Just as lions, elephants, and tigers are gradually controlled, so prana is controlled through practice. Otherwise the practitioner is destroyed. (HYP 2.15)
From asana to samadhi, the Hatha Yoga Pradipika is the most influential pre-modern text on hatha yoga. It is a tantric text describing practices that focus on prana, the life force. Untrained, the pranic force runs according to instinct, social conditioning, and deep-seated distorted perceptions. As a result, we are likely to find our vitality exhausted and experience a vague sense of inner unrest. The HYP shows us how the exuberant instinctive forces and the rampaging mind can be brought to heel, awakening and empowering our self-awareness and inner locus of control.
The program includes:
Sandra Anderson’s teaching and writing reflects her immersion in the living oral tradition, 35 years of study and practice, and training in Sanskrit. With a background in the natural sciences, Sandra has a unique capacity to convey the richness of spiritual life in our contemporary world. She is the coauthor of the award-winning book Yoga: Mastering the Basics and a frequent contributor to Yoga International’s online magazine. Sandra is a senior faculty member at the Himalayan Institute, where she resides, and teaches yoga, meditation, and philosophy nationally and internationally.