Threads in Patañjali’s Wisdom

The Yoga Sutras of Patanjali are yoga’s foundational guide to the mind, body, and spirit, yet their depth is often lost in contemporary practice. This course offers serious students a rare opportunity to engage with these classical teachings through original Sanskrit, Iyengar’s interpretive insight, and embodied application.

Under the guidance of Dr. Agi Wittich, scholar of Indology and longtime Iyengar practitioner and teacher, participants will explore how Patanjali’s sutras speak to both timeless philosophical truths and practical, transformative yoga practice. The course emphasizes an integrated approach: ethics, asana, breath, concentration, and meditation are studied as interconnected steps on the path to inner clarity and liberation.

Methodology: An Integrated, Three-Dimensional Approach

• Sanskrit Analysis: We’ll work directly with Patanjali’s language, exploring key terms and structures, carefully explained for students with no prior Sanskrit knowledge.
• Iyengar’s Interpretive Lens: B.K.S. Iyengar’s commentary bridges abstract philosophy and embodied practice. We study his insights from Light on the Yoga Sutras, Yoga Rahasya, and other writings.
• Contemporary Application: Each session demonstrates how classical teachings illuminate modern life and practice, cultivating practical skills, ethical discernment, and meditative awareness.

Participants of this course will develop:

• Foundational literacy in key Sanskrit terms and concepts
• Understanding of Iyengar’s interpretive approach to the Yoga Sutras
• Practical skills for integrating classical yoga principles into daily life and practice
• Enhanced awareness of mind, breath, body, and ethical action
• A clear framework for navigating the path from practice to insight and liberation