Today TSYP posts two things:

(1st) MAKE SURE TO RESERVE YOUR PLACE

13-15 November TSYP Online Annual Gathering on Pariṇāma - Change – Guest Speakers: Frans Moors (author of Liberating Isolation: The Yogasūtra of Patañjali) & Simone Tempelhof, Helena Del Pino, Andy Curtis-Payne. More details on the TSYP website.

(2nd) A reflection from Bea Teuton, first sent as an email on 31.08.2020 to those on the TSYP mailing list:

Yoga Sūtra 1.20 tells us:

śraddhā vīrya smṛti samādhi prajñā pūrvakaḥ itareṣām

‘Through faith that will give sufficient energy to achieve success against all odds, direction will be maintained. The realisation of the goal of yoga is a matter of time.’ - TKV Desikachar

As Desikachar makes clear, śraddhā is the key. It is also of course the head of the bird in the vijñānamaya in Chapter 2 of the Taittirīya Upaniṣad and the subject of the Śraddhāsūktam which we have chanted in the TSYP Sunday Sangha so many, many times. To take this a step further: it is śraddhā that brings confidence in ourselves. So much has been out of our control recently but śraddhā brings self-empowerment.

Yoga dates from many thousands of years ago. We know that life can be tough, but we can also do something to help ourselves: we have the knowledge through the tools of yoga to navigate what is thrown at us. At a time when confusion seems to reign supreme, our relationship with yoga gives us stability and the knowledge that whilst current times are not easy, difficult times do pass. If we can maintain our direction through practise, then we will have the support we need to face what comes next.

Śraddhā brings strength, vīrya, and the energy to keep going.

These Covid-related times are not about to disappear anytime soon. We need to be able to take one step at a time, accepting that there may well be setbacks (such as other lockdowns, disappointments and cancelled holidays) but that we have an inner strength which will hold us despite all of this.

We need memory, smṛti – not to remember the bad times (that would be a use of the citta vṛtti in YS1.11 and kleśa) but memory to help us know how to keep an eye on what is helpful for us and not to make the same mistakes twice. If we have to home school again and we found it beyond difficult last time, how can we look at things differently and not let the memory of last time spoil what might be something special?

And lastly, we need to be able to train our minds to truly concentrate. Professor Krishnamacarya said evidence that a yoga practice was helpful was shown when a person learned how to discern what to let go of and what to pursue.

Zoom classes are certainly a lifeline in times of lockdown but should we use just this going forward? What else is useful to us in the ‘new normal’ and what can we let go of?

Each person will have their own journey towards śraddhā. We need to learn what it is that quietens our own heart. In this journey we learn all the time. The important thing is to focus on our own journey, looking inwardly and not comparing ourselves to others and thus looking out. One leads to peace the other to suffering.

Photo by Museums Victoria on Unsplash. The bird is Polytelis melanura and the artist is James W. Sayer

Study Opportunity on Sept 5th and 6th

Radha Sundararajan will be presenting on Patañjali-s Yoga Sūtras.

The format will include leading the chanting and also highlighting key sūtras with commentary and stories from her experience as a student of Desikachar's. On Saturday Sept 5th Radha will present on Chapter 1 and on Sunday the Sept 6th Radha will be presenting on Chapter 2.

The sessions will be via Zoom from 10 to 12.30pm UK time.

Radha has also kindly offered a recording of her chanting each chapter for those who are attending. There are options to join for both days or one day.

To join the event please visit

https://www.tsyp.yoga/training/event-list/#!event-list

We are restricted to 100 participants due to Zoom constraints.

Hoping you can join us!

Image: By Ms Sarah Welch - Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org

FOUNDATION COURSE 1 - starting MARCH 2021
Epsom, Surrey

Starting March 2021 with Jatinder Wilson & Michelle Tarling

Suitable for those wishing to deepen their practice and understanding of yoga. This new blended course will run from 14 March 2021 until 27 February 2022.

There will be 6 face-to-face sessions, held in Epsom, Surrey, 5 online morning sessions and 10 shorter online evening sessions.

The course itself will be preceded by two introductory online sessions.

These introductory sessions offer the opportunity to meet the tutors and fellow students, learn more about the course content and background to the teachings of T Krishnamacharya and TKV Desikachar. A short practice will be included.

The introductory mornings will be delivered online on Sunday 4 October 2020 and Sunday 10 January 2021 from 10.00 am – 12.00 pm.

Cost: £20 per session or £35 for both

For more information and to book please contact Jatinder Wilson – hello@jatinderyoga.com

You could also visit the TSYP website for further information via this link

https://www.tsyp.yoga/training/event-list/#!event/2021/3/14/new-blended-learning-foundation-course

Remembering TKV Desikachar, "Sir"

21 June 1938 to 8 August 2016

“Yoga exists in the world because everything is linked.”

― T.K.V. Desikachar