Foundations of Yoga

Course Details

Uncover the essence of the traditional yoga system over an intensive 16-week course. Designed for the yoga practitioner seeking deeper understanding, the spiritual searcher, or the mindfulness practitioner seeking foundations beyond the physical postures and associated practices of yoga — asana, mudra, bandha and pranayama.

This course will take you from the very beginning of the Ashtanga Yoga system, as delineated by Patanjali Muni in the classical text the Yoga Sutras, to the final conclusion of yoga as an inward journey of self-realisation and self-discovery. Grounded in traditional Eastern philosophy, which understands this life as that of a spiritual being having a human experience, the course moves you from practising yoga as physical exercise or a wellness activity to a complete, holistic system for self-realisation, self-inquiry and spiritual connection. We will discover:

• The definition of yoga in its original terms — a means to, and the state of, union with the divine, the inner Self
• The context of the yoga system, including the original Vedic modes of knowledge acquisition, means of evidence appraisal and the context of yoga ashrams
• The purpose of the yoga system
• A deep dive into the foundational limbs beyond those covered in typical yoga teacher trainings — yama and niyama
• The Samkhyan model of the mind, composed of memory, ego, mind and intelligence
• The complete body, mind and soul complex
• Core practices of yoga asana (postures), pranayama (breathwork) and meditation
• The two branches of consciousness, with comparisons to modern psychological understandings
• A basic holistic daily routine (dinacharya) covering waking, eating, sleeping, self-care practices and exercise

Please note: this is an extensive course that is philosophically and intellectually rich. It asks for reflection, assignment completion and self-motivated review of theory and self for the best outcomes. It leans heavily on traditional teachings, staying true to the ancient wisdom of sages and monks, with reference to modern neuro, behavioural and anatomical science.

Who this is for

This course is for those aged 18 or older who are seeking a true understanding of the Self, or strong philosophical and embodied foundations for their yoga or mindfulness lifestyle.

How it came to be

This course came to be after years of studying spiritual traditions and lineages, as well as renowned yoga teachers and practitioners. Recognising that the modern scene lacked clear education on the science of yoga as the journey of self-realisation — not mere physical gymnastics — and observing that most yoga teacher trainings were created for a commercial context, teaching enough philosophy to present yoga as a wellness practice rather than a deep, spiritual and personal transformation, Foundations of Yoga was composed.

The course remains true to the original intent of yoga as the means for self-realisation, and explains step by step the context of material reality, the material body and subtle energetic systems, through to the features of the spirit soul and discussions of existence, reality and divinity.

Your teachers

• Crystal — Meditation Teacher
• Christine — Yoga Teacher · B.App.Sc. (Physiotherapy)

About Christine & Crystal