Greetings Reader -

I discovered Jivamukti Yoga in 2004. I hadn't even completed my first class before I thought, "I need to learn how to teach this!"

The reason I wanted to teach rather than just practice was because I was looking for a way to share my experience of yoga as a spiritual practice and I immediately recognized that the format and style of a Jivamukti class lent itself to teaching yoga as a philosophy and lifestyle rather than just as a system of physical postures.

I already had the devotional and philosophical training, so the next step for me was to learn the poses and sequences.

With encouragement from my bhakti-yoga teachers, I spent the next five years mastering the practice.

Finally, in 2009, I enrolled in the month-long residential Jivamukti Yoga Teacher Training, held at the Omega Institute in upstate New York.

The program began in early March and it was really cold on the first day of the training.

And windy. Because . . . it was March.

But I was determined to act like the advanced yogi I thought I was, so I got up at the crack of dawn, bundled up, picked up my japa beads, and went outside for an early morning mantra meditation walk.

I hate being cold.

But I remembered one of my favorite verses from the Bhagavad-gita:

So I accepted the icy wind that cut right through every layer of clothing I'd piled on as the kind of austerity that an advanced yogi like me simply tolerates with practiced indifference.

Which didn't stop my teeth from chattering as I tried to chant my mantra.

Determined to accept the austerity of freezing my butt off for the sake of my meditation practice, I trudged up a hill to the highest—and windiest—point on Omega's sprawling campus just as the sun was peeking over the horizon.

A few steps from the top, I saw that one of my fellow trainees had gotten up and out even earlier than I had. He was sitting, motionless and lotus-posed, in silent meditation on a small outcrop of eastward-facing rock protruding from the peak of the hill a few feet from the path.

He looked like serenity personified.

He was wearing gym shorts. No shirt. No socks. Just gym shorts.

And I thought, "Wow! If this is the standard for austerity at this training, I am small potatoes."

It was a very healthy, humbling moment, which I clearly needed given the "advanced yogi" attitude I'd begun my morning with.

I didn't want to disturb him (even though he looked undisturbable), so I walked behind him as quietly as a could, with my mouth open as much in amazement as to prevent my teeth from noisily chattering, and finished my meditation walk . . . as quickly as a could; I couldn't wait to get back indoors.

They say that austerity is the wealth of those whose spiritual advancement is propelled by the cultivation of higher consciousness. Austerity is also the first of three actions that function like pillars to support a complete yoga practice.

The other two, as enumerated in the Yoga-sutras, are guided study of the true nature of the self and devotion to the personal feature of universal consciousness, who lives in the hearts of all beings:

The traditional commentators on the Yoga-sutras tell us that the practice of these three "actions" are a prescription for the cultivation of higher consciousness, a synergistic triad that leads, eventually, but inevitably, to the development of a tranquil mind.

Which is why my first live online workshop of the year will be an exploration of this essential three-fold foundation of a comprehensive yoga practice.

Through a close reading of the original Sanskrit and insightful commentary from sages who preserved and expanded on these teachings across a millennium, we’ll unpack the essence of each of the three "actions of yoga," their relevance, and the transformative impact they can bring to your life.
I hope you'll join me for

THE THREE PILLARS OF YOGA

Live via Zoom

Sunday, January 12 @ 12:00 pm – 1:30 pm EDT

TUITION: $37

This workshop will be recorded and available for replay

In this workshop, you'll gain:

• Foundational Wisdom: you'll come away with a clear understanding of these practices and how they contribute to a life of simplicity, awareness, and joy.​
• Enhanced Teaching Skills: for yoga teachers, you'll learn how to bring additional depth to your classes by speaking authoritatively about these practices and inspiring your students to connect with the roots of a complete yoga practice.
• Practical Tools: you'll discover how to apply these teachings in the modern world for a balanced and meaningful yoga experience.

I can't guarantee that you'll be able to sit in perfect tranquility on a hilltop in the freezing wind no matter what you're wearing, but I can guarantee that you'll earn 1.5 hours of CE credit with Yoga Alliance if you enroll.
And that you'll be one step closer to being able to tolerate the dualities of life in the material world without being disturbed.

If you have any questions about this workshop, just reply to this email.

I hope your 2025 is off to a great start.

Wishing you all good fortune,

- Hari-k

P.S.: Small Group Mentorship for Yoga Teachers! If you're a yoga teacher who wants to expand the range of your practice, integrate your practice into your life on a deeper level, and gain confidence in your ability to share yoga’s spiritual and philosophical wisdom, my small group mentorship program will help you fully embody yoga as a complete experience and give you an advanced set of tools for sharing your experience with your students. There are still a few spots left for the first cohort of 2025, which starts on February 15th, so CLICK HERE if you would like to learn more about the program.