New Year Intention: Learning the Yoga Sutras

Yes, Pattabhi Jois said: "99% practice", but lately we are all coming to the conclusion that this was just his trickster way of getting us on the mat. Not that practice is not important, rather theory is AS important.

As early as the week before last I heard JC, my teacher, telling us that for someone like Jois (who spent his life studying theory) that was a rather suspicious statement. Then Nobel challenged it again in one of his posts.

Collectively we understand that if we are serious on the path to yoga, if we really want to put it to the test and see the results in our own lives, then we must venture into the Yoga Sutras, The Gita, the Upanishads.

Some intention this is for me! I want to learn them, chant them and know what they mean and so, I am starting a series on them.  This is nothing too academic, but rather the learning curve of a mere mortal practitioner who has the benefit of other masters, yoga teachers and scholars having traveled the road before.

I would like to invite you to join me on the experience should you feel inclined, by commenting, giving your opinion, suggestions, writing guest posts or whatever your imagination may spark.

The blog is not changing, this is something I will add to it. I doubt I will be posting one article per sutra, rather as I learn I will share insights. I hope you share yours too. My inspiration to set the intention in blog form and make it into a series comes from my husband who is learning Spanish and turned it into a blog to keep it real.  I thought it was a good idea.

RESOURCES:

Aside from the books shown throughout this post I will be using:

Wikkipedia

Kimberly Flyn's page: You can listen to the sutras right there on her page, something I am grateful for.

 Dr. M.A, Jayashree: Her chanting of the sutras is what you can hear in Kimberly's page, if you want to download it for US$ 10 you can do so here
Swamiji's page
The American Sanskrit Institute
Light on the Yoga Sutras by B.K.S. Iyengar
As per Grimmly's comment I am adding the downloadable chants from Ramaswami, you can access them here






The last book shown in this post (below) was recommended to me by Grimmly and has proven very helpful as a starting point.  I keep referring back to it from time to time.

I am sure the list of resources will grow and I will update this post accordingly.



First Post Sutra 2.1: Patanjali you optimist! I am starting with chapter 2
Sutras 2.1 through 2.4: Ignorance!
Sutras 2.1 through 2.9
Follow me on Twitter or subscribe at: ClaudiaYoga.com