Ancient Wisdom in Modern Times: 8 Limbs of Yoga Course

View program website

SONDER®

2025 Chaneyville Road, Owings, MD, USA

Owings, MD

Upcoming Instances

No instances found for this filter.

Purpose

For yoga teachers and health and wellness providers to:
Discover how crucial the 8 Limbs are to understanding the full potential of Yoga
Gain confidence how each Limb amplifies each other
Deepen your personal practice while learning to articulate the genius of Yoga to others

What to expect

Many yoga teacher trainings skim past Patanjali's 8 Limbs of Yoga to get to whatever the focus of the program is.

Many health and wellness providers prescribe Yoga to help patients feel better, move better, regulate their nervous system, but might not actually have an understanding why or how Yoga helps.

As a result, these leaders jump into using Yoga without understanding its true potential.

In this training, you can expect:

10 modules of instructions
Module 1: Overview of each of the 8 Limbs of Yoga and how they are often introduced for reference
Module 2 - 9: Thorough education on each limb to explore the wisdom with a new sense of purpose
Easy to follow lectures that use modern examples as an entry point to understanding and then unfold the discovery to how it applies to the big picture of Yoga
Practice prompts within each limb for participants to explore from their own experience
Module 10: How to share this wisdom in terms that are effective and relevant to the population you serve
Teacher led discussion that invite in reflection and inquiry for deeper understanding
Assessments that allow you to build confidence in writing, speaking, and teaching about the 8 Limbs

This program takes place over 3 months and may be delivered in person or synchronous online.

Style/Lineage

An modern day approach to Patanjali's 8 Limbs of Yoga

Core competencies

By the end of this program, graduates will be able to…

Yoga History & Theory

Explain in a structured written essay, dhyana (meditation) as a sustained contemplative state that arises through disciplined preparation across the preceding limbs of yoga clearly distinguishing it from relaxation or nervous system regulation, referencing multiple preparatory practices and patterns (e.g., consistency, restraint, self-study), and demonstrating coherent reasoning, accurate terminology, and philisophical integration
Analyze and explain each of the five yamas (ahimsa, satya, asteya, brahmacharya, aparigraha) without reference to notes, demonstrating how these principles extend beyond ethical restraint to inform the purpose, depth, and transformative potential of yoga practice
Demonstrate dharana (concentration) by presenting on one yama or niyama with sustained focus, using concise and clear language that supports listener ease, understanding, and engagement with the topic
Discuss pratyahara as a practice of inward relationship not only with the senses, but with the creator or higher source of awareness, explaining how sensory refinement supports devotion, surrender, and receptivity to deeper states of yoga
Apply the personal practice of dharana (concentration) to cultivate clarity and steadiness of attention into articulate, accessible modeling and instruction that demonstrates a state of unwavering focus within social and professional environments.
Explain dhyana as the culmination of sustained dedication to the yogic path, demonstrating understanding that it arises through disciplined engagement with the preceding limbs rather than as a discrete or temporary yogic experience
Articulate samadhi as a rare and non-attainable state that arises naturally from sustained dedication to the yogic path, demonstrating understanding that it is not a goal to pursue or a destination to seek.
Analyze and explain each of the five niyamas (saucha, santosha, tapas, svadhyaya, ishvara pranidhana) without reference to notes, using language that moves beyond categorization to explain how these principles support and strengthen engagement with all other limbs of yoga
Analyze and present research on the limb of samadhi by explaining how sustained practice of the preceding seven limbs supports the emergence of meditative consciousness, demonstrating understanding that samadhi represents a state distinct from and more profound than concepts such as “flow state” or “bliss.”
Evaluate and conclude with a reasoned argument on the importance of revisiting and reworking all eight limbs of yoga, citing at least five specific examples that demonstrate how practice within one limb influences, supports, or deepens engagement with other limbs
Explain how asana functions as a foundational practice for preparing the practitioner for steadiness, regulation, and inner peace
Differentiate pranayama practices into four functional categories—awareness, cooling, energizing, and balancing— based on their primary effects on breath, energy, and regulation
Articulate in writing, how asana (postural yoga) supports physical health, nervous system balance, and subtle body awareness by citing how moving the body helps benefit overall health of the physical body, and points to the importance of articulating the spine in many planes affects the balance of the nervous system, and how the subtle body benefits when movement is present, or is challenged when it is absent.
Sustain a consistent pranayama practice over a minimum of three months, and reflect on observed changes in physical sensation, mental state, and overall sense of well-being.
Design and present a pranayama project that demonstrates a deepened personal relationship with a chosen breath practice and articulates how pranayama functions as an integrative bridge among the eight limbs of yoga, inspiring curiosity and inquiry in others
Discuss the role of pratyahara beyond “sense withdrawal” by explaining how sensory engagement shapes life experience and how skillful awareness of the senses supports turning inward with ease and compassion, including how unregulated sensory input can obstruct access to the subsequent limbs of yoga

AYC allows each school to state and evaluate the competencies each student acquires. Students rate how well the program delivered them.

Program Emphasis

Evaluation methods

Program evaluations

Oral Exam
Written Submission
Solo Project Or Presentation
Written Exam

The written submissions are meant to be essays of 300-500 words. (see rubric) The Oral Exam and Solo projects will be evaluated through self reporting and live or recorded demonstration. (see rubric) In particular in the Pranamaya project, the student will develop a daily practice for 3 months, keep a log, and report on their findings as well as teach the method to other students. (see rubric) The Dharana project will entail the student making a presentation on one Yama or Niyama. Their ability to focus on the subject at hand, and present with clear, concise articulation to develop their skills as a public speaker will be evaluated. (see rubric)