Course Content

In contemporary times, the yoga sutras of Patanjali has gained popularity as the key text of yoga practice. In fact, all of the yoga practices we do inside the yoga mat is rooted in the teachings of Patanjali. By applying the principles taught in the yoga sutras, we can profoundly elevate the quality of one’s yoga practice.

Furthermore, the yoga sutras contain wisdom that can be applied in every aspect of life including outside the yoga mat. Examples include how to relate with different types of people in a way that promotes harmony, how to cultivate higher values and virtues, how to handle the impulsive tendencies of the mind, how to express excellence in action, and even how to be an effective leader in the communities we find ourselves in. 

In The Yoga of the Yoga Sutras course, we will cover a variety of topics contained in the yoga sutras, including:

• The meaning of yoga, and the ultimate objective of all yogic disciplines.
• The three main streams of abhyasas (practices) that are presented by Patanjali, namely Kriya Yoga (yoga of action), Ashtanga Yoga (8-limbed yoga) and Samadhi Yoga (Inner practices to develop equanimity).
• The obstacles in the path of yoga and strategies to overcome them.
• We will especially highlight the popular practices such as asanas, pranayama, etc and how they fit into the broad scope of yoga. Specifically, what are the unique benefits of asanas? Pranayama? Dhyana? And so on. We will also learn how they beautifully complement each other.
• In addition to the in-depth analysis and understanding of the 8-limbs of Ashtanga yoga, we will also gain clarity and precise definitions on important terms presented in the yoga sutras, such as abhyasa, vairagya, chitta, vritti, klesha, samyama, parinama, kaivalya, and many more. This clarity will extraordinarily help in one’s own yoga practice.