| Subject |
Particulars |
| Introduction To Course |
Overview of the Content
The Elements of Each Lesson |
| Starting Prayer |
Gâyatrî Mantra |
| Definition of Yoga |
What, really, is Yoga? |
| The Bhârata Dharma |
Commonalities in all Indian Spiritual Traditions |
| The Beginnings - |
|
| An Indian Cosmology |
| • |
Shiva and Shakti as Consciousness and Power |
| • |
Sound-Vibration and the Emerging Universe |
| • |
Mahâpralaya: The Dissolution of the Cosmos |
|
| The Scientific View |
The Explosion of the Primeval Atom
and The Expanding Universe |
| Sagesand Preceptors |
| • |
The Tapasvin / The Ascetic Tradition of Yoga |
| • |
The Rishis, Munis and Saints |
|
| The Historical Origins of Yoga |
Early Scriptural References
Issues Regarding the Oral Tradition |
The Early Texts
(main pre-classic yoga sources) |
| • |
The Shrutis |
| • |
The Purânas and Yoga |
| • |
The Epics: Mahâbhârata and Râmâyana |
|
| The Upanishads and Yoga |
Upanishadic Thought as Revolution
The Beauty of the Upanishads: Chanted Shlokas |
| Karma-Yoga |
The Bhagawat Gîtâ and Karma-Yoga |
| Some Essential Vocabulary |
Âtman, Brahman, Ishta, Jîva, Avidyâ, Jnâna, Citta, Cit, Mâyâ, Samsâra, Moksha |
| On Transformation |
Existence and Being
Is Yoga A Religion? |
| Mantras |
| • |
The Background |
| • |
Mantras and Their Value in Meditation |
| • |
An Introduction to OM and SOHAM |
|
| Âsanas and Their Names |
Example: Pâshâsana and the Story Behind It |
| The 6 Darshanas (Viewpoints) |
A Very Brief Introduction to Indian Philosophy |
| The Two Underlying Theories of Yoga |
Sâmkhya and Vedânta
Elaborating on a Delicate Difference |
| Yoga Philosophy Assignment |
Discussing the Assignment |
| Yoga and Patanjali |
The Story of Patanjali
The Background of The Yoga Sûtras /td>
|
| The
Yoga Sûtras |
| Elaborating on the Yoga of Eight Limbs and the Interconnection between the Limbs: |
| • |
Yama and Niyama |
| • |
Âsana and Prânâyâma |
| • |
Pratyâhâra and Dhâranâ |
| • |
Dhyâna and Samâdhi |
| The Major Commentaries on the Sûtras |
|
| Understanding India |
| • |
The Âshramas (The 4 Stages of Life) |
| • |
Rebirth, Karma and so-called Fatalism |
| • |
Common Threads in Hinduism, Buddhism, Jainism |
| • |
Kathenotheism - God in India |
|
| Jainism |
A Short Introduction to the Jaina Tradition and The Concept of Syadvada (only if time allows) |
| Stories from the Purânic Treasure |
Shiva and His Shakti and the Revelation of the Yogic Knowledge |
| Meditations on the Ultimate Reality |
The Indian Experience |
| On Rituals |
Essay by Sir John Woodroffe |
| Tantra and Shaktism |
| • |
Definitions |
| • |
The Connection to Buddhism |
| • |
Shaktism/Shaiva Tantrism: Backgrounds |
|
| Key Features of Tantra |
| • |
Mantra |
| • |
Mudrâ |
| • |
Prâna |
| • |
Bhûtashuddhi |
| • |
Yantra |
| • |
Panchakosha |
| • |
Siddhi |
| • |
Panchatattva (The 5 Makâra) |
|
| The Tantric World of Bîja-Mantras |
| The Background / Working with Mudrâs |
| Working with Life Force |
| Purification of Elements |
| Meditation on Geometric Devices |
| Working with the Subtle Body |
| The Attainments |
| Wine, Meat, Fish, Parched Grain and Ritual Sex |
|
| The Sacred River Gangâ |
The Background (only if time allows)
Gangâ Devi and Bhagiratha
The Story of Poet Jagannâtha |
| Hatha-Yoga |
Creating the Divya-Deha |
| The Founders and Scriptures |
Matsyendranâtha and Gorakhnâtha
The Major Texts of Hatha Yoga |
| The Main Features of Hatha Yoga |
Shatkarma: The Cleansing Practices
Âsana: The Postural Tradition in Hatha
Bandha and Mudrâ: Calming Body and Mind
Pratyâhâra: Techniques of Sensory Control
Prânâyâma: The Link to the Subtle Body
Dhyâna: The Visualisation Process |
| The Nâtha Tradition |
The Contribution of Nâthas to Yoga |
| Mudrâ Practice |
Understanding and Working with Mudrâs |
| The Chakras and Kundalinî |
Terminology and Location
The Awakening of Kundalinî-Shakti
The Chakra System and its Relationship to Âsana and Prânâyâma
|
| The Ritual of Transformation |
Prânapratishthâ Ceremony as Applied Ritual |
| Understanding Prânâyâma |
Background and Physiology of Prânâyâma including Essential Kriyâ-Yoga Methods |
| Bhakti-Yoga |
The Background
Revisiting The Bhagawat Gîtâ
Surrendering: Îshwara Pranidhâna
The Example of Râmakrishna |
| Bhajans |
An Evening of Devotional Chanting |
| Yoga and Buddhism |
The Life of the Enlightened One
The Dharma and Its Influence on Yoga
Tibet: Repas, Yantra Yoga and Trul Khor |
| Yoga and Meditation in China and Japan |
Commonalities and Differences in the Approach |
| Meditation Practice |
Jnâna-Yoga Meditation |
| Jnâna-Yoga |
The Path of Wisdom
Jnâna as experienced by Ramana Maharshi |
| Yoga As It Is Today |
Looking at the Yoga Tree and Its Many Branches |
| ShortSummary of the Course |
The Yoga Sâdhana
Pravritti - The Outgoing Path
and Nivritti - The Path of Return |
| Finishing |
Meditating on a Poem
Ârati Pûjâ - The Ritual of Light |
