Pic © RuslanKphoto Adobestock

Course introduction:

By the practice of yogic discipline or Sādhana, one is led towards spiritual illumination. A sādhaka is one who practices, applying his mind and intelligence with skill, dedication and devotion. Sādhana is the means to liberation.

Join us for this course that will run from January 2021 to June 2021 on 17 Tuesday mornings (Brussels times) to learn the most practical chapter on Yoga – Sādhana Pāda, where we are given the clear means to practice Yoga. We explore these 55 sūtras or aphorisms through traditional call and response chanting, key concepts and teachings of the text through succinct explanations. Beginners are welcome to join, this chapter is in fact, a great place to start your study of the Yoga Sūtras.

This course helps students study in a sustained way with a highly structured weekly schedule for effective learning. You learn one key concept and chant about 10 Sūtras per week. It is best to learn this important text of Yoga in this slow but structured way.

As part of this course, we spend 3 classes on learning Sāṅkhyā principles which is key to understanding Yoga.

Course objectives:

– Learn to chant all 55 Sūtras of the 2nd chapter of the Yoga Sūtras of Patañjali, a very effective way to memorise the Yoga Sūtras.
– Understand the key concepts of the 2nd chapter in a clear, structured & succinct way.
– Learn Yoga beyond āsana with a serious group of aspirants.
– Develop a strong study discipline, an integral part of Yoga (svādhyāya).

Learning resources:

– 17 LIVE classes on Zoom at 9h30-10h40 on Tuesday mornings Brussels times from Jan-June 2021.
– Zoom class recordings will be available for 2 weeks for students to catch up if you miss a class.
– Lifetime access also to self-paced study course of value 270€ of pre-recorded chanting, videos, text & quiz/assignments. Therefore, you can keep coming back to the study!
– Optional quiz & assignment submission at the end of the course entirely administered online.
– Certificate of completion on successful submission of assignment & quiz.

Dates & Syllabus:

Module 1 : Kleśa-s

1. Jan 19th – Kriyā Yoga – The purpose of Kriyā yoga; Chanting Sūtras 1-10
2. Jan 26th – Kleśa-s – Recognizing mental-emotional afflictions; Chanting Sūtras 5-15
3. Feb 2nd – Overcoming Kleśa-s ; Chanting Sūtras 10-20
4. Feb 9th  – Karma & its consequences; Chanting Sūtras 12-22

Feb 15th – no class (Carnaval in Belgium)

Module 2 : Sāńkhyā

5. Feb 23rd – The principle of Duḥkha (Suffering); Chanting Sūtras 15-22
6. March 2nd – Characteristics of Draṣṭṛ (Seer) & Dṛśya (Seen); Chanting Sūtras 17-27
7. March 9th – Draṣṭṛ & Dṛśya continued (Sāṅkhyā basics); Chanting Sūtras 20-30

March 16th – no class!!

8. March 23rd – Sāṅkhyā basics wrap up; Chanting Sūtras 15-30
9. March 30th – Viveka-Khyāti as the way to Kaivalya; Chanting Sūtras 25-35

Easter break!!

Module 3 : Aṣṭāṅga Yoga

10. April 20th – Aṣṭāṅga as the means to attain liberation; Chanting Sūtras 28-38
11. April 27th – Yamas & their universality; Chanting Sūtras 29-39
12. May 4th – Niyamas & Pratipakṣa Bhāvana; Chanting Sūtras 32-42
13. May 11th – Side benefits of Yamas; Chanting Sūtras 35-45
14. May 18th – Side benefits of Niyamas; Chanting Sūtras 40-50

May 25th – no class!!

15. June 1st – Āsana; Chanting Sūtras Chanting Sūtras 45-55
16. June 8th – Prāṇāyāma & Pratyahāra Chanting Sūtras 49-55
17. June 15th – Summary & Assignment information– Sādhana Pāda

Please note in case a class has to be rescheduled due to unforeseen circumstances, the dates will change a little and everyone will be informed. 

Assignment and certificate:

An optional assignment submission is available for those who would like to receive a certificate of completion for this course. All assignment submissions will take place online and by the end of July 2021.

Course fee: (instalment plans can be provided if needed, please send an email)

447€ (including self-paced course of value 270€)

Frequently asked questions:

      1. Can I join this course even if I have not studied Chapter 1, Samādhi Pāda?

Yes, you can still join us. In fact, the 2nd chapter is an excellent place to start your study of the Yoga Sūtras.

2. What if I miss a Live Zoom class?

All Zoom classes are recorded for students to view for upto to 2 weeks after class. So no problem! Just make sure you catch up soon and best done before the next class.

3. What if I can’t join any of the Zoom classes as I’m not in a convenient time zone?

In this case, you have two options: A) If you still want to have access to the Zoom recordings, go ahead and sign up and you can study without attending the Live classes entirely. B) Simply sign up for the completely-self paced course and study at your own pace. You will not have access to the Zoom recordings, but you will still be able to study through our pre-recorded material.

      4. Can I pay in instalments?

For those who need to pay by instalments, please write to me and we can agree on your payment schedule. I have always helped students find ways to study in case of financial constraints.

Further questions: info@VedaStudies.com

Sādhana Pādaḥ chanting by Shantala