Description
Course Content:
In this course, youth students will learn to integrate the principles and concepts of Holistic Yoga into their lifestyle and an improved quality of life and wellbeing i.e. higher energy levels, better quality of sleep, and reduced proclivity for stress related conditions. In addition to this, students will learn to teach each other in a mock class environment in small group settings with a faculty who guides and moderates the student groups. Teaching yoga is best learned under a mentor in a class-setting. Students will engage in active interaction in a live online class setting.
The core content of this in-depth course consists of holistic Ashtanga Yoga with a rich and comprehensive set of asana and pranayama techniques as well as the concepts of eight-limbed approach to yoga that synthesizes the traditional knowledge of yogic and Vedantic texts, such as Patanjali Yoga Sutras, Bhagavad Gita, among others.
Learning Objective:
- Learn in-depth, the yoga practices of breath-synchronized movements, asana, pranayama, and meditation techniques.
- Understand the yoga philosophy as described in the Bhagavad Gita, Upanishads, and Patanjali Yoga Sutras and how they apply to one’s daily life.
- Apply yoga practices and concepts to manage their physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual health.
- Shadow experienced yoga instructors in online class to understand class and teaching dynamics
- Understand the eight limbs of Ashtanga Yoga — yama, niyama, asana, pranayama, pratyahara, dharana, dhyana, and Samadhi.
- Advance in the practice of holistic ashtanga yoga techniques
Yoga, as practiced by modern society, is a path to achieving optimal health and wellness. Integrated holistic systems of yoga bring forth positive health at physical, pranic, mental, emotional, and spiritual levels (pancha kosha). In this in-depth course, we will learn the practical techniques of asanas, pranayama, meditation, and relaxation along with the subtle nuances of these practices, their contraindications, benefits, and spiritual significance. We will also learn in-depth concepts of Ashtanga Yoga as described in Patanjali Yoga Sutras and the four streams of yoga as described in the Bhagavad Gita. The eight steps of Ashtanga Yoga give a comprehensive and systematic approach to developing one’s mind.
Apart from Ashtanga yoga as a practice of Raja Yoga, the other three disciplines that we include are Karma Yoga (the yoga of detached action), Bhakti Yoga, (the yoga of love, acceptance, and devotion), and Jnana Yoga (the yoga of contemplation and reflection). By combining all four streams of yoga — Raja yoga, Karma yoga, Bhakti yoga, and Jnana yoga — one is able to achieve a state of peace, creativity, and fulfillment in life. We will learn about each stream of yoga and delve deeply into Raja yoga specifically, which focuses on disciplining the mind and body using yoga practices. This course contains hands-on learning of yoga practices, techniques, and teaching skills through lectures, discussions, yoga manuals, offline assignments, and daily self-practice.
Area of Study: Yoga Studies
Prerequisites: None
Required / Elective: Required
Faculty: Anil Surpur, Ashwini Surpur,Rima Shah
Days, Time & Date:
Weekday Batch – June 27, 2022 – August 4, 2022 – Monday to Thursday – 06.30 pm EST – 10.00 pm EST + Yoga Retreat (see below)
Weekend Batch – June 25, 2022 – July 31, 2022 – Saturday & Sunday – 11:00 am EST – 04.30 pm EST + Yoga Retreat (see below)
Yoga Retreat: Mandatory for both weekend and weekday batch (Online or in-person option available)
Quarter Offered: Summer 2022
