Contemplative Listening in EFL: Applying the Vedic Sravana-Manana Nididhyasana Model

Abstract

This conceptual article proposes a pedagogical model for English as a Foreign Language (EFL) listening instruction grounded in the Vedic learning tradition of t i sravana (attentive listening), manana (reflective contemplation), and nididhyasana (deep meditation and internalization). Although EFL pedagogy in the modern world focuses on bottom-up and top-down processing theories, the models do not always address the contemplative aspect of the listening process that promotes metacognitive awareness and transformative learning. Based on Hindu philosophical sources, specifically the Upanishads and Bhagavad Gita, in this article, the author explains how the three phases of the Vedic model can be used to address the long-standing gaps in the existing listening pedagogy through the cooperation of mindful attention, critical reflection, and embodied internalization. The proposed model is not just the listening skill of receptivity, but it is also the reflective practice, which stimulates higher order thinking, emotional engagement and development. Operationalization of every phase of the model has been done by using specific classroom activities, curriculum design principles, and teacher education suggestions. The article frames these Eastern philosophical insights within modern studies of mindfulness, metacognition, and embodied cognition and shows fruitful parallels between the Vedic model and current theories of second-language acquisition. It describes the implications for EFL curriculum design, teacher professional development, and classroom practice, and offers suggestions for empirically validating this Eastern-based pedagogical model across various educational settings.