Embodying The Yoga Sutra – Support, Direction & Space

Patanjali’s Yoga Sutras is the key text of yoga, particularly within this tradition. Yet for many contemporary practitioners, its deeper treasures remain either unknown or mired in obscurity.

In Embodying The Yoga Sutra, we focus on 18 of the most important sutra and show how each one illuminates the relationship between the body, the breath and the mind in a practical, clear and contemporary manner. The sutra are carefully deconstructed, put into context and then developed into ideas for practice.We examine the interplay of three key terms: support, direction and space, to further inform our understanding and application of the practice.

Join us for a free live zoom session discussing Embodying The Yoga Sutra

We have two sessions on Saturday March 13, at 8am and 3pm GMT. Please register and select the most convenient session for your timezone.

Embodying The Yoga Sūtra: Presentation and Q&A with Dave Charlton and Ranju Roy

Please register to receive the session zoom link and some introductory reading.

UK Edition

The covers features an original image by Olivia Dalrymple. The sun and moon in the eyes evoke something of the rich symbolism employed in the Yoga tradition.

International Edition

The cover features original artwork by Ranju evoking the qualities of support, direction and space, and reflecting the colours of the guna (the golden yellow is used for sattva rather than the more usual white, just for practical reasons)

Focus on 18 Key Sutra

We  show how each of 18 key sutra illuminate the relationship between the body, the breath and the mind in a practical, clear and contemporary manner. The sutra are carefully deconstructed, put into context and then developed into ideas for practice.

Chapter 1 Extract

To be in a state of atha (now), moment to moment, is thus to be in a state of yoga. So how to begin such a journey? The answer is NOW. Atha demands that we put the teachings of yoga into practice, acknowledging the reality of where we are right now and being realistic about the steps that we need to take

Support, direction & space
- a master key

It is through the process of taking support on something that you can establish a clear direction; and only then can a space open up to grow into. This formula can be applied as successfully to the body (in asana) as to the breath (in pranayama) and the mind (through meditation). With illustrated asana sequences and suggestions for enhancing your practice, Embodying the Yoga Sutra is both a practical as well as a deeply philosophical book.