Theory Manual

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.