Students at Yoga for Today Chant the Yoga Sutras!

Painting of Saraswati at the Sivananda Ashram in the Bahamas by Uma (Diane Woodward)

Lately Wednesdays have become my favorite day of the week.  I wake up looking forward to gathering in Satsang with the eager students of the first-ever Meditation and Yoga Philosophy class at Yoga for Today!

We've been exploring the deeper dimensions of Yoga through meditation, songs, stories, chanting in Sanskrit and writing in Devanagari, "vehicle of the Gods", the beautiful written script of Sanskrit, the ancient and sacred language of Yoga. 

Sanskrit Alphabet chart borrowed from IndiaDivine.org


In just three classes they have already learned how to draw the beautiful and auspicious symbol of Om and learned about it's components and the states of consciousness.

We also practiced writing the words Yoga and Guru in Devanagari. 

AND they have even been learning the first four Yoga Sutras of Patanjali by heart:

Atha yoganushasanam. 1.1
Yogas chitta vritti nirodhah. 1.2
Tada drashtuh swaroope vasthanam. 1.3
Vritti sarupyam itaratra. 1.4

You should hear it!

It's so exciting to see them with their notebooks and pens, on the edge of their seats, ready with questions and open to the less frequently discussed aspects of this practice.

Today we continue to celebrate Navaratri and the days dedicated to Saraswati, the Goddess of languages, arts, music and learning.

During this evening's class we will be chanting Om Aim Saraswatyai Namaha and writing Devi, praising the Goddess of Wisdom by her own means.

For the next couple of weeks we will continue practicing likhita japa (the devotional writing of mantras) and chanting the first four Yoga Sutras in anticipation of our last class. 

On that evening, a FREE PERFORMANCE AND REFRESHMENTS will be offered to our friends and families from 8-8:30! 

You are invited to join us to celebrate the timeless teachings of Yoga and these diligent and joyful Yogis and Yoginis of Today!

Om Aim Saraswatyai Namaha!