Shanti School Yoga Sutra Workshop

The Yoga Sutras: A Practical Guide to Enlightenment Overview Although Modern place emphasis on physical poses, this is a small piece of the entire system known as yoga. Doing asanas alone won’t help attain enlightenment, a state where “there is only the experience of consciousness, truth, and unutterable joy,” according to Iyengar. Lucky for us, Patanjali succinctly describes the way through the Eight Limbs of Yoga in his Yoga Sutras. Each limb addresses a different aspect of being, moving from outward to inward. By following the eight limbs, we move away from identifying with the material world of self and objects and towards the final limb - pure awareness. Though listed linearly, the limbs are interconnected, more like the limbs of a tree. Yoga, coming from the root “Yuj” means “union or reunion,” and a sutra is a thread or aphoristic verse. Patanjali's sutras explain how we can reconnect with our true nature, Self, absolute stillness in a process of systematically encountering, examining, and transcending each of the various gross and subtle levels of false identity in the mind field, until the jewel of the true Self comes shining through. When Patanjali codified, or compiled the Yoga Sutras, it was not that a new system was created, but rather, the ancient practices were summarized in an extremely organized and terse way. While the Yoga Sutras are thought to be as old as 400 BCE, archaeological evidence and other texts suggest that the methods described in the Yoga Sutras were being practiced as early as 3000 BCE. Oral tradition states that the period may be even longer. Most believe the Yoga Sutras were written around 200 or 300 BC, by Patanjali, though some date it around 200 AD. This time is called the Classical period of Yoga. The preceding PreClassical period dates back to 3000 BC & includes the , Upanishads, Mahabharata (Bhagavad Gita, too) & the Ramayana. The Classical Period, according to Feuerstein, applies specifically to the eightfold Yoga, aka Raja Yoga. (see p. 35 in manual). If Patanjali lived in the second century, as many propose, he may well have been exposed to the considerable influence of Buddhism at that time. There are numerous similarities, but also differences. For one, Patanjali’s treastise is "dualistic"; there is a discrimination between the physical mind-body (prakriti) & the transcendent self (parusha). Much of the philosophy at that time was non-dualistic. Indeed, the period following the Classical Period, Post-Classical Yoga is defined by this difference. “The Yoga Sutras are concise & compact. No word is superfluous. They are compiled in such a way as to cover all the various facets of life, exploring each in depth. Patanjali shows the initiated as well as the uninitiated ways of adopting the principles of yoga and adapting its techniques, of plumbing each sutra, so that one may grasp it with integrity, purity and divinity” (Iyengar). There are four basic padas (feet) or chapters 1) Samadhi Pada - Timeless Insight/Chapter on Ecstasy (for the enlightened) 2) Sadhana Pada - Practice (for the rest of us, how to get there) 3) Vibhuti-Pada - The Way of Splendor 4) Kaivalya Pada - Freedom without Measure Teaching the Yoga Sutras Desikachar says, "Patanjali's Yoga Sutra is the heart of yoga (heart = hrdaya, that which doesn't change), but the heart without prana is not alive and is without relevance for us. He explains that the teaching relationship is the prana or life of the Yoga Sutra, it is the teacher who brings the heart into life. The Yoga Sutra is a potent tool for the teacher who is able to make it relevant to the student and thus transmit the transformative power of the heart. Rama says "It can be comforting to know that the Yoga Sutra is actually designed for teachers as a guideline in training students. By remembering this orientation, it is easier to see that at the current moment, only portions of the text apply to you personally. The rest can then be allowed to come along the way. While progressing along the path, it is very useful to have a general understanding of the whole process being outlined in the Yoga Sutras." In ancient times, knowledge such as the Vedas & Upanishads was passed on orally. Now, most of this teaching is lost & we must depend upon books to gain access to this treasure past. Passionate teachers can preserve this heritage by learning its essential nature & weaving it into teaching through asana, meditation, pranayama & chanting.

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Samadhi Pada 1.1 "Atha Yoganusasanam" Now begins the exposition of Yoga 1.2 "yogah cittavrtti nirodhah" Yoga is the cessation of movements in the consciousness 1.3 "tada drastuh svarupe avasthanam" Then the seer dwells in his own true splendour. 1.4 "vrtti sarupyam itaratra" At other times, the seer identifies with the fluctuating consciousness.

1.12 “abhyasa vairagyabhyam tannirodhah” Practice and detachment are the means to still the movements of consciousness.

Sadhana Pada 2.1 "tapah svadhyaya Isvarapranidhanani kriyayogah" Burning zeal in practice, self-study and study of scriptures, and surrender to God are the acts of yoga. 2.2 "samadhi bhavanarthah klesa tanukaranarthasca" The practice of yoga reduces afflictions and leads to samadhi. 2.3 "avidya asmita raga dvesa abhinivesah klesah" The five afflictions which disturb the equilibrium of consciousness are: ignorance/lack of wisdom, ego, pride of the ego/sense of 'I', attachment to pleasure, aversion to pain, fear of death and clinging to life. 2.4 "avidya ksetram-uttaresam prasupta-tanu-vichchhinna-udaranam" Avidya is the cause of all the others, whether dormant, attenuated, intermittent, or fully active. 2.28 "yoga-anga-anusthanad-asuddhi-ksaye jnana-diptir-aviveka-khyateh" By practicing the limbs of yoga, impurity is destroyed and the radiance of jnana leads to viveka. 2.29 "yama--asana-pranayama-pratyahara-dharana-dhyana-samadhayo'stav-angani" The eight limbs of yoga are: yama (self-restraint), niyama (right observances), asana (right alignment), pranayama (regulation of the life force), pratyahara (withdrawal of the senses so one can turn inward), dharana (concentration to attain stillness of mind), dhyana (meditation, by learning to flow the mind into one uninterrupted stream, the mind becomes illuminated), and samadhi (enlightenment, sense of separateness melts away, we go beyond consciousness to a state of total union & peace. Profound silence). 2.30 "ahimsa-satya-asteya-brahmacharya-aparigraha yamah" The are non-violence, truth, non-stealing, containment, and non-grasping. 2.32 "saucha-samtosa-tapah-svadhyaya-isvarapranidhanani-niyamah" The are purity, contentment, self-discipline (tapas), self-study & dedication to God. 2.46 “sthira sukham asanam” Asana is perfect firmness of body, steadiness of intelligence and benevolence of spirit. 2.47 “prayatna saithilya ananta samapattibhyam” Perfection in an asana is achieved when the effort to performit becomes effortless and the infinite being within is reached. 2.48 “tatah dvandvah anabhighatah” From then on, the sadhaka is undisturbed by dualities.

Shanti Yoga School Shanti Yoga School Yoga Sutra Workshop

Exercise One: Developing Your Checklist

1. Group Guidelines 2. Recall your favorite teacher from the past. Recall a specific experience you remember about their class. What qualities made them effective? Recall your least favorite teacher from the past. What qualities made them least effective? In one sentence be prepared to share this with the group. 3. Teaching Checklists - Develop a checklist to begin your class based on the Yamas & Niyamas

Exercise Two: Weaving Themes into Asana Practice

Prepare a 10 minute segment to introduce the idea of ahimsa. Ahimsa - In Eastern thought, nonviolence is so valued that it stands as the very core and foundation of all yoga philosophy and practice. At the core of all violence is fear. Courage - Risk-taking allows us to overcome our fear. To create a life and a world free of violence is first and foremost to find our own courage. Courage is not the absence of fear, but the ability to be afraid without being paralyzed. Courage is found by facing our fears. Balance - Balance comes from listening to the guidance and wisdom of the inner voice. When we are in balance, we automatically live in nonviolence Powerlessness - One of the biggest challenges to maintaining balance is feeling powerless.... which leads to outward aggression in the form of frustration & anger, depression & victimization. We fear our own power and we often feel trapped at our sense of powerlessness. We feel like we've run out of choices. Ahimsa invites us to question this feeling rather than accept it. When we feel powerless, we have forgotten how much choice we really have. To shift out of a powerless rut - practicing gratitude, trust in the moment & thinking about others. Sometimes this sense of powerlessness comes from a childhood story...perhaps at one time true, no longer needed. Look at habitual ways of thinking. Self-Love - How we treat ourselves is in truth how we treat others. When we are unwilling to look deeply and courageously into our own lives, we can easily violate others in many subtle ays that we may not even be aware of, thinking that we are actually helping them. Compassion - We learn compassion as we dissolve our personal version of the world and grow gentle eyes that are not afraid to see reality as it is. Examples: Asana - Courage = Warrior I, Balance = Warrior III Pranayama - Holding the breath (Courage), Alternate nostril breathing (Balance) Meditation - Max's "Imagine a child" & Loving Kindness Metta

Om work

To Journal/Consider or Try: Courage = One thing that you wouldn't normally do. Balance/Trust = Find guidance from the messages of your own body....do you need more sleep, more quiet time, courageously follow (Erich’s grocery store, traffic ‘copter) Self Love = Notice what you might be avoiding in your own life because you are so interested in others' lives. Self Love 2 = Pretend you are complete (read the Dreamer poem)...how would it feel?

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