Patanjali Yoga Sutras

Here is a great opportunity for you to get introduced to the underlying concepts of yoga! These discussions can help greatly in developing a deeper understanding of your true nature and also eliminate stress and anxiety from your lives. I invite you to join me for this Yoga Sutra intensive.

As we all know, practice of yoga is known to provide us with a sense of well-being, both at physical and mental levels, even in trying circumstances. A study of the Yoga Sutras can help us understand how our mind functions and how we can stay calm despite the adversity we are facing. We can thus live a life full of joy and fulfillment

The class will be offered online via zoom

You can view/download the program flyer here. Feel free to share it with your own distribution lists. 

Program info

• What: An Introduction to the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali, 20-week intensive
• Access:  Remotely via Zoom. Login info will be provided upon receipt of registration and payment 
• Fee:
  • $90 – check, Zelle (use subhashmittal@gmail.com) or Venmo
  • $95 –  paypal (go to bottom of page)
• To register: please fill out the registration form, providing information in all the fields and submit it online 

Program Outline

In this program, I plan to cover all the sutras in chapters 1 and 2 and the first 15 sutras in chapter 3.

For each sutra:

• We will learn to read the sutra in Sanskrit.
• Learn the meaning of every word in the sutra.
• Learn the meaning of the sutra.
• Discuss the underlying concepts of the sutra based on my understanding developed thru a study of commentaries by various authors.
• Understand how these concepts can be applied in day-to-day life.

Topics covered:

• Six systems of Indian philosophy (Shad Darshana): Nyaya, Vaisheshika, Samkhya, Yoga, Mimansa, Vedanta
• Brief intro to Samkhya philosophy
• Definition of yoga – How the mind functions – how the ego takes over the intellect
• Abhyasa (practice) and Vairagya (dispassion)
• Concept of Ishvara
• Kleshas (afflictrions)
• Theory of Karma and reincarnation
• Samkhya in the Yoga Sutras
• Eight limbs of yoga
• 5 Yamas and 5 niyamas
• Understand the concept and practice of meditation, samadhi and self-realization

Why study the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali (YSP)?

YSP is not just a manual on the science of yoga, it is a manual on “life”. A study of this manual will help us understand:

• How to live a life full of peace, harmony, joy and fulfillment
• What is stress, what causes stress and how to manage stress
• How to achieve your maximum potential in life
• What is mind and how to understand its functioning
• What causes suffering and how can we prevent suffering
• How to keep the mind calm and peaceful in the face of adversity
• What is the goal of life and how to achieve that goal
• Does the practice of yoga only involve the practice of asana (physical postures) or is there more to this practice?
• What is self-realization
• … and much more …

Text suggestions

• Yoga Sutras of Patanjali by Swami Satchidananda (amazon.com )
• The Science of Yoga by I. K. Taimni (free pdf download here)
• Yoga Sutras of Patanjali by Edwin Bryant (amazon.com)

Please contact me if you have any questions.