The Philosophy of Ashtanga Yoga

Course Outline

• The course includes over 35 hours of video as well as written introductions. Watching the videos and writing notes is the primary modality.

• There will be a live zoom session once per month. You are not required to join but you are encouraged to do so. These sessions will begin at 10am Central Standard Time USA on a Saturday morning.

• The zoom code for joining is https://us02web.zoom.us/j/3450843095 and to see the schedule for lectures go to my Training Page and scroll down to the schedule.

• Most of the content can be listened to like a podcast. Try to immerse yourself in this material and listen to it as often as possible. Let it sink in.

• Relax into Indian English. If you don’t understand everything right off don’t worry too much. Keep playing it in the background and your ability to understand will improve rapidly.

• During the course you should also read the Bhagavad Gita and Patanjali Sutras. (any reputable translation is fine. (Any reputable translation is fine. The translations by Swami Satchitananda are clear and easy to read)

• Make a journal for the course and write your thoughts as you absorb the content.

• You have 12 months to complete the course, after which the content is no longer available. Get what you can!

• This course can be taken on its own or as part of my 200 hr Training. If you wish to have a certificate of graduation endorsed by Ashtanga Yoga Studio and Samskriti Foundation for this course you may apply to take an oral exam consisting of 20 questions.

• The exam fee is $108

• You must answer at least 15 of the 20 questions correctly to pass.

• If you fail the exam and wish to try again you may do so but you have to pay the exam fee each time you retake the exam.

• You get 100 hrs of continuing education with Yoga Alliance whether you pass or fail the oral exam.

• After 12 months the certificate is no longer available. (if you have exceptional circumstances you may present them for consideration)

• If you pass the exam you will be given a certificate of graduation certified by Ashtanga yoga Studio and Samskriti Foundation in Mysore.

• I am well aware of how LONG this page is. Skip around if you must but the order of videos and information has been carefully arranged to give you a wonderful experience with each video preparing you for the next.

This course is a journey into Indian philosophy with the Sanskrit community in Mysore. In this course we will try to see yoga through the eyes of the community of Mysore as we explore the spiritual tradition and culture that the practice of Ashtanga Vinyasa Yoga has come from. We will look particularly at the spiritual tradition that Sri Krishnamacharya belonged to and learn about the world view and philosophy that this tradition holds.

For our first experience we will watch the documentary film Mysore Yoga Traditions. Even if you have watched it before, it is best to watch it again. This will give an overview of the material we will be covering. It also has subtitles and can help you get used to Indian English. If you aren’t used to listening to an Indian accent you will have to relax into it. With a little practice you will realise most speakers are actually very easy to understand. In the meanwhile watching and reading subtitles can speed the process!

Mysore Yoga Traditions was filmed in 2016. This was the beginning of many great friendships and it opened my eyes to the depth of knowledge that exists among the scholars of Mysore! In this course we will go deep into Indian thought as we explore a wide spectrum of Indian Philosophy with the Sanskrit community of Mysore.

Mysore Yoga Traditions Film gives an overview of what you are in for. As Gangadhar Bhat says, “if you want to understand yoga, you have to study the WHOLE philosophy because there is cross reference.” We will to do just that! There is no getting to the bottom of Indian philosophy in one course, or even one lifetime, but we will learn about many aspects of Indian culture, thought and philosophy with brilliant scholars who have lifelong experience with the subjects they are teaching.

Guruji BNS as I call him is really the man who made all this possible. It was through him that I met the Sanskrit community of Mysore and it was because I was studying with him that they were willing to work with me. The years of work with him and the many times I was yelled at for what were considered to be irrelevant of disrespectful questions taught the manners and etiquette necessary to work with traditional Sanskrit scholars. He is a mad poet of sorts. Half joking and speaking in riddles, he taught me so much. His talks have lingered in my mind for years and taken much time to understand and fully assimilate. I brought Guruji BNS to America in 2014 and he lived with me for a month. He introduced me to many new ways of thinking. I owe this man an infinite debt of gratitude! Click the button below to find a collection of his writings so that you can understand the true genius of this great scholar.

Mysore Yoga Parampara. What is it?

Parampara is a Sanskrit word which means “that which is passed on from generation to generation.” In the eyes of the Sanskrit community of Mysore, Parampara is not so much about yoga postures as a tradition of spiritual practice. In our journey together we will focus on the spiritual tradition that Sri Krishnamacharya and other great teachers come from. Ashtanga Vinyasa Yoga has come into the world through this Mysore Yoga Parampara. There has been much debate among foreign yoga practitioners as to what “traditional yoga” is and what it means to be a traditional yoga practitioner. Being devoted to ones teacher and practicing asanas exactly as we are taught can be part of it no doubt, but the concept of parampara is much broader than that. It implies a view of life and a spiritual practice as well as physical practices. Parampara should not be seen as a kind of pyramid scheme to market a particular kind of asana practice. This was never its intended purpose.

If one would like to connect with this great tradition beyond simply practicing postures in the way they are taught by teachers who live in Mysore, listening to the elders of the community talk about Indian philosophy and share their views on life and the original purpose of asana practice is a very good place to begin. Mysore has been a centre of knowledge and study of Indian philosophy for centuries. There is a great tradition of scholarship and academic excellence. Many philosophical texts were cataloged and preserved by the Royal Family of Mysore.

In this course you will hear the great scholars of Mysore teaching about Indian philosophy and how it pertains to everyday life. To follow the teachings of yoga as taught by them, trying to apply these teachings as best we are able to our lives is a very tangible and real way to connect with Mysore Yoga Parampara. The people speaking in this course are all seasoned scholars with deep and profound knowledge to share.

Sri Krishnamacharya is considered to be the father of modern yoga. When we look into asana practices world wide, we see that his teaching influenced at least half of all postural yoga practices being done today. A lot of scholarship has been done about where the postures Sri Krishnamacharya taught may have come from. Those books are readily available and give conflicting ideas. The long and short of it is simply that no one has any clear information about Rama Mohan Brahmacharya, the teacher he is said to have learned his asana practices from.

Popular yoga culture hasn’t thought to explore the spiritual lineage of Sri Krishnamacharya. This is actually much easier to do and there is much more to look at. Sri Krishnamacharya was an Iyengar. His spiritual roots were in Vishishtadvaita philosophy and he came from a tradition known as Nathamuni Sampradaya. All Iyengars can trace their ancestry back to one of 74 different priests appointed by the sage Ramanuja approximately 1000 years ago. Sri Ramanuja who was the founder if Vishishtadvaita philosophy. We will be learning primarily with people who belong to this tradition in order to get as much insight as possible into this tradition.

There are three different views of Indian philosophy. Dvaita, Advaita, and Vishishtadvaita. Dualism, Non-dualism and Qualified Non-dualism as they are often called. Many texts in Indian philosophy have different commentaries from each of these different points of view. This accounts for a lot of divergence and contradictions. Indian philosophers have been debating for centuries about philosophy and arguing their different points of view! To start with we will look at these three kinds of philosophical views. They are fundamentally different, although they do share common ground.

Sri Lakshmithathacharya Swami was the Acharya of Nathamuni Sampradaya until he reached his final samadhi in May of 2021. He was my teacher and I loved him very much. His passing was sorely grieved in Mysore and many places around India and the world. Sri Lakshmithathachar was a legendary scholar, thinker, scientist and a great proponent of Vedic culture. when you add up all his publications and the projects he oversaw as well as the experiments he conducted, and the extreme diversity of what he did in his life, it is very impressive. He permanently changed my world view and understanding of spirituality and God. He was a great yogi. When I met him I got goosebumps. I didn’t really know who he was until after he passed away. He made time for me despite being very busy and having so many responsibilities. I remember him saying one day “If I take the time to teach you this, you must never forget it as long as you live.” He was one of the great Rishis of Mysore and when one is fortunate enough to spend time with such a person it leaves a huge impression. He left many gifts behind. The greatest of which is his eldest son, Sri Alwar who has been trained for his entire life to step into the role of Acharya and who has assumed that role with grace and poise. I have come to know that they are in fact the last unbroken lineage of the Iyengars. This means that they have kept their tradition alive, passing it down uninterrupted from father to son, for the last thousand years since the time of Ramanuja.

To read the profound history of this lineage and the stories of all the important Acharyas going back to the time of Ramanuja and before click the button below. This is the real Mysore Yoga Parampara that everyone imagined must exist somehow but never knew about.

We will begin with the Shet Darshanas, or six orthodox Indian philosophies. Who could possible be better to explain these things? What you will experience here is the masterful teaching of a seasoned spiritual leader who had a lifetime of experience. He always said the spirit moved through him and that it was not even his teaching.

Yoga is one of these six orthodox philosophies. In order to understand Yoga one needs to have a basic understanding of the other five philosophies, particularly Sankhya which is a sister system to Yoga. All of these six philosophies play a role in Indian thought and they build upon each other. There is a lot of cross reference which is missed entirely if one is not familiar with them. What you will get from watching the videos of the Shet Darshanas is not only a basic idea of what the Shet Darshanas are but how they are seen and understood in the yogic tradition that Sri Krishnamacharya came from which is Nathamuni Sampradaya.

Each darshana is a huge body of knowledge. However there are certain basic concepts that are used again and again in explaining all philosophy.

Vaisheshika Philosophy

Vaisheshika Philosophy deals with the nature of perception. Kanada Kashyapa is the author of this school of philosophy. One common point often raised among the scholars in Mysore is that while western science would say matter of factly that light travels into the retina, refracts on the optic nerve and the brain interprets the things we see, Vaisheshika philosophy sees it differently. The mechanism of the eye is not argued here, what is debated is the nature of perception regarding one’s attention. We see many things that we do not notice. We hear many things that we do not listen to. Similar to the eyes, science would say that sound waves are traveling into the ears and because of this we hear. Everything is coming from the outside into us from this scientific or medical perspective. Vaisheshika philosophy views it in the opposite way. It states that perception emanates from within and scans the world around for input. It mentions a kind of primordial attention which activates the sense organs when we direct it there. If we are watching we see. If we are listening we hear. Has someone not told us something important at one time or other that we could hear perfectly well but didn’t get it because we weren’t listening? Awareness starts inside and travels outward according to Vaisheshika philosophy, not the other way around. From that point of view, the things we see are very much influenced by our state of mind and perspective, intention and what we are looking for. While western science insists that things are as they are and must be proven, Indian philosophy states that the conclusions arrived at depend on the perspective of the observer, even if they are conducted with double blind experiments and scientific research etc.

Nyaya Philosophy

Nyaya is known as “logic”. Gautama is the author of Nyaya philosophy. This philosophy talks about with how we know the things we know. If a person were to ask “how do you know you know?” it is not a simple question to answer. Pramana is the Sanskrit word for the means of knowing something. Philosophical debate is a huge part of Indian Philosophy. There are philosophies which believe is god and philosophies which do not, there are countless ways of interpreting the nature of consciousness and the ultimate goals of life. Nyaya teaches, among other things, the skill of debate and how to prove that your point of view is correct. All of the scholars in Nathamuni Sampradaya have a background in Nyaya philosophy. Sri Lakshmithathacharya’s son Sri Alwar holds a PHD in Nyaya philosophy and has taught it for many years at the Maharaja’s Sanskrit College in Mysore. Indian philosophy is often taught through metaphors involving every day actions and situations. It rests upon obvious and concrete ideas that relate to our everyday lives. This method of teaching and making philosophical points stems from Nyaya philosophy. Nearly every scholar in Mysore makes use of this style of teaching.

Sankhya Philosophy

Sankhya is very closely related to Yoga. Vaishashika and Nyaya can be looked at as a pair, and Sankhya and Yoga form a second pair. Sankhya is a way of looking a the world. The word darshan in Sanskrit implies a “view”. A view or life or reality. While they all play a role in understanding Indian thought, Sankhya is particularly useful in understanding the world view put forth in Yoga Philosophy. The primary principles in Sankhya are Prakriti and Purusha. Matter and consciousness. It deals with the illusory nature of the material world and the discernment between what is permanent and what is transitory. Put very simply, Sankhya says “you are not this body which is constantly changing, you are an eternal soul having an experience in this body.” Understanding this and incorporating it into our world view is said to relieve some of the suffering that human beings inevitably endure in life.

Yoga Philosophy

Yoga is a word that is known across the globe. Yoga means many different things to many people. It has been debated about for centuries and continues to be debated today. Pathanjali is the author of this philosophy. He added a new term which did not exist in the previous philosophy of Sankhya. Chitta. Yogas Chitta Vrtti Narodaha as the second verse famously states. “Yoga is the control of the fluctuations of the mind.” Chitta is a new and important concept here. Yoga has a very distinct meaning and way of looking at the world. Yoga is often a term that is thrown around loosely and which seems to mean whatever we want it to. This is a kind of western universalist thinking that often distorts the true meaning of yoga. Yoga has a defined and clear meaning which serious yoga practitioners try to should understand. The truth is that because we have no equivalent words in any language for many Sanskrit words it, takes a long time for us to catch the real meaning of many terms. I have heard hour long lectures just on the word Chitta! Sri Lashmithathacharya Swami will talk yoga in its classical sense here and give us an idea of what yoga looks like through his eyes.

Mimamsa Philosophy

Jaimini is the author of Mimamsa philosophy. The word Mimamsa can be translated as reflection, consideration, profound thought, investigation, examination, discussion. Mimamsa gives the rules for interpreting the Vedas. It is divided in two categories, Purva Mimamsa and Uttara Mimamsa. Basically earlier and later reflections. Most foreign yoga practitioners will know very little about this branch of philosophy. Mimamsa contains the essence of the ceremonies, known as Puja or Yagya which play a central role in Indian culture. It also speaks about what is known today as the caste system. In its original concept, this philosophy simply states that all things fit into four categories, however the application of the caste system has been the subject of much debate. In this lecture Sri Lakshmithathachar will speak on both Purva and Uttara Mimamsa to complete our exploration of the Shet Darshanas.

Patanjali puts forth the practice of Svadyaya. In its original context it simply means to read or study the Vedas. In more modern thought it means study of the truths of life. It is not a matter of blindly accepting anyone else’s ideas. We should take it all philosophical ideas and study them through our own logic and experience. Only in this way do they become real for us and begin to shape our view of the world.

Bhagavad Gita

This is the nearest text to the heart of the Mysore Yoga Tradition. Bhagavad Gita is much more influential in the culture than Patanjali Sutras and for this reason we will explore it first. When we read a text such as the Bhagavad Gita on our own, we see it through the lens of our own experience and culture. We grab hold of the ideas we can relate to and have a context for and we miss many other aspects which we aren’t quite ready for. When the Gita is explained by a senior scholar it is a completely different experience. This text is deeply imbedded into the fabric of Indian culture. It’s influence can be seen in the attitude towards life and behavior of all the great scholars. The Bhagavad Gita is the single most popular Indian philosophical text and has been translated into dozens of languages. Like all great scriptures it can be studied for one’s entire life. Indeed many of the scholars in Mysore have memorised all 700 verses and recall them with astounding accuracy.

Dr. Alwar, or Sri Alwar as I like to call him, is the eldest son of Sri Lakshmithathachar as mentioned above. We will begin with a text called Gitartha Sangraha with Sri Lakshmithathachar for three and a half years. Sri Alwar graciously offered to teach me after he passed away. Gitartha Sangraha is a 32 verse summary of the Bhagavad Gita composed by the sage Yamunacharya. Sri Lakshmithathachar used to say that “Gitartha Sangraha is the sum and substance of Nathamuni Sampradaya.” It is a very concise way to learn the essence of the Gita. Because the course is lengthy and ongoing I cannot share all of it here. I will share the first few lessons however because they cover the entire Bhagavad Gita twice and give an excellent foundational understanding. Sri Alwar is an expert in this philosophy and an outstanding educator.

Dr. Nagaraj Rao is now in his 80s. He was a child protege in his youth and has been studying Indian Philosophy his entire life. He taught in many universities around the world. He is a revered scholar in Mysore. These lectures give an outstanding overview of the philosophy of the Gita and how it works in everyday life. The humbleness and kindness with which Dr. Rao teaches is itself exemplary of the huge influence the Bhagavad Gita has in Mysore’s culture. In fact all the scholars often refer to the Bhagavad Gita as they speak various subjects. You will hear many quotes from it throughout the course. By hearing about the Bhagavad Gita a second time from a slightly different angle you will get a deeper perspective.

Swami Muktadananda was the head of the Ramakrishna Ashram at the time of this interview. He is a spiritual leader with huge responsibilities. I had never met someone like him before when we interviewed him. I can tell you for sure that not just anyone can be the head of a famous ashram! Swami Muktdananda has since left the ashram in Mysore. I was told he is one of their most inspirational swamis and the Ramakrishna order sends him wherever he is most needed to inspire and lift up a particular ashram. He is no ordinary man. He spends most of his time teaching philosophy to everyone from small children to PHD students. He is considered to be a living embodiment of Bhagavad Gita philosophy.

Patanjali Sutras

The Patanjali Sutras are the classical definition of Yoga. Written approximately a thousand years after the Bhagavad Gita, the origins of the Patanjali Sutras are somewhat mysterious. There are debates as to just which period Patanjali lived in, whether it was the work of one person or a group of people, and also whether it was a compilation of earlier writings or a completely new text. Most academics place the Patanjali Sutras at around 400-500 CE.

Chitta is the new concept put forward in Yoga. Yogas Chitta Vrtti Nirodaha is the first concrete statement and the second verse. The first verse simply implies “now we will explain what is yoga.” Chitta doesn’t appear in Sankhya philosophy. Gangadhar Bhat touches very clearly on this point. Yoga is a different way of understanding the mind. It is often said that the Patanjali Sutras are a kind of psychotherapy manual. It describes the way we perceive the world and gives instruction for practice. The eight limbs of yoga come from this text. One might say that the Sutras give something to practice whereas the Gita describes a different mental attitude towards what is happening around us.

Philosophy is based in one’s experience and view of life. Religion is based on ones’ faith. To study philosophy well we need to remove our own judgements initially and try on the world view being taught. The world view or darshan of yoga is distinct and profound. It is not what we want it to be, it is what it is. As practitioners of yoga we should study and learn the differences between yoga and other philosophies. Yoga does accept Godhead in a universal way. We have words such as Ishvara or Brahman. Both are big picture concepts that do not have a form but contain all forms. From that point of view we do not need to relate with godhead in any other form than the one we grew up with or which is native to our own culture. These philosophies simply state that the god principle must be contemplated. The path of self realization is always there for those who do not relate to god realization.

As stated before, it is very important to understand that most Sanskrit words are unique concepts which do not have an equivalent in any other language. It is difficult to understand them without spending a lot of time listening to various people speaking about them in different ways. Indian philosophy as a whole contains many different views of life. Its timeless truths are useful in all life situations, in all cultural contexts. These ideas are based in logic and direct perception and they do not depend on any sort of blind belief.

There is a current debate as to whether the origins of the Patanjali Sutras came from Buddhist scholars. Personally I do not subscribe to this, but it is very possible. Hinduism predates Buddhism. Hindu and Buddhists have been debating for centuries. Buddhism and Advaita philosophy definitely share some common ground. Essentially Buddhists don’t believe in God and Hindus do. I do not believe it is necessary to take sides in such debates in order to practice yoga. The majority of Indian scholars will say that there is influence from Buddhism in the Patanjali Sutras but that is is not a Buddhist text.

Dr. M. Jayaraman deliveres an excellent lecture on the Vedic Roots of Patanjali Sutras. Dr. Jayaraman was the director of Textual Research at the Krishnamacharya Yoga Mandir in Chennai for many years and is currently serving as the Professor & Dean in the Division of Yoga and Spirituality, SVYASA Deemed University in Bangalore. In doing so he outlines the vast body of Vedic literature and shows where the Sutras have drawn influence from. He aslo expresses the true spirit of the Patanjali Sutras and gives a comprehensive overview. This video is a great piece of education.

Patanjala Yoga is a favourite subject of Sri BNS Iyengar. In his unique and eccentric way he has introduced so many people to the core concepts of yoga.

Patanjali Sutras and Bhagavad Gita with Dr. Nagaraj Rao. Yes, he will go into the Gita once again.

This will be a child’s attempt to explain the Yama’s and Niyamas. This classical piece of philosophy comes our differently for each person who speaks about it. I thought it would be good to share my own ideas about these things so that you can have the diversity of experience. In a way whatever little I know is a synthesis of the teaching of my teachers. I may not know so much but they are truly great.

This is a talk not only about the eight limbs but also the shet darshanas and where yoga sits within those. This is simply my experience with the different stages of yoga. Some of it is what I was taught and some of it is simply my opinion.

Background of Yoga in Mysore

The history of yoga in Mysore has been a contentious subject in the academic world. Much has been written and speculated upon by academics. And not all of the books published have been appreciated in Mysore. While a lot of good scholarship has been done, there remains much that we do not know. The people of Mysore can tell the story best in my opinion! After all it is their community and they grew up hearing about yoga. People like Sri Krishnamacharya and Pattabhi Jois are well known in Mysore. By listening to different accounts you can form your own ideas. Not everyone shares the same opinion of course. It is obvious in these interviews that they are not protecting anything or selling anything. They simply tell what they know. There is a fierce pride among the Sanskrit community of Mysore when it comes to the yoga legacy of Mysore. These videos will also include philosophy and you will recognise some clips from the original Mysore Yoga Traditions film.

Dr. Gangadhar Bhat is one of the senior Sanskrit scholars from the Maharaja’s Sanskrit College in Mysore. He was one of our favourite speakers and this interview covers a number of topics including the history of yoga in Mysore, the influence of foreign gymnastics in Sri Krishnamacharya’s yoga, and the origins of Suryanamaskar.

Dr. M. A. Jayashree and her brother Dr. M. A. Narasimhan are renowned teachers in Mysore. They have taught thousands of foreign yoga students to chant Patanjali Sutras, Bhagavad Gita and other classical Sanskrit prayers and scriptures over the last 20 years. This talk also covers a wide range of subjects including chanting of mantras, history of yogasana in Mysore, and stories of Sri Pattabhi Jois and the early western students of Ashtanga Yoga who began visiting Mysore in the 1970s. Here we can catch a glimpse of how foreign yoga practitioners were initially seen in Mysore.

Manju Jois is the son of Sri Pattabhi Jois. He is a very famous yoga teacher and certainly knows the history of how Ashtanga Yoga made its way into world culture. He was delightful to interview and very funny as well. Because he has lived in the United States for many years he has quite a different perspective than the people who live in Mysore. Manju expresses some strong opinions about asana practices here.

Dr. T. R. S Sharma was one of the early students of Sri Krishnamacharya in Mysore. He was a favourite student and in this video he tells about Sri Krishmacharya’s classes and approach to teaching postures and talks about some of his early experiences. He is one of the only living people who can say what it was like to study with Sri Krishnamacharya in Mysore during that period. Dr. Sharma also talks about his own understanding of Neuroscience and how our brains respond to yoga practice. At the age of 94 he is still vital and lucid. This man is nothing short of brilliant. He is a living testament to the longevity that yoga can create. He is a dear friend of mine and someone I have a great deal of admiration and respect for.

This concludes our history section. The above four videos contain a lot of philosophy but they also touch upon the history of yoga in Mysore and show it through the eyes of those who live there. It is fair to ask the question “how old is Primary Series Ashtanga Yoga?” Here is what I have learned so far….Sri Krishnamacharya created Vinyasa. As Gngadhar Bhat says, it is not a word found in classical texts. Vishesha-Nyasa (a special or particular arrangement). It is sort of like “acroyoga.” It is a combination of two words which create a new meaning when put together. Sri Krishnamacharya used Suryanamaskar and particularly Sastanga Namaskara (prostrating to the sun) to create his approach to asana practice. Because Suryanamaskar is mentioned in the Rig Veda along with other references to Surya, it can legitimately be said that this yoga is thousands of years old. From the Indian perspective this is true. However from a western academic point of view the question comes, how old in the sequence of postures and where did these poses come from etc? These sequences and postures are not thousands of years old. Padmasana is ancient and ascetic practices with the body go back a long way. Primary Series is not more than 100 years old. Probably closer to 80 years old. At present there is no evidence to indicate otherwise. That can always change of course

Sri Krishnamacharya created Vinyasa and Sri Pattabhi Jois created the Ashtanga Series we know today. The original four series that were taught by Pattabhi Jois in the early 1970s in Mysore came from a syllabus. That syllabus was for his for year course in yoga at the Maharaja’s Sanskrit College. Primary Series was the first year, Intermediate Series was the second year etc. I have that syllabus. There are also pranayamas and reading materials mentioned. It is not different from any other college syllabus. Then there is the Yoga Korunta story which we will not go off into. Like all good Indian teachers, neither Sri Krishnamacharya of Pattabhi Jois tried to take any credit for their own innovations with yoga. They handed all credit back to their teachers and the tradition they came from.

Further thoughts and studies

One more lecture from Dr. Sharma! Dr. Sharma was educated in America as a Fulbright scholar in the 1940s I believe. He has a special kind of mind in a way because he has deep insight into both eastern and western culture. In the screen below you can see the famous picture of Sri Krishnamacharya standing on a small boy in Kapotasana. That boy was in fact Dr. Sharma! He loves to tell that story and it is a favourite memory for him which he treasures. This talk about Hatha Yoga and Raja Yoga ties together many things we have discussed previously. It also gives some keen insight into the cultural and intellectual differences between the East and West.

In conclusion

This course is by no means a full education in Indian philosophy. We have just scratched the surface in fact. As the years pass and we do more study both online and in person at Mysore Yoga Conferences the conversation deepens and the scholars share more. It is my hope that we have given you a real glimpse into the mindset of the community which gave us Ashtanga Vinyasa Yoga. I hope that you have enjoyed their wit and charm and sense of humour! All the people you have watched in this course hold a very dear place in my heart. For me they truly embody the spirit of yoga.

Death and impermanence are the only certainty in life. There are immutable laws of nature which should be understood for our own wellbeing. Indian philosophy really comes from this very practical place and takes us on a journey of self discovery, growth and evolution.

What happens when we die? Does God exist? If so what is God? What is the nature of the self? What is the true purpose of life?

n the end it doesn’t really matter what other people think, it matters what you think! You are the captain of your own ship. I propose that is is alright to be a student and that it isn’t necessary to say we are completely sure about those big questions. I only suggest two things. Svadyaya and Abhyasa. Study and Practice. Take in the great thoughts of great people. Think about them for yourself and analyze them against your own understanding and experience. Assimilate what works and don’t worry about what doesn’t. Growth and expansion should never stop. We have gotten old and dull when that happens. Rigidity of the mind is weakness. Clarity and adaptability are strength. We have our whole lives to work on these big questions. It would be foolish to announce to the world that we have it all figured out just because we have some new ideas to work with. Those who know don’t say and those who say don’t know. When important steps in your evolution happen you will surely be aware of it. In those moments, whatever you see is for you and you will do well to process it quietly without attracting unnecessary attention to yourself.

Continue to practice. Develop and work with your practice of yoga until it is a full time practice and not just an asana practice. Without some sort of practice we don’t grow. Yoga means union with the divine. It is to merge with our highest understanding of ourselves and life. Without daily practice of some sort we just can’t manage to stay in that bright place. Each individual has to make their own decisions as to what works in their life circumstances. Suffering is inherent in life and in dark times we need our spiritual disciplines more than ever. Joy is also inherent in life. We all experience both without fail. As Sri Krishnamacharya once said, “Yoga is the replacing of old inappropriate patterns with new and more appropriate patterns.” That always sounded very true to me and I think that the process of yoga can be adopted by anyone at any stage of life who has the courage and determination to start changing patterns. By this I mean patterns of speech, thought, emotion, behavior, diet, movement and many other areas of life.

Do you believe in God? Great. Vishishtadvaita actually has a lot of parallels with Christianity, at least for me. Yoga does accept God in a universal form. You may carry right on with your religious practices and participate wholeheartedly in whatever religious tradition you have been brought up in. Don’t believe in God? Perhaps you despise organized religion and have some really good reasons for feeling that way? Great. Follow the thought process of Self Realization. Buddhists don’t believe in God and they do just fine. Is the world real or is the world an Illusion? How much of our world view is an illusion based on our ignorance? Is it even real at all? Each person has to think, feel, experience and develop their own ideas. The world outside of us will only draw our attention away from our inner world. It is inside of us where the answers are if we can gain access. The process for gaining that access may be called yoga.

Can an ant crawling across the floor understand that we have passports and that we will fly to India to study yoga? No. We also have our limitations in understanding. We are all doing the best we can with what little we know.

I think that the level of scholarship and study among the Sanskrit community of Mysore is astounding. To see people in their 80s and 90s with such sharp agile minds is extraordinary and it proves what they say about the power of Sanskrit to preserve our cognitive faculties.

Ashtanga Vinyasa Yoga came from this brilliant community. If you are able to relate to at least some of what was said in this course and if you are trying to improve your life through following the teachings of yoga, then you are a traditional yogi. Listening to these elders explain what the teachings Indian philosophy mean is a treasure that we can all enjoy. Traditional yoga doesn’t only require postures in a particular sequence, there is more to it then that. By listening to the great scholars and pondering their teachings and trying to give expression to them in our own lives, speech, behavior, yoga classes etc. we do indeed become more traditional yogis in the process. It is my sincere hope that this course has given you some insight and inspiration.

I hope you enjoyed the course, Andrew

Feel free to reach out with comments and questions. okiebaba@gmail.com

Other Offerings*

200HR Ashtanga Yoga Online Intensive Training (certified through Samskriti Foundation in Mysore as well as Yoga Alliance)

40HR Pranayama Course (BNS Iyengar Pranayama System)

Mysore Traditions Philosophy Archive