Modern Moksha: Liberation and the Clash of Karmas

• Format: YTT Short Course
• Choose four Short Courses to create an Eclectic Weekend Module
• Also part of “Yoga Psychology: The Mind of Freedom” YTT Themed Intensive Module
• Instruction Time: 3 hours

A dialogue has been taking place for thousands of years between the yogacharyas of Yoga and the vaidyas of Ayurveda on the nature of freedom, sharing the insights and wisdom of each tradition, both exploring the fullest potential of life and spirit.

In spiritual living a powerful duality (tension) often arises between the desire to transcend the limitations of the ordinary human bodymind, with the twin urge to maintain it, to care and heal the body and mind. In short, whether to conform to nature or to trascend it altogether. In practice, yoga teaches us to dissolve karmas while our householder tendencies create and reinforce new ones by necessity. As yogis become more skilled, tension often arises between the desire for moksha (liberation) and the responsibility for family and work in the world.

The vision of the Modern Moksha course is to help students to better integrate the impulse for liberation with the householder lifestyle needs of the modern western yogi. This course is designed to help sudents to explore the narrative and nature of this overarcing story in order to find the middle path where the two disciplines can share the wisdom of life.

Yoga Alliance: This program satisfies Yoga Alliance requirements for anatomy and physiology, philosophy, lifestyle and ethics, and elective hours.

Course Outline (3 hrs)

INNER FREEDOM: Exploring the Narrative Q&A

• What Does Freedom Mean to You?
• Rethinking the Narrative

MOKSHA:  Traditional Interpretations of Freedom

• Definition of Moksha
• Moksha in Vedanta Philosophy
• Samsara and Reincarnation
• The Three Major Views of Moksha in Vedanta
• Advaita Vedanta:  Monism
• Dvaita Vedanta:  Dualism
• Vishistadvaita Vedanta:  Qualified Monism
• Moksha in Sankhya Philosophy
• Ashrama: The Four Stages of Life
• Purusartha: The Four Aims of Life

KARMA: The Natural Law of Causation

• Definition of Karma
• The Most Common Types of Karmas
• Sanchita Karmas
• Prarabda Karmas
• Kriyamana Karmas
• Nishkan Karma
• Karma Yoga
• Samskaras
• The Mind and Samskaras
• The 5 Kleshas

LIBERATION IN AYURVEDA: Self Knowledge and Self Truths

• Swasthavritta: An Enlightened Self Care
• Who is a Swastha?
• The Goal of Swasthavritta
• Sadvritta: Living True to Oneself

MODERN MOKSHA: The Clash of Karmas

• The Amusement Park
• Family Karmas: Weeds in the Family Garden
• Karmas of Modern Householder Life
• The Hybrid Yogi:  Balancing Freedom & Family Karmas – Think Bhagavad Gita
• Fearless Potential and Self Actualization
• Jivanmukta and the Self-Realized Person
• The Highest Form of Yoga is a Life in  Balance
• Authenticity within Yoga and Spiritual Life