A Structured Approach to Teaching Patanjali’s Yoga Sutras

Based on running the FC2 over 10 meetings

Rationale – exploring the Yoga Sutras with a view to covering the syllabus themes/questions for
group discussion and completing the written assignment at the end of the FC2
Also including some tie-in/cross over with structured approach to meditation.

Session Theme
What is Yoga?
Day 1
based on the eight limbs
The Eight Limbs of Yoga
what is yoga on a practical, systematic level
Chapter 2, v29
Recap FC1

Yama and Niyama

Day 2
Yama – ch2, v35-39
Yama and Niyama
Niyama – ch2, v40-45
Chapter 2, verse30-32, 35-
45
Assignment question 5 – importance of yama and niyama and how they can
be incorporated on and off mat
Recap FC1

Asana and Pranayama

Day 3
ch2, v46 – Stira sukham asanam
Asana and Pranayama
Firmness and softness in physical practice – asana and pranayama; also as
Chapter 2, verse46-52 integration of yama and niyama in asana and pranayama
so why do we do posture at all??

Kriya Yoga
Day 4
yoga of action, self-reflection; surrendering fruits of actions to higher force
What is yoga? – Kriya Yoga
How does this fit into eight limbs?
Chapter 2, verse1

Assignment question 4 – explain what it means to you and your personal

practice

What is yoga?
Day 5
So what is yoga really? (if not the 8 limbs?)
What is yoga?
Chapter 1, verse1-4
Session
Day 6
What is mind?
Chapter 1, verses 5-11
Day 7
How can we attain the state
of yoga?
Chapter 1, verses12-29
Day 8
What difficulties might we
encounter?
Chapter 1, verses30-31
Day 9
What does yoga bring us?
Chapter 1, verses40-51
Day 10
Between day 9 and day 10
students to research this
question and make notes to
present to the group for
discussion
Theme
ch1 v1–4 give different answer to ch2 discussed in previous sessions – gives
substance and meaning of whole text
Assignment question 1 – explain your understanding of the first 4 verses
What is mind?
Types of mental activity – understanding (v7), error (v8), imagination (v9),
deep sleep (v10), memory (v11) – how does each affect and shape our lives
Also ch1, v33-39 – how the mind works, ways to still the mind
How can we attain the state of yoga?
v12-16 – abhyasa (practice); vairagyah (renunciation)
v17-25 – suffering, ignorance
Assignment question 2 – define the qualities of abhyasa and vairagyah,
giving personal reflections on what they mean to you on and off the mat
What difficulties might we encounter?
antarya – inner obstacles that disperse the mind, prevent progress in practice
v31 – physical restlessness and disturbed breathing – refer back to Day 3,
asana and pranyama
Also v17-25 – suffering, ignorance from Day 7 as obstacles to the state of yoga
Assignment question 3 – reflect on your own obstacles to practice and how
you could overcome them
What does yoga bring us?
stages of contemplation – the journey from dharana (?v42) to dhyana (?v43)
to samadhi – tie in with structured approach to meditation – the progression
of meditation practices – with seed, without seed – to lead to integration with
the whole
Link back to Day 6 – What is mind?, Refer to Desikachar p110
Assignment question 6
chose any sutra or concept from PYS
explain why it is meaningful to you personally, both on and off the mat
give at least three specific examples of how you could incorporate this
philosophical message into your own practice and daily living