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The Lifestyle and Destiny of a Yogi: Bhagavad Gita Series with Ganesh Balachandran


  • In Person & Online Series at California Yoga Center 1776 Miramonte Avenue Mountain View, CA, 94040 United States (map)

Explore the timeless teachings of the Bhagavad Gita in this 4-week series. Through chanting, discussion, and stories from the Mahabharata, Ganesh will guide participants in understanding the qualities of a yogi, the path of selfless action, and the heart of meditation. Open to all sincere students of yoga, no prior study of the Gita or Sanskrit required.

The Bhagavad Gita presents yoga as a complete way of life and a vision of the yogi’s ultimate destiny. 

Is the “I” we identify with the body, the mind, or something deeper? Krishna’s teachings in the Gita reveal the true nature of the Self (Ātma) and chart the path toward freedom, clarity, and lasting inner peace.

In this 4-class series, we will study three central chapters of the Gita—Chapters 2, 3, and 6—where Krishna outlines the characteristics of a yogi, the discipline of selfless action, and the transformative power of meditation.

This series is for anyone interested in deepening their yoga practice beyond asana, including both new and experienced students seeking to understand yoga’s philosophical and spiritual foundations.

What You’ll Learn & Explore

  • Chapter 2 – The Person of Steady Wisdom (Stitha Prajna Lakshanani):

    • The qualities of one established in wisdom and equanimity

    • Krishna’s multiple definitions of Yoga

    • Practical insights for cultivating steadiness in daily life

  • Chapter 3 – Karma Yoga (The Yoga of Action):

    • How selfless action becomes a spiritual path

    • The role of duty, detachment, and contribution in the yogi’s life

    • Ways to apply Karma Yoga in modern living

  • Chapter 6 – Dhyana Yoga (The Yoga of Meditation):

    • The Gita’s essential teachings on meditation practice

    • How a yogi’s effort carries forward across lifetimes

    • Why Krishna regards the yogi as greater than all spiritual aspirants and achievers

Classes (online and in-person)  are interactive, with chanting of the Sanskrit shlokas in their traditional meters, word-by-word meaning, and discussion of their deeper significance. Stories from the Mahabharata will provide context, and participants will receive electronic slides, recordings, and reference materials.

Learn more about the series and access additional reference materials here: yogasukshma.com.

The Bhagavad Gita is one of the most sacred texts of Hinduism and is revered as a Yoga Shastra, an authoritative scripture on Yoga.

Oct 5, 12(online only), 19, 26
Sundays from 5-6pm

About the Teacher

Ganesh Balachandran, Ph.D., trained as an electrical engineer at Georgia Tech but has dedicated his passion to sharing the wisdom of yoga scriptures. He is the creator of www.yogasukshma.com, a resource used by yoga practitioners worldwide. He has taught numerous courses on the Bhagavad Gita, Yoga Sutras, and the subtler dimensions of asana practice. Learn more about Ganesh here.

Classes are hybrid: all students will receive a Zoom link, even if registered as “in-studio.”
Please note: the October 12th session will be offered online only.

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October 2

Yoga to Relax & Restore with Birgit Reimer