Chapter by Chapter
Theory Manual
18 chapters covering yoga philosophy, the Nāth tradition, classical texts, anatomy, wellness and the art of teaching.
Chapter 1
Introduction to Yoga & Yogic Practices
What yoga means and what it is not; its long history from the Vedas to the modern revival; the Upaniṣads, six darśanas, Sāṁkhya, four paths and great teachers of the tradition.
Chapter 2 · Nāth Lineage
Traditional Yoga & the Nāth Sampradāya
What a living tradition is; paramparā and sampradāya; the lineage from Ādinātha to the twelve panths; Sri M, the Nāth worldview and its way of practice.
Chapter 3 · Nāth Lineage
The Living Lineage
Information versus transmission; the guru–śiṣya relationship and its misreadings; śaktipāta, preparation of the student and the ethics of the relationship.
Chapter 4 · Nāth Lineage
The Nāth Sampradāya in Depth
The Siddha heritage; Matsyendranātha and Gorakṣanātha; the Navnāths, twelve panths, traditional texts, initiation, service and the wider legacy in Bhakti, Sant and Sufi streams.
Chapter 5 · Nāth Lineage
Nāth Philosophy & Worldview
Śiva–Śakti as the non-dual ground; the body as sacred ground; jīvanmukti, samarasa, sādhana, tapas, purification, karma and bhakti.
Chapter 6 · Nāth Texts
Introduction to Haṭha Yoga
Ha and ṭha; the Haṭha Yoga Pradīpikā, Gheraṇḍa Saṁhitā and Śiva Saṁhitā; diet, the sādhaka’s ecology, chakras and the path from ṣaṭkarma to nādānusandhāna.
Chapter 7 · Nāth Texts
Gorakṣa Śataka & Siddha Siddhānta Paddhati
Essential verses of the Gorakṣa Śataka; prāṇa and apāna; ajapā gāyatrī, kuṇḍalinī, nine chakras, sixteen ādhāras and the memorisation core.
Chapter 8 · Nāth Texts
The Yoga Upaniṣads: Yoga Cūḍāmaṇi
The twenty Yoga Upaniṣads; the six limbs, the body’s subtle map, nāḍīs, prāṇa, ajapā and oṁ presented with full Upaniṣadic authority.
Chapter 9
The Yoga Sūtras of Patañjali
Citta and its modifications; abhyāsa and vairāgya; the eight limbs, kleśas and samādhi—the classical foundation every yoga teacher must understand.
Chapter 10
The Bhagavad Gītā
Arjuna’s crisis as the beginning of yoga; karma-yoga, the integration of the four paths and the essential verses every yoga teacher should know.
Chapter 11
Human Anatomy & Physiology
The skeletal, muscular, respiratory, cardiovascular and nervous systems, with the essential knowledge teachers need to guide students safely.
Chapter 12
The Subtle Body — Yogic Anatomy
The sūkṣma śarīra, nāḍīs, chakras, prāṇa vāyus and pañcakośa, and how yoga practices influence the subtle dimensions of experience.
Chapter 13
Yoga for Wellness
The guṇas as a practical science of lifestyle—reducing tamas, governing rajas, cultivating sattva and applying yoga to health and wellbeing.
Chapter 14
Āyurveda & Yoga
Doṣas, agni and dinacaryā—the principles of yoga’s sister science and how they inform a balanced yogic daily routine, diet and lifestyle.
Chapter 15
Yoga & Stress Management
The physiology of stress, the relaxation response and the application of āsana, conscious breathing and yoga nidrā to the demands of modern life.
Chapter 16
Mantra & Chanting
Sanskrit pronunciation, important vowels and consonants, oṁ, the śānti mantras and the understanding of chanting as a spiritual practice rather than performance.
Chapter 17
Teaching Methodology & Professional Practice
The craft of teaching: sequencing, clear instruction, demonstration, correction, class management, communication and professional ethics.
Chapter 18
The Yoga Teacher
A deeper enquiry beyond how to teach yoga: what it truly means to be a yoga teacher and whether one is prepared to take on that responsibility.
