Raghu Ananthanarayanan – “Inner Work Through Yoga – An Introduction”

The Yoga Sutras of Patanjali are the basis of Yoga and they are a delightful confluence of philosophy and practice. The central ideas of Yoga like Dhyana, Pranayama, Avidya, Samadhi etc., have influenced the entire body of inner exploration of our sages. These ideas have been explored in Buddhist, Jain and Shakta traditions as well as the Vedic. In fact there is no area of Sadhana that is not influenced by the essential principles of Yoga.

This Learning Dialogue will explore these key ideas through an experiential learning modality. It will be non discursive and each person will be encouraged to introspect and learn what they wish to from the process. The teaching of selected Yoga Sutras will be woven into the dialogue and therefore be contextual to the emerging inquiry of the group. The focus of the dialogues will be ‘inner work’ or Antaranga Yoga. While there will be time for the practice of Asana and Pranayama, this is not the central aspect of the program.

About the Partnering Organization:

Ritambhara is a space for contemplative conversations fostered by a community of seekers, who are attempting to engage with the question of ‘What it means to live meaningfully in today’s times, along the path of Yoga?’ The members share a common concern for the current ecological, socio-cultural and political state of the world, and find deep wisdom and hope in the teachings and praxis of Yoga as a way forward from these crises. The activities of Ritambhara include, active co-learning through inner work, group study and practice of the various aspects of the Ashtanga Yoga, exploratory dialogues on the different facets of the Indian tradition, and facilitating learning spaces and opportunities for others on a similar quest.

About the Facilitator:

Raghu Ananthanarayanan will be facilitating the dialogues. He has been a long-term disciple of Yogaachaarya Krishnamaachaarya and Desikaachar. He has deployed Yoga in many contexts and developed a modern approach to the teaching of yoga, especially the Yoga Sutras. Raghu is co-founder of the Sumedhas Academy for Human context, The Barefoot Academy for Governance and FLAME TAO Knoware (Pvt. Ltd); He serves on the board of several companies. He is now engaged in mentoring a young group of “sacred activists” at Ritambhara, as well as co-creating a platform of Yoga Teachers from the Krishnamaachaarya tradition called “Ananta Yoga”.