I am pleased to announce a 14-day Beginner Level yoga program. If you are a yoga newbie, this program will introduce you to the basics of asana (physical postures), pranayama (breathing techniques) and meditation. If you already have yoga experience, this program will help you enrich your yoga experience and also motivate you to re-establish your personal ongoing practice. Over the course of the program, I will offer guidance on how to build your practice at home so you can continue to enjoy the benefits of your practice.
Flyer: You can download the flyer here. Feel free to share it with your own distribution lists.
You can join the program online via zoom or in-person at my home studio.
Program Information
What: 14-day Beginner Level yoga program
When: Sunday, Oct 20 – Saturday, Nov 2, 2024
Time: 6:00 – 7:30 AM (US East Coast time, EST)
In-person: At my home studio located at 206 Redwood Park Drive, Morrisville, NC 27560
Zoom access: The link to access via zoom will be provided upon receipt of registration and payment.
Vairāgya (non-attachment/dispassion) is a key concept presented in Indian spiritual philosophy. Many of the texts including the Bhagavad Gita, Yoga Sutras of Patanjali and the Upanishads (see below for a few selected verses from these texts) emphasize the value of vairagya in eliminating suffering (commonly experienced stresses and strains in daily life) leading to a life full of peace and joy.
The word Vairagya (वैराग्य – vairāgya) is derived from the word ‘rāga’ (likes, attraction, attachment), the attraction which arises due to pleasure derived from any life experience. Vairagya is the opposite of ‘raga’ and means the absence of attachment to the pleasure that we derive from the objects of desire. Even though the word vairagya is derived from ‘raga’, it also includes the opposite of raga called ‘dvesha’ (dislike) which arises as a result of dislike or repulsion toward an object. Raga (likes) and dvesha (dislikes) are strong negative forces which create disturbance and pain in the mind.
In an earlier article, I presented the basic concepts of Jnana Yoga which are largely identified with the philosophy of Vedanta. However, some of the main concepts in Jnana Yoga are also to be found in the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali as well as the Philosophy of Samkhya.
As is common in most systems of Indian philosophy, the goal of all spiritual pursuit is the attainment of self-realization which can liberate one from the continuous cycle of transmigration.
Before discussing the concepts of Jnana yoga in the Yoga Sutras and Samkhya, it is important to understand some key differences between Vedanta and Yoga/Samkhya. As we saw in the previous article, the non-dual (Advaita) Vedanta school recognizes only one reality known as Brahman (supreme consciousness). This material creation consisting of conscious (Chetana) and non-conscious (achetana or jada) elements is simply an appearance in the space of consciousness (Brahman). This appearance is temporary as it has a beginning and an end. That is why it is also known as Māyā or an illusion. In yoga/Samkhya, however, there are two realities – Purusha (consciousness) and Prakriti (source of material creation). In this system, Purusha represents consciousness. Prakriti (also known as Mula Prakriti or Pradhana), while having no consciousness of its own, functions based on consciousness “borrowed” or “reflected” from Purusha.
A regular practice of meditation is known to give you all the above and many more benefits.
I invite you to join me for the next 14-day Meditation Intensive. In this program, I will be presenting the basic concepts of meditation and practice several meditation techniques.
No prior asana, pranayama or meditation experience is required.
A brief outline of what I plan to cover in the course is given in this document (pdf format) in my dropbox folder.
Flyer: You can view/download the program flyer here. Feel free to share it on social media and with your own distribution lists.
Program Information
What: 14-day Meditation Intensive
When: Monday, Sept 16 – Sunday, Sept 29, 2024
Time: 6:00 – 7:30 AM (US East Coast time, EST)
Participation: Hybrid mode
In-person at my home yoga studio located at 206 Redwood Park Drive, Morrisville, NC 27560
Remotely via zoom – zoom login info will be provided upon receipt of registration and payment
As mentioned an a previous article, the Bhagavad Gita is one of the most revered texts in the Hindu philosophical thought. The text captures the philosophy, psychology, and practical guidelines on how we can lead a very purposeful and fulfilling life. The goal of life, as presented in the Gita and other Hindu scriptures, is to attain Self-realization which is to recognize our true nature as being beyond identification with the mind-body complex. Self-realization is also known as the state of spiritual liberation (moksha) wherein on gets liberated from the continuous cycle of birth, death and rebirth (called saṃsāra).
The Gita contains a variety of concepts and ideas that are usually folded into four paths or approaches in life that can help us in our spiritual growth and evolution:
Yoga offers a multitude of benefits at all levels – physical, physiological, mental, emotional, spiritual and deeper. Most of these benefits can be combined under these four broad categories:
Strength
Flexibility
Endurance
Balance
In this article, I will be presenting a set of asanas and asana sequences that will help develop strength in the upper body. Everything above the waist – writs, arms, shoulders, neck, the back and the core area – constitute the upper body that we’ll be working on. Of course, we must recognize that all these four attributes go hand-in-hand. The same asana or asana sequence can help develop all four – strength, flexibility, endurance and balance.
In this video, I am presenting a 35-minute sequence to develop upper body strength. I hope you’ll enjoy practicing this sequence.
The Bhagavad Gita is one of the most revered texts in the Hindu philosophical thought. It contains a dialog between Lord Krishna, who is presented as God incarnate, and the warrior prince Arjuna. The text captures the philosophy, psychology, and practical guidelines on how we can engineer our day-to-day life. The goal of life, as presented in most Hindu scriptures, is to attain Self-realization which is to recognize our true nature as being beyond identification with the mind-body complex.
The Gita contains a variety of concepts and ideas that can help us lead a very purposeful and fulfilling life. These concepts are usually folded into four paths or approaches in life that can help us in our spiritual growth and evolution:
I am pleased to announce the next 21-day Yoga Immersion program. The past programs have been very well received by all the participants. For most of them, it has been truly a life-transforming experience. I invite you to join me on this exciting and deeply rewarding 21-day yoga journey.
No prior asana, pranayama or meditation experience is required.
You can participate in the program online via zoom or in-person at my home studio.
Flyer: You can download the 21-day Yoga Immersion flyer here. Feel free to share it with your own distribution lists.
What: 21-day yoga immersion
When: Monday, June 10 – Sunday, June 30, 2024
Time: 6:00 AM – 7:30 AM (US East Coast time, EST)
In-person participation: at my home studio located at 206 Redwood Park Drive, Morrisville, NC 27560
Zoom Access: Login info will be provided upon receipt of registration and payment
Recent Comments