Weaving the Yoga Sutras into Everyday Life
Weaving the Yoga Sutras into Everyday Life
A FREE online discussion and exploration of the Yoga Sutras
with Shuba Wavikar of Revolution Community Yoga in Acton Massachusetts
Pre-register for the sessions in order to receive a recording you will have access to for 6 days.
UPCOMING SESSIONS:
Sunday, Dec. 21st @ 3 – 4pm • {REGISTER}
Yoga is so much more than physical practice. The Yoga Sutras of Sage Patanjali offer us timeless wisdom for living our lives even today. They offer us a way to understand yoga, and are a practical guide for working toward spiritual evolution. This 12-part series of monthly discussions is a humble attempt to delve into this treasure trove. While we may glance into other texts like the Bhagavad Geeta and the Samkhyakarika, the Yoga Sutras will remain our primary focus, and we will consider them in the context of our lives.
The Sutras (or aphorisms) are divided into four Padas or portions or chapters – Samadhi Pada (on contemplation/ meditative absorption), Sadhana Pada (on practice), Vibhuti Pada (on accomplishments/ mystic powers) and Kaivalya Pada (on Absoluteness).
Our tentative plan for the first three sessions (Samadhi Pada) is as follows (we may revise as we go):
Session 1) Samadhi Pada
• A little about Sage Patanjali and the Sutra style.
• The first 4 sutras.
• A brief understanding of Samkhya philosophy, as necessary groundwork for understanding yoga.
• Concepts – Purusha, Prakriti, Gunas, Chitta, Vritti.
Session 2) Samadhi Pada
• The five Vrittis
• Abhyasa and Vairagya to restrain vrittis.
• Samadhi – samprajnata and asamprajnata
Session 3) Samadhi Pada
• Concepts of Ishvara and Om.
• The nine obstacles and four accompaniments.
• Means to steady the mind.
We will revisit Samadhi in Sutras 1.41-1.51 a little later.
Recommended Yoga Philosophy Resources:
Bhagavad Gita – a translation of your choice
Samkhya Karika – a translation of your choice
“Yoga Philosophy of Patanjali” by Swami Hariharananda Aranya
“The Yoga Sutras of Patanjali” translation and commentary by Sri Swami Satchidananda
“Patanjali’s Yoga Sutras” translated by Rama Prasad
“The Yoga Sutras of Patanjali”, a new edition, translation, and commentary by Edwin Bryant
“Light on the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali” by B.K.S. Iyengar
“Core of the Yoga Sutras” by B.K.S. Iyengar
“The Heart of Yoga – Developing a Personal Practice” by T. K. V. Desikachar
“The Path of the Yoga Sutras: A Practical Guide to the Core of Yoga” by Nicolai Bachman
“The Wisdom of Yoga” by Stephen Cope
“The Yamas and Niyamas” by Deborah Adele
“The Yoga Sutra of Patanjali” a new translation with commentary by Chip Hartranft
“History of Yoga Full Film English” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JoRwXMLsVis
Shubhada Wavikar
Originally from India, I see yoga as a way of life. I consider yoga an incredible, transformative, blessing. I am a registered yoga instructor and received my 200 hour and 300-hour teacher training at The Yoga Studio in Millis, MA, and an additional 300-hour teacher training at Down Under Yoga, MA. I am trained in oncology yoga (through yoga4cancer), yoga as a therapy (a short certificate course through The Yoga Institute, Mumbai, India), chair yoga (through Lakshmi Voelker), yoga nidra (through Divine Sleep), laughter yoga (through Laughter Yoga International) and kids’ yoga (through Kidding Around Yoga). I regularly attend online classes and workshops through yoga institutes in India and the US, and these greatly inform my practice and sharing.
I am deeply interested in all of yoga’s teachings and practices. Yoga philosophy has many lessons for our lives today. I continue to learn from the Yoga Sutras, Samkhya Philosophy, the Bhagavad Geeta and several yoga texts.
When not on my mat, I love being outdoors, gardening and hiking. I’m also a voracious reader, and a lover of murder mysteries 🙂