Testimonials & Reviews

Discover what people are saying about their experiences with the Yoga Philosophy Institute. Read our Testimonials & Reviews below.

Learn more about our available practices by contacting Dr. Ranganathan today.

"Most people think of physical postures when they think of yoga. Yoga Philosophy Institute courses dive deep into the basic philosophical practice and allows the student to understand the rich background and history of yoga. This should be a must for all yoga teacher training programs!"

"I am beyond grateful for the knowledge you have shared."

"Dr. Ranganathan’s courses have shaped the way I teach yoga and has helped me become a more respected and knowledgeable teacher in my area. He is so down to earth. I highly recommend taking his courses!"

"I am the most experienced Yoga teacher in my community, and serve as a guide for newer teachers. With YogaPhilosophy I have discovered the tools and wisdom to be the leader they need. Now, I embrace this role with confidence, knowing that I can nurture and inspire the next generation of Yoga practitioners"

“With Yoga Philosophy I have acquired the tools to increase in my own physical and mental well- being. It has been a game changer for me!”

"Shyam (Dr. Ranganathan) is a phenomenal teacher who enthusiastically shares his knowledge... Since taking this course, I have found myself applying the knowledge I gained in real time to both solve problems and to recommit to my practice."

“Before my Yoga Philosophy training, I had a hard time connecting with the Yoga Sūtra, the main text of yoga. I couldn’t understand its application. Now, I feel like I have clarity on the text and use its teachings to make better choices for myself. Dr. Shyam helped see that the dichotomy between what is good for me and what is good for others is a false opposition. From Dr. Shyam I learned that Yoga is procedural: you never at the limit, it is always to infinity, which means that you have to keep going back to the practice and you are continually refining your ability as a choice maker.”

"Before delving into Yoga Philosophy education, I struggled with rigid financial decisions, often clinging to outdated plans. Yoga Philosophy strategies are helping me create prosperity and freedom for myself and those I care about. With Yoga Philosophy you learn how not to be an obstacle to your own success.”

"There is a transformative quality of understanding that through these teachings... A must for the serious student of yoga, and those seeking direction to move on in their lives!"

“I enjoy learning from Dr. Ranganathan immensely. He has a way of showing the relevance of ancient knowledge to modern times. His teachings have informed my practice and my teaching in powerful ways.”

“Dr. Shyam's classes helped me have courage to stand up for what is important to me and to have difficult conversations with friends, colleagues and students.”

“Since taking courses at the Yoga Philosophy Institute with Dr. Ranganathan, I’ve learned that my old concerns about being proactive were mistaken. I now feel invincible and empowered to confront and change problems into successes. With Dr. Shyam’s courses what is unique is that you will not learn about his opinions. You will learn to use reasoning to render explicit the thinking of all proposals.”

“Dr. Shyam's courses have transformed how I deliver trauma sensitive yoga. If the bottom line is to reclaim a person's agency and reconnect with one's body, Dr. Shyam's teachings have helped me explain Yoga in ways that are very impactful to my clients, and to deliver teaching that allow them to reclaim their autonomy.”

“I absolutely wish that Shyam's courses were part of my initial training in Yoga. I cannot recommend his courses enough. Shyam is an amazing teacher, he makes yoga philosophy very accessible, and he's such a lovely and supportive person which is exactly what you need in a teacher. If you are running a yoga teacher training you will absolutely not find a better teacher to provide the yoga philosophy aspect of your course. Shyam helped me enormously with a personal quandary. I felt conflicted between work and personal obligations. He completely puts my mind at ease as I use my Yoga practice to know to do the right thing.”

“Dr. Shyam Ranganathan is one of the most inspiring teachers of Philosophy I have ever encountered. I have been a full time Yoga teacher for 24 years, so I felt like I knew quite a bit about Yoga Philosophy when I met him in 2020. Over the years, Shyam taught me that simply believing the ‘correct’ answers wasn’t nearly as skillful as carefully evaluating the reasons for them. The former made me easily triggered and arrogant, whereas the latter allowed me to become more resilient, humbler and compassionate all around. As I have put the Yoga Philosophy that Shyam taught me into practice, I have not only recovered from much emotional trauma, I have become a much better teacher, husband and father. It turns out that Yoga was much simpler and more powerful than I had previously believed.”

"I looked for a class on yoga philosophy for a long time. Course after course turned out to be just some weirdo ruminating on what the Yoga Sūtra means... to them. These are invariably people with no actual scholarly background in the text. Some of them are clearly actual kooks. Anyway, finding something real has been WEIRDLY hard and I am so thankful I finally stumbled across Dr. Ranganathan's work. His teaching should be should be manditory in all Yoga Teacher Trainings!"

“The Yoga industry tries to get everyone to be a yoga teacher before they have the depth of yoga understanding. Dr. Shyam's courses gave me agency to serve my students to make informed decisions. Dr. Shyam has empowered me to look at what I am reesponsible for, not just in my position as a Yoga studio owner, yoga practitioner and human being, and to make the changes that need to be made. Dr. Shyam's courses has simplified Yoga so it's not an overshelming or convoluted. With this confort I know that Yoga has got me, no matter what interaction or challenge I have. I find that when my pracitce is aligned with Yoga, as I have learned with Dr. Shyam, my relationships have all improved. When I get overwhelmed I go back to the course work and it grounds me in my professional, family and friend relationships.”

“I have been a yoga asana teacher for some time, and have taken multiple trainigns where the philosophy is too abstract and mysterious, and not really practical. Since starting with the Yoga Philosophy Institute program, I am able to share the practical teachings of Yoga with my students. This has added a level of depth to what I am offering, and students respond well to this. The Yoga Philosophy program has facilitated resources that I use in my yoga instruction for people recovering from traumatic brain injury. They need to able to see that the stories the tell abou their past are stories, and that they have the power ot make choices for their future. Shairng knowledge of Yoga I learned from Dr. Shyam that clarifies our relationship to our past and responsibility for our future has been very helpful for these students.”

“I'm left with an adjustment of everything I thought I knew, and a new-found, more powerful understanding. Excellent clarity of delivery Dr. Ranganathan!”

“Really enjoyed the rigorous approach of the course I took. Thorough and full of thought-provoking concepts. I've been recommending it to my yoga students.”

"I highly recommend Yoga Philosophy Institute course as a foundation to really understand not only the Yoga Sutras, but also, to offer a perspective on how to view and approach your life. The interactive / live tutorials that are included are absolutely invaluable perk of signing up."

“Dr. Shyam, Thank you for your vulnerabilty and willingness to share experiences that must have been really painful. I think that is a real gift and brings Yoga to life in a very meaningful way for students. I learned a great deal from you and one of my favorite phrases you offered is, "Yoga teaches us to gladly exchange our mistake for a new possibility."

“This was my first (I hope of many!) course in Yoga Philosophy and wow! What an introduction!"

“Dr. Shyam is such a treasure: wise, thoughtful, dedicated, true leader, scholar and teacher. He is rigorous and thorough.”

Dr. Ranganathan brings Patanjali’s Yoga Sutra, and yoga philosophy, to life. Lots of people, and commentators, approach the Sutra as a means to an end, but Dr. Ranganathan acknowledges the influence of colonialism on most modern interpretations of yoga philosophy and pulls the threads to find the true intention within Patanjali’s text. His courses are approachable and I’ve learned more through them than I have in all the yoga workshops and teacher trainings I’ve taken combined!”

“This course fell into my lap like a perfect fit! I had been wanting to read the Yoga Sutra for over a year now but wasn’t sure where or how to start. It can be daunting. In this course, Shyam walked me through the sutras and provided an; analytical approach to the philosophy of Yoga, along with the history, the effects of colonialism, and so much more; it has been mind-bending! It adds another crucial dimension to my daily asana practice, one that I am ready to hold, thanks to the guidance provided by this course.”

“I did the Level 1 Yoga Philosophy Certification course before I started my YTT a few years ago, and it's been of absolutely invaluable benefit. Beyond my practice 'on the mat', Yoga is a philosophy I've used in my daily life ever since. Shyam is an excellent scholar and teacher who is immensely knowledgeable and passionate about this subject, and really clarifies what is often presented as an inaccessible, 'up-to-your-own-interpretation' philosophy. If you're thinking of doing it, do it. P.S. on a practical note, I am and was based in the UK throughout the course and didn't find the time difference a hindrance at all. The live tutorials all took place in the evening GMT.”

"Shyam has been a profound influence on both my life and my practice—which, as I’ve learned from him, are not so separate after all. When I began studying with him in 2022, I believed I had a solid understanding of Yoga, having dedicated fifteen years to both practicing and teaching it. I never expected his teachings to completely dismantle my perspective—and, in turn, my entire life. At first, this unraveling was anything but easy, but what I learned from him gave me the tools to navigate it with curiosity and enthusiasm. Shyam’s teaching is refreshingly direct and no-nonsense, yet always infused with the deep care essential for creating a space where diversity can truly flourish. His wisdom continues to take root and blossom in my life, and I hope to return to studying with him more closely. I am moved by and grateful for his work and guidance."

Testimonials & Reviews

Thank you!