Description

About the session

The Yoga Sutra (YS), the foundational text on yoga composed by Maharishi Patanjali close to 2000 years ago, is not half as well known as the Bhagavad Gita or the Upanishads, but has a deservedly high status among ancient Indian texts. While the latter two are beautiful and profound explorations into the paths to self-realisation, namely jnana (knowledge), karma (selfless work), bhakti (devotion) and dhyana (meditation), the YS is a compact ‘companion manual’ that provides instructions on how to still the mind to prepare it for dhyana.

Like a good, reliable textbook, it starts with the definition of yoga, lays out its whys and wherefores, and then unrolls an eight-rung ladder – ashtanga – by ascending which we may awaken and harness the explosive power of our minds. In this 60-minute talk, we will discuss the highlights of the YS, and how we can incorporate its prescribed practices into our daily lives to achieve the clarity and stillness needed for a joyful and examined life in the world. 

About Roopa

I have practiced yoga on and off for years, since I was a child. I have never been as consistent as I have in the last four years, since the first COVID lockdowns. Just doing yoga for an hour each morning helped to reduce the anxiety and helplessness I was feeling at the time, and turned me into an even bigger fan. 

I don’t teach yoga, I’m a children’s writer. I have written over 30 books on a wide variety of themes, but my books on Indian philosophy – The Gita For Children, The Vedas and Upanishads for Children (both these books have UK editions out), and The Yoga Sutras for Children – are the bestsellers. 

 

For more information, click here:

Roopa's Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/roopa.pai.90

Roopa's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/roopa.pai/

Please note that these are external channels and are not maintained by the BWY.

 

Tickets

BWY Members: you can attend this session live, free of charge as part of your membership - but you will need to register for a ticket below. 
NB You only need to book a ticket if you wish to attend the live session - to watch the recording, please see below.

We welcome people from outside of the BWY and have made tickets available at a cost of £20 per session to cover administrative costs. If you would like to attend more than one session per year, it would be worthwhile considering joining the BWY for this benefit alone.

NB If you would like to purchase a non-member ticket, please register for a free account here first: https://portal.bwy.org.uk/register. Then the non-member ticket will appear at the bottom of the event screen.

Tickets will be available to purchase until noon two working days prior to the event to allow time for administration or if the event reaches capacity.

 

Zoom link

Once you have booked your ticket for the event, you will be able to access the Zoom link from the Meeting Information tab in the event.

 

Recordings

Once the session has taken place, we aim to have the recording available within 48 hours, although it is often sooner than this. Everyone who registered for the live session will be able to access the recording via the Meeting Information tab or via My Resources/video library, which is where BWY Members can access recordings of all previous Member Sessions (ensure you are logged in).

Health Questionnaires

You do not need to submit a health questionnaire as this session is a talk.

Additional Information

Access needs: please email events@bwy.org.uk by 29 August with any specific access needs. Live captioning is enabled and you can activate this on your screen by clicking on the Zoom CC button and there is also an option to view the whole transcript by clicking on the upward arrow on the CC button. The recording will feature the closed captions automatically.

What to Bring

Anything you need to sit comfortably, note-taking equipment.