This course will acquaint students with the history, philosophy and intellectual framework within which yoga was conceptualised, understood and practiced by the ancients. It will argue that the understanding of yoga as mere physical or meditative tool is both reductive and self defeating. Yoga is an ethos; a principle by which to live. A deepened understanding of this concept will be developed by an examination of the original Yoga Sutras, Patanjali’s 2nd Century treatise on yoga philosophy and psychology. Readings and discussions will be supported by contemporary commentaries on the text which offer historical and intellectual perspectives. Modern scientific mapping of the human body will be juxtaposed with ways in which the ancient Yoga Masters envisioned the human body in order to illustrate and validate yoga’s scientific grounding.
Prerequisites:
None
Learning outcomes:
By the end of the course, students are able to:
Articulate the historical and philosophical perspective as well as the intellectual robustness and contemporary relevance of yoga.
Describe their awareness of their bodies as well as their minds and the vital, organic connection between the two, and awareness of breath as vital energy harnessing device according to yoga philosophy.
Devise a daily practice for themselves which is customised to their physical and mental requirements.
Apply yoga precepts to personal practice and the business of daily living.
Method of presentation:
Classroom lectures will be divided into theory and practice segments that illustrate and further amplify the theoretical construct.
Required work and form of assessment:
35% - PARTICIPATION
Participation is a vital determinant of seriousness of intent and application, as the course is progressively incremental in terms of both asana skillls and techniques along with theoretical knowledge imparted. The concepts segue tightly and sequentially with each other. Participatory skills will be factored into this assessment.
ATTENDANCE : Students are requested to please follow the IES Delhi Attendance Policy as provided to you. All absences must be explained through an email to the Instructor. In general only absence resulting from sudden illness and unpredictable emergencies may be recorded after the fact. Those apart, each student may avail of only two “excused” absences, for which permission must e obtained from the instructor AHEAD OF TIME.
30% -- FINAL PAPER
Students will write a 10,000-12,000 word paper on an approved topic drawn from the lectures and assigned readings from the course. All topics must be approved by the instructor by mid-semester. The
paper is expected to analyze the concept from a theoretical background, describe and discuss the application in daily practice and apply the findings and analysis to personal experiences as a practitioner. The paper must use a minimum of five primary and secondary sources each.
20% - YOGA JOURNAL
Students will be expected to keep a bi-weekly yoga journal in which they show active engagement and reflection on the theoretical and practical applications of the lessons in their own practice. The instructor will give weekly questions which the student will also be expected to address in the journal. The journal will be assessed on its depth of analysis of the subject matter and general grammatical and content coherence as an academic journal.
15% -FINAL PRESENTATION
At the end of the course students will be required to lead/instruct the class through one asana and two variations of the same with effect of variation on the body; guidelines on breathing pattern to be
followed in the course of the asana. Students must demonstrate their knowledge on how to modify
positions for mild physical conditions such as a weak back, injured knee or stiff neck.
content:
(Readings required for each week will follow the sequence of the Course Pack. Details of readings of each week will be made available in the full syllabus that will be handed out in the first day of class)
Today there are several schools of yoga practiced in India and abroad. After an introduction to these important styles of yoga, the defining aspects and key principles of the Krishnamacharya style of yoga will be presented in-depth. This Southern style is intensely secular, scientifically anchored and logically explicates the ancient art that draws together the body, mind and breath.
Beginning with the body, students will be imparted a methodical training in the step-by-step practice along with an understanding of the key principles of Asanas, or postures, and the logical underpinning of choosing and sequencing a set of asanas into an energizing, restorative or relaxing practice. Significant focus will be placed on the practice of breath work and will include detailed study of the differentiating features and affects of diverse Pranayama or breathing techniques viz ujjai, naadi sodana, sitli, kapaalbhati, brahmana, langhana, kumbhaka, reecaka, puraka. Rules of asana and pranayama adaption will be explained in detail along with methods of customising yoga practice to the specific physical and mental capacities or limitations of an individual.
Patanjali's Yoga Sutra Chapter One and an overview of Chapter Two, Three and Four will serve as the groundwork of cross-reference for other course readings. The aphorisms from Chapter One will be used to illustrate key concepts that have informed all yoga practices and thought in a 2000 year continuum. Two other classical texts, the Hatha Yoga Pradipika and the Yoga Rahasya will also be studied to offer an overview of a physio-philosophical discipline which is predisposed to becoming esoteric. The understanding of asana will further be deepened by a study of scientific anatomical texts with a view to correlate asanas to body dynamics. A critical reading of yoga’s trajectory of transformation as an ancient philosophy with its roots in intellectual enquiry and a holistic understanding of ‘the Self’ to becoming a branded multibillion dollar industry worldwide will also be included. The core contention of the study and practice is that yoga is quintessentially a system based equally scientific and philosophic enquiry into the nature of Mind and Body.
WEEK 1-2
The History of Yoga: origins, evolution, secular nature, relevance. Who was Patanjali and why has his Yoga Sutra been studied for the last 2000 years? How he anticipates Freud by 2000 years in the way he analyses/maps the human psyche. The essence, central message of Yoga Sutras, its decidedly logical, analytical, avowedly non religious, even heretical take on God/ Man/ Creation that situated the text, its followers outside the Hindu religious mainstream.
Introduction to the Krishnamacharya Yoga Tradition. How Krishnamacharya brought a bold new “I make the rules, I break the rules” philosophy to yoga practice, made breath central to asana practice, trained BKS Iyengar, Pattabhi Jois and devised methodologies to customise yoga to individual needs, bodies, lifestyles and more or less invented Yoga as we know it today
Why yoga is not just a physical practice? Only 2 Sutras among a total of 193 speak of Asana in Patanjali’s text.
Why do yoga? Clarity of mind? Physical well being? Both? What does Patanjali tell us on the subject?
Introduction to Breathing techniques
Basic Asana practice
READINGS:
The Yoga Sutras OF Patanjali: Edwin Bryant, Page 17-30, Page 31-43
The Heart of Yoga, TKV Desikachar, Page 145- 146 and Appendix 1, Page 230 on Yoga Sutra
WEEK 3-4
Yoga Philosophy: What are Cakras or the vital energy points in the body as conceptualised by the ancients? What is Kundalini energy? How did the Ancients map the human body? Diagrammatic representations.
Establishing significant parallels between the clinical body knowledge and yogic body tenets.
Pranayama: Philosophy of breath work in yoga, its technique and criticality to yogic practice. Differences/Advantages of Balloon vs Bucket Breathing. Importance accorded/ specific references to Breath in assorted ancient/contemporary yogic texts/commentaries/epics like Bhagvad Gita. Krisnamacharya’s definition and take on the vital importance of according attention to Breath or Prana
Introduction /in-depth explication of Nodal Sutras from Chapter One viz Sutras 1:1/1:2/1:3. Logic graph of the argument in Patanjali's Yoga Sutra, Chapter One. V brief summary of the contents of Chapters2/3/4 to offer overall perspective on the text and the context of the Chapter One.
Basic Asana Practice
READINGS:
Yoga Anatomy, Leslie Kaminoff, Chapter 1
Adi Sankara's : Yoga Taravali, English Translation and Commentary by TKV Desikachar and Kaustubh Desikachar, Krishnamacharya Yoga Mandiram, Appendix 1
The Heart Of Yoga, TKV Desikachar, Chapter 3, Chapter 6 & Chapter 15- Pgs 137-140, and Pg 149-15
Commentary on Sutras 1, 2, 3
Hathayoga Pradipika, Pancham Sinh
WEEK 5-6
Detailed insight into Chapter 1 of Patanjali's Yoga Sutra: Definition of Yoga. In the light of what we’ve learnt so far what is Yoga? How do Patanjali, Krisnamacharya, commentators ancient/modern describe/define it?
How Yoga helps bring about change/ transformation in the way we think, feel, act. How it changes ways of seeing/percieving? Reference to relevant aphorisms in Chapter One on the process, how-to techniques of achieving this
Different entry points into Yoga: physical/intellectual/spiritual. What is the IDEAL way?
Basic Asana Practice with variations in breath/movement patterns
Meditation: An Introduction
READINGS:
The Heart of Yoga, TKV Desikachar, Chapter 1, 2 & Chapter 3 plus (Pgs 38-39)
Constructing a Yoga Practice: Viniyasa Karma, i.e. the body-logic underpinning sequencing of Asanas and how it is anchored in Point/Counterpoint logic that pre-empts injury, excessive strain on muscular-skeletal mechanism.
The criticality of customising Asanas for individual needs: how one size does not fit all.
The Importance of Counterposes: illustrated with the logic of anatomy that informs it. Understanding the Dual Effect syndrome
The importance of rest.
Detailed explication of Sutras 2:46/2:47/1:14.
The Yogic Metaphor of Adi Sesa : its recurrence as mythological motif, its applicability to Asana Practice.
Asana Practice with Breath/Movement variations
Meditation Practice
READINGS:
The Heart Of Yoga, TKV Desikachar, Chapter 4
The Yoga Sutras of Patanjali, -Edwin Bryant, Page 283-288
Yoga Anatomy, Leslie Kaminoff, Chapter 2, and Pgs 33/79/119/135/163
WEEK 9-10
Asana Variations: Logic/Benefit/ Varying with Specific Intent for Specific Results
Varying the Rhythm of Asanas/Breath for specific outcomes
Understanding Classical Asanas: How Asanas facilitate passage of breath in the body.
Revisiting Pranayama: Detailed explication of Patanjali Sutras referring to Pranayama practice, its effects, its purpose- 1:34; 2:29; 2:46; 2:47; 2:49; 2:50; 2:51; 2:52; 3:40.
The Heart of Yoga, TKV Desikachar, Chapter 5 and Chapter 6, Pgs 53-58
The Yoga Sutras of Patanjali, Edwin Bryant, Commentary on Sutras listed above
WEEK 11-12
Yogic concept of Agni or the energizing fire of life.
Diagrammatic representation of Jalam, or the water element found in the body. Significance of Bandhas viz Jalandra Bandha in Ujjai breath
Diagrammatic Representation of Ida/Pingla or the twin forces that operate within the body and responsible for balance/imbalance; its correlation to Yin/Yang concept..
Concept of Prana/Apana or the two opposing forces operating in the body and responsible for respiration and digestion
Practical Aspects of Prana: How to monitor/calibrate/regulate breath to transform mind states.
Breath Ratios in Pranayama
Focus: Its centrality in Pranayama practice
Asana Practice
Meditation
READINGS:
The Heart of Yoga, TKV Desikachar, Chapter 6, Pgs 58-69
Overview of Yoga Sutras Chapter 1-4 with emphasis on how he develops his methodology for attaining clarity/eliminating miasmas stemming from incorrect knowledge/perception
Yogic Bandha Techniques: Vital to the way we envision the Yogic Body. The specific purpose they serve in eliminating toxins ie apana
Asana Practice incorporating Bandhas
Meditation
READINGS:
The Heart of Yoga, TKV Desikachar, Chapter 7
The Yoga Sutras of Patanjali, Edwin Bryant, Pg 45-58, “The Subject Matter of the Yoga Sutras”
Concluding Lecture: Overview of Patanjali's Yoga Sutras Chapter 1-4
Learnings gleaned- Applicability to relationship with Self/ World
Asana practice with Bandhas
Meditation
Final presentations
READINGS:
The Heart of Yoga, TKV Desikachar, Chapter 8-12
Awakening the Spine, Vanda Scarvellli
Required readings:
Bryant, Edwin F. The Yoga Sutras of Patanjali, UK: Macmillian. 2011
Desikachar, TKV. The Heart of Yoga: Developing a Personal Practice. Rochester, Vermont: Inner Traditions International. 1999
Desikachar, TKV and Desikachar , Kaustubh. Yoga Taravali: English Translation and Commentary.
Chennai, India:Krisnamacharya Yoga Mandiram. 2003
Kaminoff, Leslie and Elis, Sharon. Yoga Anatomy. USA: Human Kinetics Publications. 2007
Nathmuni and Krishnamacharya. Yoga Rahasya. Krishnamacharya Yoga Mandiram. 2002
Scarvalli, Vanda. Awakening the Spine. Pinter and Martin Ltd. 2010
Sinh, Pancham (Translator). Hatha Yoga Pradipika. New Delhi:Munshilal Manoharlal Publishers Pvt Ltd. 2007
Brief Biography of Instructor:
Sunil Mehra ia a certified yoga instructor of 15 years in the Krisnamacharya Yoga tradition which he has studied under the guidance of his guru- Navtej Singh Johar in Delhi since 1994. He teaches at Abhyas
Studio: the only studio propagating the Krisnamacharya Yoga tradition in North India. He received his
teaching qualification from the Mandiram Krishamacharya of Chennai.
Outside of his yoga practice, Mehra is a journalist, filmmaker, curator, author, cultural commentator who has anchored his own television show, written a book on Rajasthan, written extensively on the arts and worked in senior editorial capacity with premiere national newspapers and periodicals viz Times of India, Indian Express, Outlook, India Today.
Yoga Philosophy And Practice
This course will acquaint students with the history, philosophy and intellectual framework within which yoga was conceptualised, understood and practiced by the ancients. It will argue that the understanding of yoga as mere physical or meditative tool is both reductive and self defeating. Yoga is an ethos; a principle by which to live. A deepened understanding of this concept will be developed by an examination of the original Yoga Sutras, Patanjali’s 2nd Century treatise on yoga philosophy and psychology. Readings and discussions will be supported by contemporary commentaries on the text which offer historical and intellectual perspectives. Modern scientific mapping of the human body will be juxtaposed with ways in which the ancient Yoga Masters envisioned the human body in order to illustrate and validate yoga’s scientific grounding.
None
By the end of the course, students are able to:
Classroom lectures will be divided into theory and practice segments that illustrate and further amplify the theoretical construct.
35% - PARTICIPATION
Participation is a vital determinant of seriousness of intent and application, as the course is progressively incremental in terms of both asana skillls and techniques along with theoretical knowledge imparted. The concepts segue tightly and sequentially with each other. Participatory skills will be factored into this assessment.
ATTENDANCE : Students are requested to please follow the IES Delhi Attendance Policy as provided to you. All absences must be explained through an email to the Instructor. In general only absence resulting from sudden illness and unpredictable emergencies may be recorded after the fact. Those apart, each student may avail of only two “excused” absences, for which permission must e obtained from the instructor AHEAD OF TIME.
30% -- FINAL PAPER
Students will write a 10,000-12,000 word paper on an approved topic drawn from the lectures and assigned readings from the course. All topics must be approved by the instructor by mid-semester. The
paper is expected to analyze the concept from a theoretical background, describe and discuss the application in daily practice and apply the findings and analysis to personal experiences as a practitioner. The paper must use a minimum of five primary and secondary sources each.
20% - YOGA JOURNAL
Students will be expected to keep a bi-weekly yoga journal in which they show active engagement and reflection on the theoretical and practical applications of the lessons in their own practice. The instructor will give weekly questions which the student will also be expected to address in the journal. The journal will be assessed on its depth of analysis of the subject matter and general grammatical and content coherence as an academic journal.
15% -FINAL PRESENTATION
At the end of the course students will be required to lead/instruct the class through one asana and two variations of the same with effect of variation on the body; guidelines on breathing pattern to be
followed in the course of the asana. Students must demonstrate their knowledge on how to modify
positions for mild physical conditions such as a weak back, injured knee or stiff neck.
(Readings required for each week will follow the sequence of the Course Pack. Details of readings of each week will be made available in the full syllabus that will be handed out in the first day of class)
Today there are several schools of yoga practiced in India and abroad. After an introduction to these important styles of yoga, the defining aspects and key principles of the Krishnamacharya style of yoga will be presented in-depth. This Southern style is intensely secular, scientifically anchored and logically explicates the ancient art that draws together the body, mind and breath.
Beginning with the body, students will be imparted a methodical training in the step-by-step practice along with an understanding of the key principles of Asanas, or postures, and the logical underpinning of choosing and sequencing a set of asanas into an energizing, restorative or relaxing practice. Significant focus will be placed on the practice of breath work and will include detailed study of the differentiating features and affects of diverse Pranayama or breathing techniques viz ujjai, naadi sodana, sitli, kapaalbhati, brahmana, langhana, kumbhaka, reecaka, puraka. Rules of asana and pranayama adaption will be explained in detail along with methods of customising yoga practice to the specific physical and mental capacities or limitations of an individual.
Patanjali's Yoga Sutra Chapter One and an overview of Chapter Two, Three and Four will serve as the groundwork of cross-reference for other course readings. The aphorisms from Chapter One will be used to illustrate key concepts that have informed all yoga practices and thought in a 2000 year continuum. Two other classical texts, the Hatha Yoga Pradipika and the Yoga Rahasya will also be studied to offer an overview of a physio-philosophical discipline which is predisposed to becoming esoteric. The understanding of asana will further be deepened by a study of scientific anatomical texts with a view to correlate asanas to body dynamics. A critical reading of yoga’s trajectory of transformation as an ancient philosophy with its roots in intellectual enquiry and a holistic understanding of ‘the Self’ to becoming a branded multibillion dollar industry worldwide will also be included. The core contention of the study and practice is that yoga is quintessentially a system based equally scientific and philosophic enquiry into the nature of Mind and Body.
WEEK 1-2
READINGS:
WEEK 3-4
READINGS:
WEEK 5-6
READINGS:
WEEK 7-8
READINGS:
WEEK 9-10
READINGS:
WEEK 11-12
READINGS:
WEEK 13-14
READINGS:
WEEK 15-16
READINGS:
Bryant, Edwin F. The Yoga Sutras of Patanjali, UK: Macmillian. 2011
Desikachar, TKV. The Heart of Yoga: Developing a Personal Practice. Rochester, Vermont: Inner Traditions International. 1999
Desikachar, TKV and Desikachar , Kaustubh. Yoga Taravali: English Translation and Commentary.
Chennai, India: Krisnamacharya Yoga Mandiram. 2003
Kaminoff, Leslie and Elis, Sharon. Yoga Anatomy. USA: Human Kinetics Publications. 2007
Nathmuni and Krishnamacharya. Yoga Rahasya. Krishnamacharya Yoga Mandiram. 2002
Scarvalli, Vanda. Awakening the Spine. Pinter and Martin Ltd. 2010
Sinh, Pancham (Translator). Hatha Yoga Pradipika. New Delhi:Munshilal Manoharlal Publishers Pvt Ltd. 2007
Sunil Mehra ia a certified yoga instructor of 15 years in the Krisnamacharya Yoga tradition which he has studied under the guidance of his guru- Navtej Singh Johar in Delhi since 1994. He teaches at Abhyas
Studio: the only studio propagating the Krisnamacharya Yoga tradition in North India. He received his
teaching qualification from the Mandiram Krishamacharya of Chennai.
Outside of his yoga practice, Mehra is a journalist, filmmaker, curator, author, cultural commentator who has anchored his own television show, written a book on Rajasthan, written extensively on the arts and worked in senior editorial capacity with premiere national newspapers and periodicals viz Times of India, Indian Express, Outlook, India Today.