the mantra. There will be a session of learning the mudras and combining its practice with the Gayatri mantra. We will finish the day with a Gayatri Meditation.

If you’re unable to attend a live session you can always catch up as you will receive replays of all the live sessions.