Course Description
What yogic wisdom can we glean from Hindu mythology? What is the relevance of myth to yogic ideals? Why are so many yogic postures named after mythic figures and stories?
This online course explores the role of Hindu Mythology in perpetuating yogic themes. Students will receive a thorough grounding in Hindu mythological traditions and an appreciation for the pivotal place of Hindu myths in encoding and preserving the Hindu social imaginary, and yogic values in particular.
Specifically, we will examine myths of Gaṇeśa, the elephant-headed wisdom god; Śiva, Lord of Yogis; the very sages after whom many yoga postures are named; and, finally, we examine the rich myth of the churning of the cosmic ocean, itself a metaphor for the yogic quest.
Drawing on primary source Sanskrit texts—the Mahābhārata, the Rāmāyaṇa, and the Purāṇas—Dr. Raj Balkaran expertly decodes key Hindu myths. Rather than emphasizing the ‘world behind the text’ (the historical horizon authoring it, about which we know next to nothing), this course privileges the ‘world within the text’ (the Sanskrit storyworlds constituting Hindu myth) as a rich repository of yogic themes very much alive today.
Course Modules
Module 1 — Gaṇeśa: Wisdom, Grounding and the Power of Myth
Module 2 — Śiva: Lord of Yogis, Lord of Dance
Module 3 — Wisdom of the Sages
Module 4 — Churning the Cosmic Ocean
Students Will Receive:
- 4 pre-recorded class sessions (90 min each)
- 4 pre-recorded Zoom Q&A sessions
- 4 YS Credits
- 12 Hours of CE credit with YA
- Course Syllabus (PDF)
- 4 Multiple Choice Quizzes (for fun)
- Yogic Studies Certificate upon completion (PDF)
- Access to the private Yogic Studies Online Community Forum
Dr. Raj Balkaran
Continuing Studies Tutor, Oxford Centre for Hindu Studies
With Hinduism degrees from the University of Toronto and University of Calgary, Dr. Raj Balkaran is a scholar of Hindu mythology and author of The Goddess and the King in Indian Myth (2018) and The Goddess and the Sun in Indian Myth (2020), both published as part of Routledge’s Hindu Studies Series.
Alongside his academic training, Raj apprenticed with an Indian master for twelve years as part of a living oral tradition dedicated to the preservation and application of Hindu philosophy. He therefore brings hundreds of hours of traditional transmissions on yoga philosophy to the table, which he dovetails with academic rigor and captivating storytelling to deliver impactful instruction at Yogic Studies.
A seasoned online educator, Raj also teaches online courses privately and at the Oxford Centre for Hindu Studies. Beyond teaching and research, Raj enjoys a thriving consulting practice and hosts the New Books in Hindu Studies podcast.
Website: rajbalkaran.com
This course is eligible for 12 hours of Continued Education (CE) credits with Yoga Alliance
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