✦ Ancient Wisdom, Modern Living
Far more than physical postures — yoga is the science of consciousness, a systematic exploration of body, breath, mind, and the pure awareness that underlies all three.
The word yoga comes from the Sanskrit root yuj, meaning to yoke or unite. It points to the union of the individual self with the universal Self — the discovery that the awareness you are is not separate from the source of all life.
While millions practise yoga as a form of physical exercise, the classical tradition understands it as a complete path of liberation — from the grossest level of the body to the subtlest level of pure consciousness. The foundational text of Raja Yoga, Patanjali’s Yoga Sutras (c. 400 CE), defines yoga as “the cessation of the movements of the mind” (Yogas chitta vritti nirodhah — Sutra 1.2). What remains when the mind’s movements cease is the pure awareness that yoga has always been pointing toward.
At The Holistic Care, we teach yoga not merely as fitness but as a means of self-inquiry — a direct path to recognising your true nature as pure, open awareness. Our approach is rooted in the Advaita Vedanta tradition of Adi Shankaracharya, Ramana Maharshi, and Nisargadatta Maharaj.
Described in the Yoga Sutras (c. 400 CE), Ashtanga Yoga is a complete science of self-mastery — moving from ethical conduct through to samadhi, the direct recognition of pure awareness.
Non-violence (Ahimsa), truthfulness (Satya), non-stealing (Asteya), right use of energy (Brahmacharya), non-possessiveness (Aparigraha). The social foundation of yoga practice.
Cleanliness (Saucha), contentment (Santosha), discipline (Tapas), self-study (Svadhyaya), surrender to the universal (Ishvara Pranidhana). The inner disciplines that support practice.
The physical postures that stabilise and purify the body — creating the physical foundation for pranayama and meditation. In classical yoga, asana means a stable, comfortable seat for meditation, not the variety of physical postures associated with modern yoga.
The conscious regulation of breath — puraka (inhalation), kumbhaka (retention), and rechaka (exhalation) — which directly influences the flow of prana through the nadis and prepares the mind for concentration.
The deliberate withdrawal of attention from the external senses and inward. The bridge between the outer limbs (yamas through pranayama) and the inner limbs (dharana, dhyana, samadhi). Yoga Nidra is one of the most effective pratyahara practices.
The sustained focus of attention on a single object, image, sound, or point in the body. The practice that trains the mind to remain steady without wandering — the direct preparation for meditation.
The continuous, unbroken flow of attention toward the object of concentration. Where dharana involves effort to maintain focus, dhyana is the effortless continuation of that focus — the mind absorbed in its object.
The state in which the distinction between the meditator, the act of meditation, and the object of meditation dissolves. In Advaita Vedanta, this corresponds to the direct recognition of one's nature as pure, undivided awareness — the goal of all yoga.
The foundational text of Raja Yoga. 196 sutras (aphorisms) organising the complete science of yoga — from the definition of yoga (chitta vritti nirodhah) to the eight limbs, the nature of samadhi, and the means of removing the kleshas (sources of suffering). The essential reference for the philosophy and practice of classical yoga.
A dialogue between the warrior Arjuna and his charioteer Krishna, set on the battlefield of Kurukshetra. The Gita describes three primary paths of yoga — Karma Yoga (right action), Jnana Yoga (knowledge and self-inquiry), and Bhakti Yoga (devotion) — and their integration. One of the most widely read spiritual texts in the world.
Written by Swami Swatmarama. The foundational text of Hatha Yoga and Kundalini Yoga, describing asanas, pranayama, mudras, bandhas, shatkarmas (the six purification practices), and the awakening of kundalini. The primary source text for all subsequent Hatha Yoga teaching.
The philosophical concluding sections of the Vedas, forming the basis of Vedanta. The most important for yoga are the Mandukya (on the four states of consciousness and Om), the Brihadaranyaka, and the Chandogya (containing the mahavakya "Tat tvam asi" — "That thou art"). The philosophical foundation of Jnana Yoga and Advaita Vedanta.
Six major paths, each suited to different temperaments and orientations — and all pointing toward the same recognition.
Physical and energetic practices — asanas (postures), pranayama (breathwork), mudras, and bandhas — that purify and prepare the body and mind for deeper meditation and self-inquiry. The primary source text is the Hatha Yoga Pradipika (15th century CE) by Swami Swatmarama.
The eight-limbed path of Patanjali, described in the Yoga Sutras (c. 400 CE). A complete science of self-mastery moving from ethical conduct (yamas and niyamas) through asana, pranayama, sense withdrawal (pratyahara), concentration (dharana), meditation (dhyana), to samadhi — the direct recognition of pure awareness.
The path of knowledge and direct self-inquiry, pointing to the nature of awareness itself. Jnana Yoga works with the discriminating intelligence (viveka) to distinguish the real from the unreal, the permanent from the impermanent. It is the path most directly aligned with Advaita Vedanta and the teaching of Ramana Maharshi ("Who am I?").
Learn moreThe yoga of devotion, love, and surrender — transforming emotion into a path to the divine. Bhakti Yoga channels the energy that ordinarily goes into personal attachment into devotion to the universal. Described in depth in the Bhagavad Gita (Chapter 12) and in the Narada Bhakti Sutras.
The yoga of action and service — performing one's duties without attachment to the fruits of action. The Bhagavad Gita (Chapter 3) describes Karma Yoga as one of the primary paths: acting in alignment with dharma while remaining unidentified with the results. The practice of offering all action to the universal.
The most comprehensive branch of the yogic tradition — working simultaneously with body, breath, sound, chakras, and the subtle energy system to awaken the dormant kundalini energy at the base of the spine and activate the seven energy centres (chakras). Described in the Hatha Yoga Pradipika and the Sat-Cakra-Nirupana.
Learn moreThe deepest aim of yoga — whether approached through the body (Hatha Yoga), the mind (Raja Yoga), knowledge (Jnana Yoga), devotion (Bhakti Yoga), or right action (Karma Yoga) — is the same: the direct recognition of what Patanjali calls the Seer in its own form (tada drashtuh svarupe avasthanam — Yoga Sutras 1.3).
This Seer — the pure awareness that remains when the mind’s movements cease — is precisely what the Advaita Vedanta tradition of Adi Shankaracharya calls Brahman: the one, undivided consciousness that is the ground of all experience. Ramana Maharshi’s entire teaching — Who am I? — is the direct enactment of Jnana Yoga: turning attention back on the aware presence that is always already here.
At The Holistic Care, we teach yoga as this direct investigation. Not fitness. Not stress management (though both follow). But the direct seeing of what you actually are — the aware presence in which the body, the breath, and the mind appear.
Children are natural yogis. They live close to the present moment. They ask the questions that adult practitioners work toward: “Who is the one who is noticing?” “What is here before I start thinking?”
At The Holistic Care, our courses for children aged 4–18 translate the wisdom of yoga and the Advaita Vedanta tradition into age-appropriate content — structured lessons, reflective practices, guided meditations, and facilitator guides for classroom or group use.
Rather than teaching children to manage their thoughts, we invite them to explore what is here before thought — the aware, still presence that yoga has always been pointing toward.
Ages 4–7
Sensory awareness, mindful movement, simple breathing. The Listening Game: finding who is doing the listening.
Ages 8–12
Body scan, chakra awareness, emotional regulation through breath. The Sky and the Weather: thoughts pass through the sky that you are.
Ages 13–18
Self-inquiry, pranayama, nondual awareness. Who am I beneath my descriptions of myself? The direct question at the heart of Jnana Yoga.
“Yoga is the cessation of the movements of the mind. Then there is abiding in the Seer’s own form.”
Patanjali, Yoga Sutras 1.2–3
Explore our courses rooted in the wisdom of yoga, Vedanta, and nondual awareness — for children, educators, and adults.
✦ Common Questions
Direct answers to the most common questions about yoga philosophy, Patanjali's eight limbs, classical texts, and yoga's connection to nondual awareness.
Yoga means "union" in Sanskrit — from the root "yuj," meaning to yoke or unite. It points to the union of individual awareness with universal consciousness. While postures (asanas) are one limb of yoga, the classical tradition as described by Patanjali in the Yoga Sutras (c. 400 CE) includes eight limbs: ethical restraints (yamas), personal observances (niyamas), posture (asana), breath regulation (pranayama), sense withdrawal (pratyahara), concentration (dharana), meditation (dhyana), and samadhi — the direct recognition of your true nature as pure awareness.
The six main paths of yoga are: Hatha Yoga (body and energy practices), Raja Yoga (Patanjali's eight-limbed path of self-mastery), Jnana Yoga (direct self-inquiry and knowledge), Bhakti Yoga (devotion and surrender), Karma Yoga (right action without attachment to results), and Kundalini Yoga (working with the subtle energy system and chakras). Each path suits different temperaments and orientations. Most serious practitioners eventually integrate elements of all six.
The most important classical yoga texts are: the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali (c. 400 CE, the foundational text of Raja Yoga), the Bhagavad Gita (describing Karma, Jnana, and Bhakti Yoga), the Hatha Yoga Pradipika (15th century CE, the foundational text of Hatha and Kundalini Yoga by Swami Swatmarama), the Gheranda Samhita (17th century CE, describing the seven-fold path), and the Upanishads — particularly the Mandukya, Brihadaranyaka, and Chandogya — which form the philosophical foundation of Jnana Yoga and Advaita Vedanta.
Patanjali's Ashtanga Yoga (eight-limbed yoga) described in the Yoga Sutras comprises: 1. Yamas (ethical restraints — non-violence, truthfulness, non-stealing, right use of energy, non-possessiveness); 2. Niyamas (personal observances — cleanliness, contentment, discipline, self-study, surrender); 3. Asana (stable posture); 4. Pranayama (breath regulation); 5. Pratyahara (sense withdrawal); 6. Dharana (concentration); 7. Dhyana (meditation); 8. Samadhi (absorption — direct recognition of pure awareness).
The deepest goal of yoga is the same as that of nondual traditions like Advaita Vedanta — the direct recognition that you are not a separate self but pure, ever-present awareness. Patanjali defines yoga as "the cessation of the movements of the mind" (Yogas chitta vritti nirodhah — Yoga Sutras 1.2). What remains when the mind's movements cease is what the Advaita tradition calls Brahman — pure, undivided consciousness. At The Holistic Care, all yoga teachings are rooted in this nondual understanding: practice is not about achieving something, but about recognising what is already here.
Samadhi is the eighth and final limb of Patanjali's Ashtanga Yoga. It is the state in which the distinction between the meditator, the act of meditation, and the object of meditation dissolves — total absorption in pure awareness. Patanjali describes multiple levels of samadhi, culminating in Nirbija Samadhi (seedless samadhi) — the direct recognition of the Self as pure consciousness, free of all objects. In Advaita Vedanta, this corresponds to moksha — liberation from the illusion of a separate self.
Yes. Research consistently shows that yoga reduces cortisol (the stress hormone), improves nervous system regulation, enhances emotional resilience, and supports mental clarity. A 2018 meta-analysis in the Journal of Psychiatric Research found yoga significantly reduced symptoms of depression and anxiety. Beyond the physiological benefits, yoga's meditative practices cultivate a stable inner presence — an abiding awareness that is not disturbed by external pressure. The regular practitioner discovers, gradually, that there is something within that difficulty cannot reach.
Yoga is the complete path — of which meditation (dhyana) is the seventh of eight limbs. Yoga encompasses ethical conduct, physical practice, breath regulation, and sense withdrawal as preparation for meditation. Meditation itself is the sustained, effortless flow of attention toward its object. In common Western usage, "yoga" often refers only to the physical posture practice (asana) — just one limb of the complete path described by Patanjali.
Yes. Yoga is suitable for all ages and experience levels. Simple practices — mindful movement, breathing exercises, and basic relaxation — are appropriate for children from age 4 upwards. The Holistic Care offers age-appropriate mindfulness and awareness practices for children aged 4–18, as well as accessible courses for adult beginners. No prior experience is needed — every practice begins where you are.
Om (written in Sanskrit as Aum) is considered the primordial sound of the universe in the yogic tradition. It represents the four states of consciousness: A (waking), U (dreaming), M (deep sleep), and the silence that follows — corresponding to turiya, the fourth state of pure awareness that underlies and witnesses the other three. In Patanjali's Yoga Sutras (1.27), Om is described as the sound symbol of Ishvara — the universal consciousness. Chanting Om at the beginning and end of yoga practice is a direct invocation of this awareness.
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