Sutra Squad

We continue our journey exploring the opening triptych of the Yoga Sutra with 1.2, the essential definition of yoga as presented by Master Patañjali.  We will explore the meaning of yoga as defined in the text, and as lived by us today in the modern world.

As we continue our “greatest hits” of the Yoga Sūtra we take a moment to focus on one of the most significant and accessible siddhis (yogic powers) listed in the Vibhuti Pāda (the chapter on accomplishments or powers of the yogi).  When we practice samyama (the integrated practice of the last 3 limbs of the yoga path - Dhārana, Dhyāna, Samādhi) on the first of the “keys” from 1.33 / the first of the Brahmaviharis - maitri (friendliness / loving-kindness) we attain the great powers of our highest self.

This week we explore the essential 8 limbs or practices of Yoga - Yama, Niyama, Āsana, Pranayama, Pratyahara, Dhārna, Dhyāna, Samādhi.  This path, science, structure, process - can apply to all devotional paths agnostic to faith lineage or iśta devata (chosen divine).  All practices we call “yoga” touch one or more of these limbs, and while they are presented in sequence we also sometimes engage them in a non-sequential experience. They build on each other, and step by step they illuminate a path toward a richly fulfilling and deeply engaging life.

As we get close to the end of the text & resolution of the Yoga Sutra, Master Patañjali offers this simple and powerful reminder as to how our preferences, habits, and past behaviors create latent impressions that can serve as obstacles to our achievement of liberation.

Our “greatest hits” continues with an essential teaching on the fundamentally subjective nature of perception. Sutra 4.15 is a reminder that even the ancients were aware that each of us sees the world through the unique lens of our history, experience, karmic heritage, and individual perspectives. 

This week we explore the “Locks & Keys”, the attributes of mind that we cultivate to preserve the innate or natural serenity of the yogi’s mind in the face of the worldly winds of material life.  These attributes are also known as the brahmaviharas in Buddhist lineages, the divine abodes or sublime attitudes of the Buddha. We will discuss how we can seek to expand our capacity for each these attitudes (listed here in Sanskrit) - maitri (friendliness or loving-kindness), karuna (compassion), mudito (sympathetic joy), upekshanam (equinimity). 

In this week’s episode we explore the concept of and devotion to Iśvara - as the most direct path to yoga (1.23), and then the attributes of Iśvara to more fully understand the yogic concept that best translates in English as “God”.  We will take a moment to discern the difference between “religion” and “spirituality” to our best understanding, and how yoga is not a religion but is very much a practice of spiritual devotion.  We will continue and explore the nature of our understanding of the divine, how we all have access to a direct experience of the divine of our individual understanding, and our lifelong journey to know the Truth.

This episode we complete the powerful trilogy of the opening of the Yoga Sūtra of Patañjali with sutra 1.3 that describes the outcome, or objective, or end result of yoga.  We will explore the idea of the seer or the observer as the “true self” that shines forth when we achieve the state of yoga.

We begin at the beginning with the purity and auspicious, ephemeral and eternal exploration of NOW.  This week we explore the first words of the first verse of the first chapter of the Yoga Sutra in 1.1.

Welcome to the Sutra Squad podcast! In this episode Seth, Sara Page, and Sally welcome & give an overview of our approach to study this ancient wisdom.