The Yoga Sūtras of Patañjali – A Visual Meditation
Books 1-4
An innovative approach to the classic Yogic text, each volume of The Yoga Sūtras of Patañjali – A Visual Meditation, is both a traditional translation of one of the pādas (chapters) of the Yogasūtra of Patàjali, and it is sophisticated art book, with full color, full page reproductions of the beautiful and evocative paintings, one for each sūtra, created by the author over years of work with the Yoga Sūtras, studying and translating them.
The paintings invite the viewer to engage with the concepts and philosophy of the text in a sensory way, rendering the metaphysical inquiry of the Yoga Sūtras available through aesthetic experience and the language of visual art, not just through discursive reason, and in so doing, can bring new aspects of the material to light.
The sūtras themselves are in the original Devanāgarī, with transliteration, translation, and commentary by Melissa Townsend.
The Yoga Sūtras of Patañjali is divided into four books, or pādas.
Books
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Book One, Samādhi-Pādah., On Samādhi (Transcendent Meditative Absorption), 2015
Yoga is defined as the practice of stilling the fluctuations of the mind (citta) in order to enter and maintain the state of transcendent, meditative absorption (samādhi). Book One introduces the philosophy, gives an overview, and begins the discussion of samādhi
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Book Two, Sādhana-Pādah., On Practice, 2018
The first half of Book Two introduces a basic practice (kriyā-yoga) and then segues into a discussion of the philosophical basis in Sāṁkhya for Yoga. Book Two's latter half introduces the eight-limbed Yoga practice, detailing the first five limbs (the outer limbs). The defining characteristics of the outer limbs are listed, along with the beneficial results of being established in the practice of each limb.
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The Yoga Sūtras of Patañjali – A Visual Meditation. Book Three: Vibhūti Pādaḥ, 2024
Book Three begins with the final three limbs of the eight-limbed practice – the inner limbs – followed by an explanation of the transformation of the mind (citta) through meditation. From the transformation of citta, the discussion turns to transformation in material reality, and then to the siddhis, extraordinary Yogic powers. Book Three culminates with an exaltatation of viveka, insight born of discernment, the awareness that leads to kaivalya, liberation.
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The Yoga Sūtras of Patañjali – A Visual Meditation. Book Four: Kaivalya Pādaḥ, projected for 2026
Book Four begins by listing the other ways in which the accomplishments mentioned in Book Three can arise or be developed. This leads to a continuation of the discussion of the nature of material reality (prakṛti), change, reincarnation, and karma, followed by a discussion of the nature of perception, citta, and the Self (puruṣa). Book Four ends with a series of sūtras that outlines the final stages as one moves toward kaivalya, liberation – the independence of the Seer from the Seen.
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The Yoga Sūtras of Patañjali – A Visual Meditation. Meditation Deck Book One: Samādhi Pādaḥ, 2020
The exquisite images on the 51 cards of this meditation deck serve as intuitive gateways, guiding you in to a deeper, personal understanding of each sūtra in Book One of the Yoga Sūtras of Patañjali - the essential, fundamental text for the practice of Yoga
Each sūtra is represented with a painting from Melissa’s book, The Yoga Sūtras of Patañjali – A Visual Meditation. Book One, Samādhi Pādah on the front of the card. On the back, the sūtra is written in devanāgarī (Sanskrit), along with the transliteration, translation, and commentary. The translations have been updated for the meditation deck, and the commentary is new. In addition, there is a color coded bar on the back of each card, that helps place each sūtra in context with other sūtras and with the thematic groupings of sūtras in Book One.
Accordion foldout with information and instruction included.