Spring Term 2025
Yoga Sutras in Practice
Practising With the Eight Limbs of Yoga
Monday 28 April to Monday 21 July 2025 8pm-9.15pm Online
Course Cost: £230
Discount Price: £180 – for those on a lower income. Please email Info@nadiaraafat.com to make the discount payment
Join me as we explore the eight limbs of Classical Hatha Yoga through the Living with the Yoga Sutras series.
Together, the eight limbs of yoga, as set out offer us a practice pathway for conscious living and spiritual advancement and represent yoga in its fullest expression – as it is meant to be lived and practiced.
In the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali, the definition of yoga is given as Yogas citta vrtti nirodhah (1.2) – Yoga is the cessation of the fluctuations of the mind. Patanjali laid out the Eight Limbed Path of Yoga as a pathway to help us control these fluctuations or Vrittis and discover a deeper meaning and purpose to our lives.
Following on from last term’s exploration of the Yamas and the Niyams, the foundational principles for living with integrity and authenticity, this term we begin at Step 3 which is Asana.
Each week, we reflect on the meaning of some key sutras related to the limb in focus before embodying and exploring the principle or teaching through our evening practice. We will spend two sessions exploring each limb.
We are working with The Yoga Sutras attributed to the sage (s) Patanajali sometime between 2nd century BCE and 5th century CE. This book is widely regarded as the one of the key foundation texts for classical hatha yoga with its proposed model of yoga; the eight-limbed Astanga path, forming the foundations for classical hatha yoga practice.
These classes are rich in meaning and deep in practice -a delicious way to close Monday evening.
The Eight Limbs of Yoga
Each of the eight ‘limbs’ of the Yoga Sutras, describes a different aspect of the practice; a different step on the pathway to realisation.
- Yama (moral discipline)
- Yamas: Ahimsa: Non Violemce, Satya: Truthfulness, Asteya: Non-Stealing, Brahmacharya: Non Excess and Aparigraha: Non Possessiveness
- Niyama (observances)
- Niymas: Saucha: Purity, Santosa: Contentment, Tapas: Self-Disciple, Svadhyaya; Self-Study and Ishwara Pranidhana; Surrender
- Asana (physical postures)
- Pranayama (breathing techniques)
- Pratyahara (sense withdrawal)
- Dharana (concentration)
- Dhyana (absorption or meditation)
- Samadhi (enlightenment or bliss)
My intention is that imbibing these teachings will notably deepen your relationship with your physical practice but inform your living too.
I hope you will join me this April and let the deep and ancient wisdom of the Eight Limbed Path support your living and yoga practice this Spring.
Payment Possibilities:
5 Class Discount Pass (Valid in Wednesday dynamic hatha class as well):£95
10 Class Discount Pass ( Valid in Wednesday dynamic hatha class as well): £190
