Understanding the Wisdom of the East
Sanskrit is studied in the School primarily to understand the wisdom contained in the major philosophical works of the East, such as the Bhagavad Gita and the Upanishads. The philosophy of ‘Advaita Vedanta’ often called ‘monism’ in the West is best expressed in Sanskrit and we borrow many of the words from Sanskrit in our philosophy classes to avoid ambiguity or just because there are no words in the vernacular to express some philosophical concepts. We also practice reflection using Sanskrit phrases as well as mantra meditation.
The Beauty of Sanskrit
the sound cleanses my heart. It makes me happy and when I sound it, the people that hear it seem happy too.
The global influence of sanskrit
Abhinav Seetharaman, an undergraduate student at Columbia University, delivered a talk about Sanskrit and its global influence. One of Abinhav’s concerns is why Latin and Ancient Greek are taught much more than Sanskrit, for he explained how all three have had an immense influence on the world in which we live today. He explained and demonstrated how learning Sanskrit has ameliorated his pronunciation, linguistic and cultural understanding, and view of the world.
It makes you smarter
Here is a great article in Scientific American A Neuroscientist Explores the "Sanskrit Effect". The author shows how MRI scans show that memorizing ancient mantras increases the size of brain regions associated with cognitive function.
Sanskrit language links
Here are some links on the Sanskrit language that you may find interesting:
Lively Discussion
In a spirit of enquiry, we explore philosophical principles based on personal experience.
Practical Resources
You will learn simple exercises in awareness to connect with peace and stillness
All are Welcome
You don't need to have studied philosophy before, all you need is a desire to examine life and enjoy it more fully.