Sacred Texts

“What is the description of a person of steady insight who remains in samadhi, O Krishna? How does a person of stable wisdom speak forth? How does he sit? How does he walk?” Arjuna asks Krishna. How can we assess the stability and clarity of our own mind? How can we strengthen its connection to inner wisdom? In this satsanga, Pandit Tigunait uses the second chapter of the Bhagavad Gita to address such questions. Learn the tools for self-reflection and self-transformation on your journey toward true peace—unconditional peace of mind. Format: .mp3 audio file with download Length: 59 mins

Prana is the energetic potential that imbues us with life. We cultivate awareness and control of this life force through the practice of pranayama, control of the breath, which eventually culminates in the practice of pratyahara, withdrawal of the senses from the external world. In this eighth session (sutras 2:49–2:55) of the Practice of the Yoga Sutra Book Club, Ishan Tigunait explores the purpose and stages of pranayama and pratyahara, the fourth and fifth limbs of Patanjali’s eight limbs of yoga. Discover how practicing them systematically leads us into meditation and the unveiling of our inmost self. Reading material for this session can be found in Pandit Tigunait’s The Practice of the Yoga Sutra: Sadhana Pada. As you study, don’t forget to submit your questions to bookclub@yearlongmeditation.org. Ishan will be answering as many of them as possible in our capstone session. Format: .mp3 audio file with download Length: 1 hr 8 mins

How can we tell right from wrong, appropriate action from a mistake? When we have a strong connection to our buddhi (inner intelligence), we can make the wisest choices and act on them skillfully. In this satsang with Pandit Tigunait, we dive into the second chapter of the Bhagavad Gita to explore the power and freedom that lie in heeding the call of our buddhi. Find out how you can live with clarity and purpose by tapping into your innate intuition and wisdom. Format: .mp3 audio file with download Length: 1 hr 7 mins

In recent years, asana has gained popularity as a tool for cultivating strength and flexibility. Yet its full potential and meaning extends far beyond its physical benefits. In the seventh session (sutras 2:46–2:48) of the Practice of the Yoga Sutra Book Club, Ishan Tigunait explores asana as a fundamental step toward the bigger goal of yoga—cultivating a peaceful flow of inward awareness. Find out how asana practice is a gateway to a deeper connection to prana (life force), and how pranic awareness then becomes a gateway to a joyful, stable journey inward. To prepare for the next session, please read sutras 2:49–2:55 in Pandit Tigunait’s The Practice of the Yoga Sutra: Sadhana Pada. As you study, don’t forget to submit your questions to bookclub@yearlongmeditation.org. Ishan will be answering as many of them as possible in our capstone session. Format: .mp3 audio file with download Length: 1 hr 1 mins

The yamas (restraints) and niyamas (observances) are a highly active, transformative set of practices that unveils the extraordinary wisdom, joy, and power lying at the core of our being. In the sixth session (sutras 2:35–2:45) of the Practice of the Yoga Sutra Book Club, Ishan Tigunait explores the siddhis (yogic accomplishments) that are unlocked through sincere and consistent practice of the yamas and niyamas. From bodily perfection to unsurpassed happiness, discover the extraordinary fruits of disciplining your thought, speech, and action. To prepare for the next session, please read sutras 2:46–2:48 in Pandit Tigunait’s The Practice of the Yoga Sutra: Sadhana Pada. As you study, don’t forget to submit your questions to bookclub@yearlongmeditation.org. Ishan will be answering as many of them as possible in our capstone session. Format: .mp3 audio file with download Length: 1 hr 9 mins

When we invest our time and energy in an endeavor but meet with failure, we become angry and sad. When granted success, we become equally disturbed, but this time with happiness and pride. How can we gain freedom from the pendulum of inner chaos? Using verses 2:47 and 2:48 of the Bhagavad Gita as the focal point, Pandit Tigunait sheds light on the value of performing actions skillfully while surrendering the fruits. Discover how you can start this practice and cultivate unwavering peace and equanimity in your life. Format: .mp3 audio file with download Length: 1 hr 13 mins

In the fifth session (sutras 2:28–2:34) of the Practice of the Yoga Sutra Book Club, Ishan Tigunait introduces the eight limbs of yoga—the concrete steps to cultivating a peaceful flow of awareness. He then delves into a detailed discussion of the first two limbs: the yamas (restraints) and the niyamas (observances). Begin your exploration of the living body of practice that purifies and illuminates your inner and outer worlds. To prepare for the next session, please read sutras 2:35–2:45 in Pandit Tigunait’s The Practice of the Yoga Sutra: Sadhana Pada. As you study, don’t forget to submit your questions to bookclub@yearlongmeditation.org. Ishan will be answering as many of them as possible in our capstone session. Format: .mp3 audio file with download Length: 1 hr 8 mins

Does spirituality mean avoiding involvement in “worldly” affairs? In this introduction to the satsang series, Transforming Life into a Spiritual Quest, Pandit Tigunait shares facetious and illuminating stories on the absurdity that results from artificially separating the sacred and the mundane. Find out how you can unite the two instead—through the art of self-reflection and non-attachment. Format: .mp3 audio file with download Length: 1 hr 7 mins

What are we? Why do we exist? Yoga philosophy does not shy away from tackling such fundamental questions. In the fourth session (sutras 2:18–2:27) of the Practice of the Yoga Sutra Book Club, Ishan Tigunait delves into Patanjali’s worldview on our place and purpose in the cosmos. Discover how purusha (pure awareness) and prakriti (primordial nature) manifest the different layers of reality—and how yoga practice helps us connect with their all-pervading consciousness and potential. To prepare for the next session, please read sutras 2:28–2:34 in Pandit Tigunait’s The Practice of the Yoga Sutra: Sadhana Pada. As you study, don’t forget to submit your questions to bookclub@yearlongmeditation.org. Ishan will be answering as many of them as possible in our capstone session. Format: .mp3 audio file with download Length: 1 hr 8 mins

From determining our lifespan to influencing how we think and act, our karmas (past actions and their fruits) powerfully shape our current experience. In the third session (sutras 2:10–2:17) of the Practice of the Yoga Sutra Book Club, Ishan Tigunait explores how the karmic wheel works and how the spiritual seeker can meaningfully engage with it. Find out how to harness its momentum and transform it into a force of liberation. To prepare for the next session, please read sutras 2:18–2:27 in Pandit Tigunait’s The Practice of the Yoga Sutra: Sadhana Pada. As you study, don’t forget to submit your questions to bookclub@yearlongmeditation.org. Ishan will be answering as many of them as possible in our capstone session. Format: .mp3 audio file with download Length: 1 hr 5 mins

Knowledge is power: understanding our suffering empowers us to free ourselves from it. In the second session (sutras 2:3–2:9) of the Practice of the Yoga Sutra Book Club, Ishan Tigunait delves into the five fundamental afflictions (kleshas) that stand between us and true fulfillment. Learn what they are and what you can do to rise above them. To prepare for the next session, please read sutras 2:10–2:17 in Pandit Tigunait’s The Practice of the Yoga Sutra: Sadhana Pada. As you study, don’t forget to submit your questions to bookclub@yearlongmeditation.org. Ishan will be answering as many of them as possible in our capstone session. Format: .mp3 audio file with download Length: 1 hr 3 mins

We seek peace and freedom with a disturbed mind and limited body. How do we move ahead? In the first session (sutras 2:1-2:2) of the Practice of the Yoga Sutra Book Club, Ishan Tigunait explains how kriya yoga—the threefold force that unlocks the dynamic power of yoga—propels our practice forward, enabling us to transcend our limitations and experience our unbounded potential. To prepare for the next session, please read sutras 2:3-2:9 in Pandit Tigunait’s The Practice of the Yoga Sutra: Sadhana Pada. As you study, don’t forget to submit your questions to bookclub@yearlongmeditation.org. Ishan will be answering as many of them as possible in our capstone session. Format: .mp3 audio file with download Length: 57 mins