Virya: The Spiritual Warrior Within

• Format: YTT Short Course
• Chose four Short Courses to create an Eclectic Weekend Module
• Also part of “Virya: The Spiritual Warrior Within” YTT Themed Intensive Module
• Instruction Time: 3 hours

Life sometimes overwhelms us and we feel powerless to the sea of chaos. In these times Yoga can keep us calm. It can also give us courage, power, and a spiritual weapon:  faith. Not only faith in an unbreakable link to the divine, but more importantly, in oneself. A spark of grace is all it takes to kindle the Manipura chakra waiting dormant within the pilot light of the solar plexus. From there arises the sacred warrior, Virya, who stands in his/her essence fearless, in the company of truth. The great sword is wielded and the head of denial falls to the ground. We see these images in the sacred artwork of Devi, Durga, Kali, and Manjushri in Tibetan Buddhism. The archtype of the spiritual warrior does no harm to those who stand in truth, but wields extreme prejudice towards all obstacles on the path of awakening: denial, lethargy, attachment, arrogance, insecurity, avoidance, deception, and fear to name just a few. It is no contradiction for the Yogi to wield the sword that cuts through illusion to deliver us a solitary inch ever closer to our true nature. There is no himsa (violence). There is only ahimsa (non-violence) in the form of action.

How do we awaken to our true self empowered beingness? What limits us in life, relationships, as a yoga teacher, or on the spiritual path in general? How do we build the ahamkara (ego) without falling prey to the obstacles it so adores to befriend? The Virya course is for anyone with an authentic desire to explore the warrior within witout the fear of discovering the truth.

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

Course Outline (3 hrs)

THE DIVINE WARRIOR WITHIN US: Exploring the Narrative Q&A

• Do you fear your own power? Q&A

THE RAGE OF THE GODS: Virya as Expressed in the Sacred Arts

• A Sample of Virya Dieties in the Sacred and Visual Arts

THE GIFT OF SHAKTI:  Symbolic Weapons as Spiritual Skills

• The Sword of the Gods
• Spiritual Tools in the Sacred Arts
• Kalaripayattu: Sacred Warriors of Kerala
• The Khanda of Sikhism

THE YOGI AS VIRYA: Yoga Psychology and the Hero’s Journey

• Definition of Virya
• Virya as Rasa (Bhava, Mood)
• The 5 Kleshas: Ostacles to Growth and Cause of Suffering
• Sitting with the Dieties (by Sitaram Das)
• Virya Rasa and the Heroic Impulse
• Manipura Chakra and the Seat of Power
• The Ming Men Fire of Taoist Yoga
• Awakening the Ahamkara (Sense of Self)
• The Rajas of Action and the Agnis of Change

AHIMSA: The Practice of Non-Violence

• Ahimsa and Himsa
• Buddhi as the Sword of Discrimination
• Pratyahara and the Warrior: Where the Senses Yield to the Mind
• The Sword and the Yogi
• Satya (Truth), Vulnerability and the Art of Connection