The Wise Bharadvaja Journey
A 60-Minute Sacred Stories Yoga Class
Peak Pose: Bharadvajasana (Bharadvaja's Twist)
Pronunciation: bah-rahd-VAH-JAH-sah-nah
Theme: Releasing the impossible, embracing what's real
Level: All levels with modifications
SANSKRIT PRONUNCIATION GUIDE
Key Terms Used in This Class:
Bharadvaja - bah-rahd-VAH-jah (the sage)
Bharadvajasana - bah-rahd-vah-JAH-sah-nah (Bharadvaja's Twist pose)
Dirga Pranayama - DEER-gah prah-nah-YAH-mah (Three-Part Breath)
Pranayama - prah-nah-YAH-mah (breath control)
Asana - AH-sah-nah (pose)
Tadasana - tah-DAHS-ah-nah (Mountain Pose)
Urdhva Hastasana - OORD-vah hahs-TAHS-ah-nah (Upward Salute)
Uttanasana - oot-tahn-AHS-ah-nah (Standing Forward Fold)
Ardha Uttanasana - ARE-dah oot-tahn-AHS-ah-nah (Half Forward Fold)
Marjaryasana - mar-jar-ee-AHS-ah-nah (Cat Pose)
Bitilasana - bee-tee-LAHS-ah-nah (Cow Pose)
Balasana - bah-LAHS-ah-nah (Child's Pose)
Sukhasana - soo-KAHS-ah-nah (Easy Pose)
Virabhadrasana - veer-ah-bah-DRAHS-ah-nah (Warrior Pose)
Dandasana - dahn-DAHS-ah-nah (Staff Pose)
Baddha Konasana - BAH-dah cone-AHS-ah-nah (Bound Angle Pose)
Janu Sirsasana - JAH-new shear-SHAHS-ah-nah (Head-to-Knee Pose)
Marichyasana - mar-ee-chee-AHS-ah-nah (Marichi's Pose)
Paschimottanasana - pash-ee-moh-tahn-AHS-ah-nah (Seated Forward Fold)
Setu Bandhasana - SET-too bahn-DAHS-ah-nah (Bridge Pose)
Ustrasana - oosh-TRAHS-ah-nah (Camel Pose)
Matsyasana - maht-see-AHS-ah-nah (Fish Pose)
Apanasana - ah-pahn-AHS-ah-nah (Knees-to-Chest Pose)
Savasana - shah-VAHS-ah-nah (Corpse Pose/Final Relaxation)
Prasarita Padottanasana - prah-sah-REE-tah pah-doh-tahn-AHS-ah-nah (Wide-Legged Forward Fold)
Parivrtta Trikonasana - par-ee-VRIT-tah trik-cone-AHS-ah-nah (Revolved Triangle)
Mantras & Sacred Phrases:
Om - ohm (the primordial sound)
Om Gam Ganapataye Namaha - ohm gahm gah-nah-pah-tah-yay nah-mah-hah
Translation: "I bow to Ganesha, remover of obstacles"
Namaste - nah-mah-stay
Translation: "The divine in me honors the divine in you"
Dharma - DAR-mah (righteous duty, cosmic order)
Yajna - YAH-nyah (sacred ritual, service, sacrifice)
Veda - VAY-dah (sacred knowledge, ancient texts)
Teaching Tip: Practice these pronunciations before class. When introducing Sanskrit terms, say them slowly and clearly, inviting students to repeat after you if appropriate. Always provide the English translation immediately after the Sanskrit term.
OPENING CEREMONY (8 minutes)
Centering & Pranayama (5 minutes)
Students arrive in comfortable seated position - Easy Pose or on a chair
Opening Words:
"Welcome. Today we practice with Bharadvaja—one of the seven great sages of ancient India. A scholar who spent three lifetimes learning, only to discover that wisdom comes not from knowing everything, but from releasing the need to."
Dirga Pranayama - Three-Part Breath (3 minutes)
Pronunciation: DEER-gah prah-nah-YAH-mah
Place right hand on belly, left hand on heart
"Breathe like Bharadvaja—gathering knowledge with the inhale, releasing the need to master it all with the exhale"
Inhale: belly expands (count 1-2-3-4)
Continue inhale: ribs expand (count 5-6)
Complete inhale: chest lifts (count 7-8)
Exhale: chest softens, ribs settle, belly draws in (count 1-2-3-4-5-6-7-8)
Continue for 8-10 rounds
Final round: pause after exhale for 2 counts before next inhale
Return to natural breath
Bharadvaja's Story Introduction (3 minutes)
"The sage's name is Bharadvaja—let's say it together: bah-rahd-VAH-jah."
"Bharadvaja studied the sacred Vedas for three entire lifetimes. Three full human lives devoted to learning. Morning to night, year after year, lifetime after lifetime.
After all that time, Indra—king of the gods—appeared and showed him three enormous mountains made of sand.
Indra took a tiny pinch from each mountain and said: 'This is how much you've learned in three lifetimes.' He gestured to the mountains. 'That is what remains unknown.'
You'd think Bharadvaja would despair. But instead, he felt liberated.
He understood: complete knowledge is impossible. Wisdom comes not from knowing everything, but from understanding the limits of knowledge itself.
He asked Indra: 'Then how should I spend my remaining time?'
Indra replied: 'Stop trying to learn everything. Teach what you know. Serve. Let go of the need to master it all. The wisdom is in the releasing, not the grasping.'
And Bharadvaja did. He let go. He taught. He served. He lived not in the future of what he might understand, but in the present of what he could offer.
The twist we practice today—Bharadvajasana—is named for this sage who learned to turn away from impossible striving and spiral toward what actually matters."
Intention Setting:
"As we practice today, hold this question: What am I grasping for that I could release? What if wisdom comes not from knowing more, but from living what I already know?
Set your intention now."
Silent moment for personal intention setting (30 seconds)
WARM-UP SEQUENCE (12 minutes)
Gentle Awakening (4 minutes)
Easy Pose Side Stretches
"Like Bharadvaja beginning another day of study, we start gently"
Inhale arms overhead, palms touching or shoulders-width
Exhale bend to the right, left arm arcing overhead
"Each side stretch is like turning pages in a sacred text"
Hold 30 seconds, breathing into the left side body
Inhale return to center
Exhale bend to the left, right arm overhead
Hold 30 seconds, breathing into the right side body
Repeat the full cycle 2 more times
Neck Release & Shoulder Awareness
"Release the tension of trying to understand everything"
Gentle neck circles: 5 slow rotations to the right, then 5 to the left
Shoulder rolls: 8 backward circles
"Rolling away the weight of endless learning"
Pause, notice the sensation in neck and shoulders
Cat-Cow Flow Variations (4 minutes)
Basic Marjaryasana-Bitilasana
Come to hands and knees, wrists under shoulders, knees under hips
"Move like the rhythm of learning—reaching forward, drawing back"
Inhale: belly drops, heart lifts, gaze forward (Cow)
Exhale: round the spine, tuck the chin, press the floor away (Cat)
Flow for 8 rounds, moving with the breath
"Let your spine remember its capacity for spiraling, for seeing from new angles"
Side Body Undulations
From neutral tabletop, shift hips to the right as you look back toward right hip
Then flow through center to shift hips left, looking toward left hip
Create a gentle side-to-side wave: 4 rounds to each side
"Feel the spine exploring perspectives we don't normally take"
Extended Child's Pose with Side Stretch
Sit hips back toward heels, arms reaching forward
Center first: 30 seconds breathing into the length of the spine
Walk hands to the right: 1 minute
Walk hands through center to the left: 1 minute
Return to center, then to tabletop
Seated Spinal Preparation (4 minutes)
Easy Pose Spinal Waves
Return to comfortable seat, hands on knees
"The spine waves, preparing for deeper twists"
Small circles with the torso: 6 circles clockwise
6 circles counterclockwise
Seated Twist Preparation
Hands behind head, elbows wide
Gentle rotation: twist right, come to center, twist left
5 slow rotations to each side with full breath
"Wringing out patterns of endless striving"
Simple Seated Twists
Right hand to left knee, left hand behind you on the floor
Hold 30 seconds, breathing into the twist
Inhale lengthen, exhale deepen slightly
"Like Bharadvaja turning away from the three mountains"
Release, pause in center
Left hand to right knee, right hand behind you
Hold 30 seconds
Release to center
Shoulder Integration
Clasp hands behind back, lift chest
3 lifts of the clasped hands, holding the final lift for 30 seconds
Release, roll shoulders back, pause
STANDING SEQUENCE (20 minutes)
Mountain Pose Foundation (2 minutes)
Tadasana with Awareness
Come to standing at the front of your mat
"Stand like the mountain of wisdom—constant not because it knows everything, but because it accepts what is"
Feel feet rooting down, crown lifting up
Arms at sides, palms forward: 30 seconds
Arms overhead, palms touching or parallel: 30 seconds
Return to neutral: 1 minute
"What remains when striving falls away? This breath. This moment."
Breath Awareness in Mountain
5 deep breaths
Inhale: lift through the center
Exhale: ground through the legs
Sun Salutation Variations - "The Scholar's Three Lifetimes" (10 minutes)
3 rounds total, building heat and awareness
Round 1: The First Lifetime - The Eager Student
Mountain Pose: "Beginning the journey of learning"
Urdhva Hastasana: Arms sweep up - "Reaching for knowledge"
Uttanasana: Dive forward, fold - "Bowing to sacred texts"
Ardha Uttanasana: Half-lift - "Beginning to read"
Step right foot back to Low Lunge: "The first lifetime of study" (hold 30 seconds)
Downward-Facing Dog: "The scholar's bow to knowledge" (hold 30 seconds)
Cobra or Upward Dog: "Rising to learn more" - Hold 2 breaths
Downward Dog: 2 breaths
Step left foot forward to Low Lunge: "First lifetime passing" (hold 30 seconds)
Step forward, half-lift, fold
Rise to standing
Mountain Pose: "One lifetime complete—the mountains remain"
Round 2: The Second Lifetime - The Determined Scholar
Same sequence
Mountain Pose: "Second lifetime begins"
Urdhva Hastasana: "Still reaching, still seeking"
Uttanasana: "Studying texts a thousand times"
Low Lunge Right: "Deeper into practice" (30 seconds)
Downward Dog: "The mountains seem no smaller" (45 seconds)
Cobra/Upward Dog: "Rising again to study"
Downward Dog: 2 breaths
Low Lunge Left: "Second lifetime drawing to close" (30 seconds)
Step forward, rise to standing
Mountain Pose: "Two lifetimes—the mountains tower above, barely touched"
Round 3: The Third Lifetime - The Weary Seeker
Mountain to Urdhva Hastasana
Uttanasana: hold 3 breaths - "Third lifetime begins with weight of two lifetimes"
Ardha Uttanasana
Low Lunge Right + Twisting Lunge: right hand down, left arm up (30 seconds) - "Seeing from new angles"
Downward Dog (45 seconds) - "Humble before the unknowable"
Cobra/Upward Dog: hold 3 breaths
Downward Dog: 2 breaths
Low Lunge Left + Twisting Lunge: left hand down, right arm up (30 seconds)
Step forward, half-lift
Uttanasana: 3 breaths - "End of third lifetime—Indra appears"
Rise to Mountain: "Three lifetimes complete, ready for the teaching"
Standing Pose Sequence (8 minutes)
Warrior II - "The Devoted Scholar"
Step feet wide, right foot forward
Right knee bends
"Bharadvaja the devoted scholar—warrior not of battles, but of understanding" (hold 1 minute)
"What are you devoted to? What are you ready to stop striving to master?"
Switch sides, left knee bends (1 minute)
Return to center
Extended Side Angle Preparation
Right knee bends, right forearm to thigh, left arm overhead (45 seconds)
"Leaning into the discomfort of not-knowing"
Switch sides (45 seconds)
Return to center
Reverse Warrior
Right knee bent, right arm reaches back (30 seconds)
"Opening to all you'll never know—and finding that's okay"
Switch sides (30 seconds)
Return to center
Wide-Legged Forward Fold
Feet parallel, wide, fold forward (1 minute total)
First 30 seconds: hands clasped behind back if accessible
Release clasp: hands to floor (30 seconds)
Walk hands to right foot (15 seconds)
Walk hands to left foot (15 seconds)
Center, bend knees, rise slowly
Twisted Triangle Preparation
Right foot forward, right hand down, left hand to hip or sky (45 seconds)
"New perspectives on old knowledge"
Switch sides (45 seconds)
Return to Mountain, 3 breaths
SEATED SEQUENCE & PEAK POSE (15 minutes)
Transition to Seated (1 minute)
Forward fold with bent knees
Roll up, lower to seat
Arrive in Staff Pose
Hip Opening Preparation (5 minutes)
Staff Pose Foundation
Legs extended, feet flexed, hands beside hips (30 seconds)
Bound Angle Pose
Soles together, knees wide
Sit tall: 15 seconds
Gentle forward fold: 1 minute
"Bowing to what cannot be learned through force"
Rise slowly, extend legs
Head-to-Knee Pose
Right leg extended, left foot to right inner thigh
Fold forward over right leg (1 minute)
"Bowing to the teacher in this side of experience"
Rise, switch sides
Left leg extended, fold forward (1 minute)
Rise, both legs extended
Marichyasana I Preparation (if time)
Right knee bent, gentle twist right (30 seconds)
Switch sides (30 seconds)
Release to center
Peak Pose Preparation (3 minutes)
Simple Seated Twists
Easy cross-legged, right hand to left knee, left hand behind
Gentle twist, 30 seconds each side
Bharadvajasana Setup with Support
Sitting on blanket edge
Bend knees, shift legs to right side
Right foot can slide under left thigh or keep shins stacked
Just practice the leg position first
Then right hand to left knee, left hand behind back
Very gentle twist to the left (1 minute)
"Don't force—practice the intention without forcing the form"
Release, switch sides (1 minute)
Peak Pose: Bharadvajasana (Full Expression) (6 minutes)
Teaching Note:
"Bharadvajasana (bah-rahd-vah-JAH-sah-nah)—the twist named for Sage Bharadvaja (bah-rahd-VAH-jah). Both share 'Bhara,' which means 'to bear' or 'to carry.' Bharadvaja learned to carry wisdom not through grasping, but through releasing."
Setup and Alignment (1.5 minutes)
Sitting on blanket (elevates hips)
Bend both knees, shift legs to right side
Right foot slides under left thigh if accessible
Left foot rests on right foot
Right hand to left knee
Left hand reaches behind back
"One hand reaches back to the past, one forward to the future"
Sit tall, lifting through crown
The Practice - Right Side (2 minutes)
Inhale: lengthen the spine
Exhale: twist from belly, then ribs, then chest
"Breathe into the twist like breathing into uncertainty"
"What are you turning away from? What are you turning toward?"
"Bharadvaja turned away from endless pursuit, toward generous presence"
With each inhale: lengthen
With each exhale: maybe deepen, or just maintain
"Notice what resists. Breathe kindness toward it"
Final 30 seconds: complete stillness, just breathing
Slowly unwind, return to center
Pause, notice
The Practice - Left Side (2 minutes)
Legs shift to left
Left hand to right knee
Right hand behind back
Inhale: lengthen
Exhale: twist to the right
"Bharadvaja teaches us about devotion—not holding tight, but holding lightly"
"Let the twist wring out old patterns of striving"
"What old loyalty to suffering is ready to be released?"
Breathe steadily
Final 30 seconds: stillness
Slowly unwind, return to center
Integration (0.5 minutes)
Simple cross-legged seat, hands on knees
Close eyes, 3 deep breaths
Hands on heart
BACKBEND SEQUENCE (8 minutes)
Heart Opening Preparation (4 minutes)
Bridge Pose Flow
Lie on back, knees bent, feet hip-width
Inhale: lift hips
Exhale: lower slowly
Repeat 3 times (30 seconds each)
Fourth time: hold bridge (45 seconds)
"Opening your heart to uncertainty"
Lower slowly
Camel Preparation
Come to kneeling, hands to lower back
Inhale: lift chest
Hold 45 seconds
"Courage to open after learning you can't know everything"
Slowly come upright, sit back on heels
Supported Backbend (4 minutes)
Restorative Fish Pose with Bolster
Place bolster lengthwise behind you
Lower back onto bolster
Arms rest out to sides, palms up
Close eyes (3 minutes)
"Rest your heart on the support of ancient wisdom"
"The fruit of wisdom isn't learning everything—it's resting in this eternal present moment"
Breathing cues:
First minute: "Allow the support"
Second minute: "Breathe into the space around your heart"
Third minute: "Rest completely in the wisdom of letting go"
Coming out:
Knees to chest
Roll to right side
Pause
Press up to seated
Gentle Spinal Waves
Seated, hands behind head
Very gentle undulation (1 minute)
Return to stillness
RESTORATIVE INTEGRATION (10 minutes)
Cooling Sequence (4 minutes)
Seated Forward Fold
Legs extended or comfortable variation
Hold 1.5 minutes
"Every forward fold is a bow to wisdom you've cultivated"
Slowly roll up
Supine Spinal Twist
Lie on back, knees to chest
Arms in "T" position
Knees fall right, head turns left (45 seconds)
"Let gravity do the work of integration"
Knees to center
Knees fall left, head turns right (45 seconds)
Knees to center
Supported Savasana Preparation (1 minute)
Knees to Chest
Gentle rock side to side
"You are held by ancient wisdom"
Happy Baby (optional, 30 seconds)
Hold outer edges of feet
Rock gently
Leg Extensions
Extend right leg, then left
Wiggle toes, adjust body
Extended Savasana - "The Sage's Rest" (5 minutes)
Setup:
Bolster under knees
Small roll under neck if needed
Arms slightly away from body, palms up or down
Guided Imagery:
"Settle completely... the earth supports every part of you... you rest now in the grove where Bharadvaja found his peace...
The weight of endless learning has been set aside... you carry nothing but breath... nothing but presence...
Your breath flows like the river of wisdom... carrying away what no longer serves... bringing in what nourishes... you don't control the river... you are the river...
In this stillness, remember: you are not what you know, but the awareness that witnesses... not your achievements, but the consciousness that observes them coming and going...
The three mountains of unknowing remain... and that's okay... you don't need to climb them... you need only rest in this moment... where wisdom lives not in mastery, but in presence...
Rest in this knowing... supported by earth... embraced by sky... held by the eternal now...
[Silent pause - at least 2 full minutes]
Nothing to do... nowhere to go... nothing to become... you are already whole... already free... already home..."
CLOSING CEREMONY (7 minutes)
Awakening with Awareness (2 minutes)
Gentle Return
Deepen the breath
Wiggle fingers and toes
Gentle movements
Stretch arms overhead if you like
Bend knees, roll to right side
Use bottom hand to press up to seated
Seated Meditation (3 minutes)
Return to Easy Pose
Hands rest on knees or in lap
Close eyes or soft gaze
Pranayama Integration
Return to three-part breath
5 conscious breaths
Return to natural breath
Silent sitting (30 seconds)
Closing Wisdom & Om (2 minutes)
Bharadvaja's Teaching:
"Bharadvaja's teaching: 'The fruit of wisdom is not in endless accumulation, but in living awake. Not in holding onto what passes, but in releasing into what remains.'
As you leave your mat, carry this question—not to answer, but to live: What would you do if you knew you couldn't master everything? How would you love? Serve? Live?
The twist in your spine has prepared you for the twists in your path. The wisdom of Bharadvaja lives in your willingness to let go and discover what remains."
Closing Mantras
"Three Oms together:"
First Om: "For the scholar who sought everything"
Second Om: "For the student who questioned"
Third Om: "For the sage within who knows that nothing needs to be held"
Ganesha Mantra:
"Finally, we chant to Ganesha, remover of obstacles—asking him to clear obstacles to wisdom"
"Om Gam Ganapataye Namaha"
Practice pronunciation, then chant together 3 times
Final Bow
Hands in prayer at heart
Bow forward
"The ancient wisdom in me honors the ancient wisdom in you"
Rise, hands to third eye, lips, extend forward
"Namaste (nah-mah-stay)"
TAKE-HOME REFLECTION
This Week's Practice:
"Each day, practice the 'Three Mountains' meditation: Hold something precious—a photo, a memory, a worry. Practice loving it enough to let it go. Notice what remains when you open your hands. That's what Bharadvaja discovered."
Bharadvaja's Mantra:
"Repeat when you find yourself gripping: 'I am not what I hold, but what I am willing to release.'"
TEACHING NOTES
Story Integration Points (minimum 7 throughout class):
Opening ceremony introduction
Warm-up: "Like Bharadvaja beginning another day"
Sun Salutations: Three lifetimes framework
Warrior II: "The devoted scholar"
Peak pose: "Three mountains" teaching
Savasana: Full story integration
Closing: Final wisdom
Musical Suggestions:
Opening: "Govinda" by Krishna Das
Warm-up/Standing: "Hanuman Bisa" by Krishna Das
Peak Pose: "Govinda Hare" by Wah!
Backbends: "Open Your Heart" by Snatam Kaur
Savasana: "Long Time Sun" by Snatam Kaur
Props Needed:
Yoga mat
2 blocks (optional)
1 strap (optional)
1-2 blankets
1 bolster (or rolled blankets)
Eye pillow (optional)
Modifications to Offer:
All seated poses can be done in chair
Peak twist: both feet flat on floor
Forward folds can use strap
Backbends can be skipped or gentle
Always offer child's pose
Key Teaching Cues:
Breath is more important than depth
Twist comes from belly, not forcing shoulders
Backbend opening is invitation, not demand
Every pose is opportunity to practice letting go
Students should feel permission to modify
Sanskrit Pronunciation Tips:
Introduce slowly, breaking into syllables
Always provide English translation
Invite repetition, don't require it
Model learning process if you stumble
Prioritize meaning over perfect accent
COMPLETE 60-MINUTE BREAKDOWN
Section
Minutes
Focus
Opening Ceremony
8
Story + Pranayama
Warm-Up
12
Gentle awakening + Spinal prep
Standing Sequence
20
Sun Salutations + Warriors + Standing
Seated + Peak Pose
15
Hip opening + Bharadvajasana
Backbends
8
Heart opening
Restorative
10
Forward fold + Twist + Savasana prep
Savasana
5
Guided rest
Closing
7
Meditation + Wisdom + Om
TOTAL
60
Complete journey
This is the Sacred Stories method: mythology as the bones of the practice, breath as the bridge between story and body, transformation as the inevitable result when we show up with an open heart.
Teach this with your whole being. The students will feel it.
Where Ancient Wisdom Meets Modern Soul
Sacred Stories Yoga