The Expanded
Yoga Sutra Study Series
The Art and Science of stilling the mind
The Art and Science of stilling the mind
When: Weekly every Saturday, 7:00 am -8:00 am Pacific time , 4:00pm-5:00pm CET, 8:30pm-9:30pm IST starting Dec. 6, 2025 (There will be no class on Dec. 20, 2025 ).
Duration of the entire study: ~25 classes for the 4 chapters
Where: Online. Recording links will be provided for each class for the participants
Requirements: This class is offered primarily as a service to transmit and preserve the yoga scriptures in their original form with the correct interpretation, just as this information had been preserved and passed on for thousands of years in more dire situations like war and persecution. For this reason, out of reverence for these scriptures, it is requested that participants commit the time to the study, by attending classes and making up for missed classes through video/audio recordings. A desire to learn is the only requirement. No prior knowledge is necessary.
Community aspects: People in the study group form a community and encourage each other in their study. Active participation in the study is encouraged through questions. A whatsapp group will also be available.
Format: The first ~55 minutes will be a slide presentation, such as this, using specifically designed slides following the classic sub-commentary of Swami Hariharananda Aranya based on Vyasa bhashya (commentary), and using many stories and analogies from Vedanta. The last ~5-10 minutes will be allocated to chanting. The material will be traditional yet light-hearted and interspersed with stories.
This in-depth study is ideally suited for yoga teachers and yoga enthusiasts who would like to describe the subtler dimensions of yoga to their students and or friends, and intersperse their classes with these jewels of timeless wisdom, applicable as much now in our world, as it was thousands of years ago.
Cost: The scriptures on Yoga are priceless. Traditionally, hundreds or thousands of years ago, it was just offered by very few people and others donated money to support this activity. In the same light, to maintain this activity of passing on the scriptural information, and to take care of costs associated, an offering is requested below, at the beginning of each chapter. The cost varies per chapter depending on the duration.
Chapter 1 - $60 (8 classes)
If you have financial difficulty or live in another country, please send me a detailed note indicating your interest in the topic and how much you can afford to pay. If you have deep respect for these scriptures and have a deep desire to learn, I will do my best to accommodate.
Paypal, Venmo (Please use the friends and family option to avoid a fee)
Registration Link: Please read the link fully and kindly only register if you are serious about attending classes and making up for missed sessions using recordings.
A minimum of 10 students are needed to hold this study series.
References:
1) A Study in comparison of the two Greatest Scriptures on Yoga
Slides
1) Samadhi Padah - The chapter on mind and meditation
2) Sadhana Padah
3) Vibhuti Padah
4) Kaivalya Padah