Book Club: First Edition

**Includes MISC readings from the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali translated by Swami Satchidananda

BOOK CLUB: First Edition, Yoga Sutras, Book 3: Sutras 1-7. CLICK HERE to Watch + Comment.

  • CLICK HERE to access reading ***If you read or have access to another translation, please share it with us in the comments below the video on YouTube. Please also treat the comments as a space to join the discussion held during the second half of this session.

  • JOURNAL PROMPT: Do you meditate? How? What is the routine? Do you know other people who meditate? Do you talk about meditation? With who?

  • HOMEWORK: Explore your meditation lineage. Where have you learned about meditation? TALK TO people and possibly TEACH them meditation. Normalize talking about mental health as much as physical health... This is an ACTIONABLE assignment, please email Chrissy about the experience and the lineage.

  • ANOTHER HOMEWORK: RESEARCH one aspect of mental health in relation to yoga. Ideas include but are not limited to: anxiety, stress, depression, grief..... etc.Find both ancient and modern sources if possible. WRITE a blog post about what you found and any personal relavance. EMAIL to Chrissy.

  • Up to 5 hrs total, YTT3.

In this session we discussed Swami Satchidananda's translation of Patanjali's Yoga Sutras, Book 1 Sutras 32-41. Here is a link to the reading discussed.

CLICK HERE to Watch + Comment. This is essentially a list of different options for meditation, almost like a greatest hits. Some of the best techniques so that obstacles and distractions will be overcome during meditation practice (and life in general). A huge emphasis is put on maintaining a "serenity" and "undisturbed calm". We also get a definition of samadhi: culmination of meditation.

  • HOMEWORK: Write an interpretation of Sutra 33. About 2 paragraphs. Email to Chrissy

  • JOURNAL PROMPT: why is the brain/mind such an important component to teach? What value does it hold in your own practice? How much do you experience physical effects vs energetic effects in your practice? Consider the readings we've done from Buddha's Brain...

  • STORYTELLING: We've talked about and heard many stories. What is a story you remember, from your own life experience or perhaps told to you by someone else, that you'll always remember? Tell this story either in a audio/video file or written in a way that expresses WHY this is unforgettable to you. Upload to our MEDIA ALBUM.

  • UP TO 3 CREDIT HOURS TOTAL, YTT3

Here we see Sutras 42-51 from Book 1 of the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali, CLICK HERE for reading. Please CLICK HERE to Watch and Add your own points of discussion in the comments!

  • JOUNRAL PROMPT: Consider DUALITY; how do we as yoga teachers address duality within the yoga community? Where is there space for duality itself to act as a teacher? Think of examples of duality on and off the mat (the breath, inner/outer work, self-love/love for others, etc)

  • HOMEWORK: Progression; we've discussed often the progression through the 8 limbs of Yoga. What we see in this reading is there is even progression thru the different phases or types of Samadhi. Have you experienced Samadhi-like states of mind? How can you describe this? Or what do you imagine it to be like? Send a written response to Chrissy about Progression and/or Samadhi

  • UP TO 2 CREDIT HOURS TOTAL, YTT3.

Yoga Sutras of Patanjali Book 1; 17-29, translated by Swami Satchidananda. I’ve lost access to my PDF of this reading… Woops! Feel free to WATCH + Comment anyways, and if you don’t already have a copy of this translation EMAIL ME and I’ll joyfully send you one, on me!

  • HOMEWORK: Consider the word science, how can modern + ancient or East + West work together, rather than versus. Can they compliment rather than contradict? Think about your own worldview AND Yoga worldview? JOURNAL

  • 1 hr, YTT3.

  • PRACTICE HOMEWORK: Revisit Sutras 21, 22 and 28. Choose a PRACTICE and level of mild, medium or intense for 4 weeks. EMAIL ME your choice. And then see what happens and circle back! Up to 4 hrs, YTT5.