Course Descriptions
Study at your own pace and schedule with Yoga Philosophy Subscription Courses
These courses are self-directed and consist in a combination of video lectures, and weekly, Q and A, virtual tutorials. Students can log on via Zoom to discuss their questions in real time, or send them in advance by email to have answers to these questions posted as recordings to the class.
The typical subscription term is 2 months, which means that you can begin and comfortably complete the course within that time. However, if you wish to stay longer for the discussion and Q and A support while having continued access to the video content, students can subscribe for longer.
Level 1
Five Limbs: Yoga Sūtra Essentials for Practice
This course is a must for students of yoga interested in getting the most out of their yoga instruction in posture flow, breathing exercises or attention guiding meditation. Instruction consists in a combination of on-demand video lectures, and weekly live, virtual tutorials with Dr. Shyam Ranganathan, founder of Yoga Philosophy. This course is suitable as the basis for yoga philosophy instruction and tutoring for teacher trainees. Join anytime.
Yoga Philosophy for Mental Well-Being: Engage your Kaivalya and Thrive
Subscribers in this course receive in-depth teachings of Yoga Philosophy as it relates to mental health and well-being, and addresses the specific challenges of living in Isolation, AND, regular live support and discussion opportunities to explore the teachings. This course is suitable as the basis for yoga philosophy instruction and tutoring for teacher trainees. Among many sources to draw from, this course will focus on Books 1 and 4 of the Yoga Sūtra. Book 1 sets out the elements of mental well being and remedies for problems. Book 4 shows us what mental health is. Join anytime and dive into the ancient wisdom of Yoga: that allows us to be alone and healthily engaged with others.
Yoga Moral Philosophy: destroying systemic discrimination
Are you upset about the way the world is and you are not sure what to do about it? To help Yogi’s claim their own strength and power as agents for positive change for everyone, this course is designed to be a one of a kind ethical theory review on a global scale. It begins with a broad review of standard Western ethical theory (Plato, Aristotle, Stoicism, Hume, Kant, Bentham, Mill), moves to influential East Asian ethical theory (Taoism and Confucius) and culminates in South Asian moral philosophy (Jainism, Early Buddhism, Later Buddhism, three main versions of Vedānta, and the related Pūrva Mīmāṃsā ). At the end, we will review Yoga from sources such as the Vedas, Upaniṣads, Yoga Sūtra, and the Bhagavad Gītā.
This exploration will help students of yoga appreciate how many of the popular ideas associated with Yoga (scams) are actually derivable from famous Western options that are projected on to Yoga, and how Yoga constitutes a radical moral theory that, in practice, disrupts systemic discrimination and harm, and is a basis for prosperity. Indeed, students will learn that many of the world’s current problems and predilections in popular theories (problems for humans, nonhuman animals and the environment) and to explore how Yoga disrupts these mechanisms.
Instruction consists in a combination of on-demand video lectures, and weekly live, virtual tutorials with Dr. Shyam Ranganathan, founder of Yoga Philosophy. This course is founded on a rich bibliography of peer reviewed work (edited and written by Dr. Ranganathan) on European, Chinese and Indian moral philosophy. It is suitable as the basis for yoga philosophy instruction and tutoring for teacher trainees. Join anytime.
Patañjali’s Yoga Sūtra: Beyond the Surface, Abiding in One’s Essence (May or November)
In this 4 week intensive course, we will explore this most basic text of yoga from start to finish. Students will have close, virtual contact with Dr. Ranganathan as they explore the material in depth. This course is offered at an intermediate level for students who already have some familiarity with Yoga and this text.
Level 2
Translation and the Yoga Sūtra
Unpacking the meaning and teachings of the Yoga Sūtra depends upon an accurate and appropriate translation. The same principles that guide accurate translation guide accurate reading. But yet, no one else in the field, has written a PhD on translation in philosophy and produced a translation of the Yoga Sūtra according to the principles that would be employed in the accurate translation of philosophy. Join this one of a kind course that takes one through the history of translation theory in the West that reveals how and why most of what happens in Yogaland is actually an outcome of the West’s difficulty with diversity and translation — while also learning about how the Yoga Sūtra can and should be translated accurately. This course provides the research skills to help students understand how to read the Yoga Sūtra without a commentary. This course is worth 20 CE credits.
Introduction to Sanskrit
Introduction to Sanskrit from Yoga Philosophy. This affordable course will help students to unlock the wisdom of texts, such as the Yoga Sūtra, themselves. Learn the basics of Sanskrit grammar, rules of sound and orthographic changes when words combine (sandhi/euphonic combination), and to read Devanagari (देवनागरी). The difference with this course is that it will be tailored specifically to students of yoga.
Whether you are a novice or your Sanskrit is rusty and you would like to brush up, this subscription course is designed to help you learn the Sanskrit language independently, and at your own pace. Join the definitive introduction to Sanskrit for Yogis! In this course, master the basic vocabulary, grammar, and reading skills that you need in order to engage with the Yoga Sūtra, Bhagavad Gītā, and other philosophical texts in Sanskrit. Students who enroll will have the benefits of expert video lectures and slides to guide them through lessons and exercises. What’s more, the course includes synchronous virtual tutorials where you can directly ask the instructor your specific questions. These tutorials will be recorded, so if you can’t make it, you can send in your questions and have them answered. This course is a must for students of yoga interested in getting the most out of their traditional yoga resources. Your Course Director in Sanskrit is Anusha Sudindra Rao, who is a PhD candidate in the Department of the Study of Religion at the University of Toronto. Anusha holds BA and MA degrees with a focus on Sanskrit. She recently co-edited and co-translated the book of Sanskrit love poetry: How to Love in Sanskrit (Harper Collins). To find out more about this course and how to sign up, please click the link below.
Yoga and Logic
This is a one of a kind critical thinking course that covers the basics of logic and critical thinking, in connection to the Yoga Sūtra, which is the world’s first manual of critical thinking. Learn how formal approaches to logic as taught in credible philosophy departments the world over shed light on Yoga as a practice of responsible data processing. Students in this course will acquire a new appreciation for the practice of Yoga. This course is worth 20 CE credits.
Manifesting Prosperity and Success: Patañjali’s Yoga Sūtra, Focus Book 3 (April or October)
In this 4 week intensive course, students will have close, virtual contact with Dr. Ranganathan as they explore the Yoga Sūtras with focus on the often difficult to understand Book III. Suitable for students who are not new to philosophy or the material.