Rina Deshpande – The Culture and Practice of the Yama

Although yoga infuses our lives with meaning, the depth and nuance of its ancient philosophy often get lost in modern settings. Join Rina Deshpande – teacher, writer, artist, and poet – for an immersion into the richness of the yama, ethical practices outlined in the Yoga Sutra as the first of the eight-limbed path of classical yoga.

In The Culture and Practice of the Yama, you will learn the historical and cultural roots of the yama, how to embody them in your practice and relationships, and the subtle ways they help you live a conscious, liberated life.

Each lesson includes a lecture to illuminate the rich subtle meaning of each yama through cultural context, selected Sutras, and memorable storytelling. Rina provides audio and visual guides to help you refine your pronunciation of key terms, as well as holistic practices (asana, pranayama, pratyahara, dharana, and meditation) to embody the yama. Self-study assignments also support the learning and invite the imprint of the yama into your own life.

What You’ll Learn In The Culture and Practice of the Yama

• A brief historical timeline of Yoga and the Sutras, and how the yama fit into this
• How to build a culturally informed practice through awareness and context
• How to improve your pronunciation of Sanskrit, if you choose to use it
• The deep meanings hidden in each of the 5 yama
• How to apply the yama to your practice and daily life

The Culture and Practice of the Yama Curriculum

SECTION 1 | Yoga Roots & Evolution | Aparigraha (अपरिग्रह): non-possessiveness

• Introduction
• Yoga Roots & Evolution
• Aparigraha Pronunciation, Meaning, & Culture
• Aparigraha Holistic Practice
• Reflection

SECTION 2 | Ahimsa (अहिंसा): non-harming

• Pronunciation, Meaning, & Culture
• Holistic Practice
• Reflection

SECTION 3 | Asteya (अस्तेय): non-stealing

• Pronunciation, Meaning, & Culture
• Holistic Practice
• Reflection

SECTION 4 | Brahmacharya (ब्रह्मचर्य): walking the path of the Brahma (preserving and harnessing sexual energy for creating, transformation, and inspiring)

• Pronunciation, Meaning, & Culture
• Holistic Practice
• Reflection

SECTION 5 | Satya (सत्य): truthfulness, non-falsehood

• Pronunciation, Meaning, & Culture
• Holistic Practice
• Reflection

SECTION 6 | Integration

• Bringing it all together
• Practice
• Reflection

About Rina Deshpande

Rina Deshpande, Ed.M., MS.T., RYT-500, is an Indian-American yoga teacher, writer, artist, and researcher. Yoga was always an intrinsic part of her family’s Indian culture. Her parents regularly practice pranayama (conscious breathing), recite mantra, and attend or host yoga lectures. She and her sister were raised to always pause in gratitude before opening a gift, honor ancestry, serve community, and feel compassion for animals and nature.

In 2004, as a first-year New York City public school teacher, Rina reconnected with Yoga through meditation and asana—the physical practice—understanding its ability to relieve anxiety and symptoms of burnout by seeing positive transformation in her own self.

While teaching in NYC as a public school teacher and as a founding assistant professor of practice for academic teachers at Relay Graduate School of Education, she continued to practice Yoga, complete her 500-hour certification at ISHTA Yoga, and learn from family and yoga lectures in India and America. In 2015, Rina earned her master’s degree in Mind, Brain, and Education from Harvard Graduate School of Education where she focused on mindfulness and yoga as practices of self-regulation.

For over 15 years, Rina finds herself committed to practicing and teaching Yoga in studios, schools, and organizations across the globe, bringing light to Indian cultural meaning and history, its scientific benefits, and its inspiration of life enjoyment and empowerment.

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