Online Course Library
Featured Courses
Mahābhārata Morality:
Querying the Ethics of India’s Great Epic
Why does the Mahābhārata present us with so many compelling ethical conundrums?
What is the epic’s vision of Virtue? Vice?
What does it teach us about ancient India?
Humanity? Life?
This course offers a close reading of the most gripping, morally controversial episodes of India’s great epic, The Mahābhārata.
Worth 12 hrs of YA Continuing Education Credit
$197 USD
The Stories Behind the Poses:
The Official Course
How do you harness these ancient Indian stories to deepen your teaching and practice?
Ancient Indian stories encode profound yogic wisdom. This course integrates pedagogical content, captivating storytelling, and esoteric insight to teach you how to use these ancient Indian stories to take your teaching and practice to a whole new level. This is the official companion course to Dr. Raj Balkaran's book The Stories Behind the Poses.
Worth 12 hrs of YA Continuing Education Credit
$197 USD
Yoga Wisdom:
Ancient Teachings for Modern Teachers
Yoga entails much more than asanas – but how do you access that more? How do you learn it, embody it, and teach it?
This 4-module online course is for yoga teachers who want to leverage the power of Indian philosophy, mythology and spirituality for ‘next level’ yoga teaching. Practitioners who aren't currently teaching are also welcome. This course will build on, and enhance, what you learned in your YTT to help you properly embody and transmit Indian wisdom in your yoga teaching.
Worth 8 hrs of YA Continuing Education Credit
$197 USD
Yoga Illumined:
Ancient Insights from the Gītā and Yoga Sūtras
What does true yoga look like? How do you achieve it? Are you progressing towards it? Are you even on the right path?
Yoga is that supreme state of consciousness referred to in the Bhagavad Gītā and Yoga Sūtras alike. The cultivation of yoga amounts to waking up to the imperishable Self, source of all peace, contentment and joy.
In this course we take a close look at key verses from the Yogā Sūtras and the Bhagavad Gītā and relate them to lived experience.
Worth 12 hrs of YA Continuing Education Credit
$197 USD
The Textual Tapestry:
Threads of Indian Tradition
What are the most dominant threads of Indian tradition?
This course grants familiarity with key strata of Indian thought through in-depth reading of key sacred texts from every epoch of ancient India. Texts explored: Vedic hymns, wisdom of the Upaniṣads, excerpts from the epics, mythological lore of the Purāṇas, and tantric esotericism.
Worth 12 hrs of YA Continuing Education Credit
$197 USD
Guru's Grace:
Traditional Teachings without the Trappings
How can you successfully study and teach traditional Indian Wisdom Teachings in the West? How do you steer clear of the trappings of tradition while still respecting it? What do we need to modify in our modern times?
This course teaches serious Indian wisdom students to engage tradition and traditional teachings while steering clear of the trappings of tradition, and skillfully navigating issues of cultural appropriation.
Worth 12 hrs of YA Continuing Education Credit
$197 USD
Summoning Shakti:
Tapping the Power of the Devī Māhātmya
Why is the Devī Māhātmya chanted at the Great Goddess Festival throughout the Indic world?
The annual Indian Great Goddess festival (Durgā Pūjā) is a potent time for divine empowerment, spiritual purification and personal transformation. It is a time when the Devī Māhātmya is ritually chanted throughout the Indic world in order to summon the grace of the Goddess. This 4-module online course will deepen your connection with the Divine Mother, and how to use the Devī Māhāmtya to awakening her divine power.
Worth 12 hrs of YA Continuing Education Credit
$197 USD
Faces of Power:
An Indian Goddess Odyssey
What do Indian Goddesses represent? How can they aid in your journey?
Indian Goddesses are associated with the ancient Sanskrit word for “power” (śakti). Each Goddess personifies a specific energy which seekers can invoke for their personal development.
You will learn about each Goddess's:
- Mythology
- Iconography
- Signification
- Archetypal Energy
- Utility in your Life
Worth 12 hrs of YA Continuing Education Credit
$197 USD
Wisdom Goddesses:
Ten Tantric Faces of Power
What do these intense tantric goddesses represent? Why are they worshipped?
In this 4-module online course, Dr. Raj Balkaran weaves together historical, philosophical, mythological and esoteric content to enliven these incredibly rich Tantric Faces of Power. You will learn each Wisdom Goddess's:
- Mythology
- Sanskrit Syllables (Mantra)
- Sacred Diagram (Yantra)
- Iconography
- Significations
- Utility in your life
Worth 12 hrs of YA Continuing Education Credit
$197 USD
Shakti Mantras:
Where Sacred Sound Meets the Sacred Feminine
How do you use Sanskrit sacred utterances (mantras) to connect with the sacred feminine (śakti)?
Mantras – sacred Sanskrit utterances – are conduits of divine experience and potent tools for personal transformation. Spiritual power (śakti) is availed through mantra practice. This is especially so for mantras to the Goddess, the very embodiment of śakti. This 4-module online course is for practitioners who want to leverage the power of sacred Sanskrit sound for their own spiritual development, and for connecting with the sacred feminine.
Worth 6 hrs of YA Continuing Education Credit
$197 USD
Nine Nights of the Indian Goddess:
Observing the Annual Fall Festival
How do you make the most of the Indian Goddess Festival? How can you connect with the Goddess at this most auspicious time to accomplish your aims?
The annual autumnal Indian Great Goddess Festival is called Navarātri, which is Sanskrit for “Nine Nights.” It is a potent time for divine empowerment, spiritual purification, and personal transformation through the Grace of the Goddess. This 4-module course will deepen your connection with the Divine Mother during the Indian Goddess festival.
Worth 8 hrs of YA Continuing Education Credit
$197 USD
Glory to Goddess, Glory to God:
Integrating Insights from Ancient India and Israel
How does the Western vision of God differ from the Indian vision of the Goddess? Why is this important for personal, cultural and global growth? How can we integrate sacred masculine and sacred feminine to bring balance to self and world?
In this course, we compare the Ancient Israelite desert discourse of God to water goddesses of the Ancient Near East. We then look to the Great Goddess of Ancient India as an important counter narrative, so needed in these times. Ultimately, we aim at balancing masculine and feminine in self, community, culture - and especially to foster an ecologically sound global consciousness.
Worth 8 hrs of YA Continuing Education Credit
$197 USD
Mahābhārata Morality:
Querying the Ethics of India’s Great Epic
Why does the Mahābhārata present us with so many compelling ethical conundrums?
What is the epic’s vision of Virtue?
Vice?
What does it teach us about ancient India?
Humanity?
Life?
This course offers a close reading of the most gripping, morally controversial episodes of India’s great epic, The Mahābhārata.
Worth 12 hrs of YA Continuing Education Credit
$197 USD
Righteous Rāma
Few works of world literature have been as monumentally influential as the story of Rāma. The first Sanskrit iteration of the intriguing career of Rāma (Rāmāyaṇa) is told by the primordial poet Vālmīki. It commences with the poet’s seminal question “Who in the world is truly virtuous? Who is mighty and yet also knows the ways of righteousness?” The answer to this, according to the ancient epic, is the hero-prince Rāma, an incarnation of Viṣṇu himself. Yet many of the actions of Rāma vex and perplex us to this very day. Learn about this famous epic through the lens of virtue and ethics: ascetic ethics, war ethics, ethics of rulership, and how to apply these teaching to your life.
Worth 12 hrs of YA Continuing Education Credit
$197 USD
The Stories Behind the Poses:
The Official Course
How do you harness these ancient Indian stories to deepen your teaching and practice?
Ancient Indian stories encode profound yogic wisdom. This course integrates pedagogical content, captivating storytelling, and esoteric insight to teach you how to use these ancient Indian stories to take your teaching and practice to a whole new level. This is the official companion course to Dr. Raj Balkaran's book The Stories Behind the Poses.
Worth 12 hrs of YA Continuing Education Credit
$197 USD
The Search for Soma:
Insights into Attaining the Elixir of Life
The ancients teach that Soma, the elixir of immortality, is churned from the cosmic oceans by the demons and the gods. What does this mean for your own search for Soma?
This profound myth has long captivated audiences, and with good reason: it richly encodes the mechanics of spiritual evolution. This course decodes ‘the search for soma’ to apply its insights to modern spiritual life. This 4-module online course integrates philosophical teachings, captivating storytelling, and embodied esoteric insight to teach you how to unlock the power of this myth cycle for your own spiritual growth.
Worth 12 hrs of YA Continuing Education Credit
$197 USD
Goddess Stories:
Telling Tales of the Sacred Feminine
What wisdom can we learn from ancient Indian Goddess Stories?
From stories of devout consort Goddesses such as Sītā, to those of fierce martial mothers such as Durgā, Indian Goddess Stories have much to teach. This course is consists primarily of storytelling and elucidation of the wisdom teachings therein. We will also examine specific yoga postures connected with each Goddess story covered.
Worth 12 hrs of YA Continuing Education Credit
FREE: Our gift to you
Vishnu Stories:
Inspiring Tales of Divine Descent
What wisdom can we learn from tales of the great god Vishnu?
Vishnu is the cosmic Preserver, striving to protect the world age after age. He takes on a variety of incarnations – from fish, to tortoise, to boar, to lion-man, to dwarf, to human being. Tales of Vishnu are full of vibrant characters, powerful lessons, and mind-blowing wisdom.
Worth 12 hrs of YA Continuing Education Credit
$197 USD
Shiva Stories:
Decoding Myths of the Blue-Throated Lord
What wisdom do we find in myths of Shiva?
The mythology of the great god Śiva is perhaps the most profound in existence. From the grounding of the Ganges, to the wrathful manifestations Vīrabhadra and Bhairava; from the incineration of Kāma, to the love affair with Pārvatī; from yogic trance to cosmic dance to destroy the universe – stories of Śiva encode deep yogic wisdom.
Worth 12 hrs of YA Continuing Education Credit
$197 USD
Sage Stories:
Yogic Wisdom from Ancient India
What wisdom can we learn from the Sages of ancient India?
Stories of the ancient Indian sages are rich with yogic wisdom. This is why so many yoga poses are named after them. This course integrates academic content, captivating storytelling, and esoteric exposition to bring to life the wisdom found in the stories of the sages. We will also examine specific yoga postures connected with the sages.
Worth 12 hrs of YA Continuing Education Credit
$197 USD
Realities of Rebirth:
Karmic Theory for Spiritual Seekers
Have you walked the earth before this life, in different form?
The ancients teach that we walk the earth again and again, life after life, taking on new bodies as we go. This process is propelled by the principle of karma whereby previous actions generate life experiences. Knowledge of karmic theory radically alters how you view the world and how you respond to situations, especially as compared to operating from the dominant single-life view.
Worth 12 hrs of YA Continuing Education Credit
$197 USD
Sacred Body:
Subtle Anatomy and its Significance
What is the Subtle Body made up of? How does it relate to yoga, tantra, samkhya, and karmic theory? Which practices activate it?
In this 4-module online course, you will learn about the channels, fields, locks and Sacred Centers within the Subtle Body. You will also learn how the Sacred Body relates to yoga, tantra, samkhya, karmic theory, and Indian Wisdom Traditions. Spiritual practices (breathing, postures, and mudras) will also be discussed.
Worth 12 hrs of YA Continuing Education Credit
$197 USD
Sacred Sound:
Tapping the Power of Sanskrit Mantras
What are Sanskrit mantras? What do they mean? How do they work?
Indian Wisdom Traditions have much to say about the sacred power of sound, subtlest of elements. Mantras – sacred Sanskrit utterances – are conduits of divine experience, and potent tools for personal transformation. This 4-module online course is for practitioners who want to leverage the power of sacred Sanskrit sound for their own spiritual development.
Worth 12 hrs of YA Continuing Education Credit
$197 USD
Sacred Sky:
Planetary Myths and Their Meanings
What human truths are encoded in ancient Indian planetary myths?
Decodes the rich life wisdom encoded in ancient Indian planetary mythology. According to the ancients, every aspect of the human condition pertains to one of nine hubs of archetypal energy associated with a heavenly body. The rich mythology surrounding these heavenly bodies provides profound insight into human nature.
Worth 12 hrs of YA Continuing Education Credit
$197 USD
Sacred Stars:
Exploring Vedic Lunar Mansions
Which stars did the ancient Vedic sky watchers pay attention to, and why?
Whether by the mystique of the Pleiades, the royal splendor of Regulus, or the alure of Aldebaran – the eye of the bull of Taurus - the ancients have long been fascinated with certain stars that illumine the night sky. Ancient India has produced a comprehensive system of 27 Sacred Stars across the ecliptic called Nakṣatras, or lunar mansions. This 4-module online course integrates philosophical teachings, captivating storytelling, and embodied esoteric insight to teach you the power and application of India’s sacred stars.
Worth 12 hrs of YA Continuing Education Credit
$197 USD
Sacred Time:
Tapping the Power of Celestial Cycles
What are key elements of ancient Indian timekeeping? What would it look like to align your life with these cosmic rhythms?
The ancients kept time by tracking the motions of the celestial bodies, particularly the sun and the moon. This 4-module course integrates philosophical teachings, captivating storytelling, and embodied esoteric insight to teach you the power and application of ancient India’s sacred timekeeping techniques.
Worth 12 hrs of YA Continuing Education Credit
$197 USD
Sanskrit in Translation with Dr. Antonia Ruppel
In an ideal world we’d all have the time to learn Sanskrit perfectly, and read all the texts we want in the original. The Bhagavadgītā, the Yogasūtras, the Rāmāyaṇa, the Buddhacarita, the Vedas: you name it. Fortunately, there are wonderful translations available for these – and for the most important texts, you can often get five, ten, twenty different translations. But how do you know which translation is the right one?
In this course, we will help you answer this question. We will begin by looking at some general features of how languages create meaning. We will look at the ideas behind translation.
Worth 12 hrs of YA Continuing Education Credit
$197 USD
Join and get full access to our library of courses, all filled with teachings that are both academic and spiritual.
What you'll get:
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Access to The Indian Wisdom School library of 20+ on-demand courses
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Access to new live courses (6+ new courses a year)
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Access to Wisdom Wednesdays, a weekly live reading and discussion of the Bhagavad Gītā with Dr. Raj
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Access to live Q&As with Dr. Raj every quarter
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Access to our online community
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The option to cancel at anytime
