May 15, 2011
School of Engineering, Coimbatore
 

All engineering students at the Coimbatore campus attend mandatory classes in yoga. They learn various asanas, and practice these daily to realize the many benefits of yoga. Now students interested in deepening their study will have the opportunity to enroll for an elective in Yoga Psychology.
 

In this two-credit course, open to second-year students from all branches of engineering, a series of lectures, practical sessions and workbook activities will provide knowledge about Patanjali Yoga Sutras as well as Western concepts of psychology.
 

“Once students gain an understanding of Western psychology and its approaches such as the conscious, subconscious and unconscious mind, transactional analysis and Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs, they will learn about yoga from an Indian perspective,” stated Swami Samarpananand Saraswati, who will teach these classes.
 

Having studied at the renowned Bihar School of Yoga, Swami Samarpananand will teach from his own experience as well as the teachings of great yoga masters and the scriptures.
 

Lectures will focus on the Patanjali Yoga Sutras. “In the sutras, Patanjali has explained the importance of various things such as ways to improve one’s concentration, overcome hurdles in the path of life and what to focus on,” Swami Samarpananand said.
 

“The quality and attributes of each chakra and the necessity for the chakras to be in harmony will also be discussed.”
 

Lectures will incorporate texts such as the Ramayana, Mahabharata and Bhagavad Gita. Students will receive exposure to traditional and non-traditional commentaries on these texts.
 

“I envision a course that will innovatively blend Eastern and Western philosophies for students who want to know more about this subject,” Swami Samarpananand elaborated.
 

“I picture an elective that will encourage students to realize the true potential of yoga.”
 

“We are trying to make it quite comprehensive and relevant to students and their needs. The course will emphasize meditation and concentration. The psychology that the students will learn is what an engineering or a business student needs to understand, in order to do well in life.”