An Introduction to the History & Philosophy of Yoga - 12-week online course starting October 2025
Over its many thousands of years of history, yoga has changed and continues to change. Today, as modern yoga students, practitioners and teachers, we are called to learn about yoga's rich and diverse past - without the fluff - in order to find deeper and more grounded meaning in the present. This course will introduce you to the broad spectrum of yoga's history and philosophy in an academically rigorous yet practically grounded way. The result will empower and inspire you to contemplate more deeply on what yoga means in your own life and help you take yoga philosophy from the abstract, to the lived; yoga/philosophy as a way of life.
Academically rigorous. Activley Contemplative. Practically Inspiring.
How do we integrate ancient yoga philosophy into modern life?
This is a question many yoga practitioners and teachers find themselves asking. As our practice deepens, we feel drawn to yoga's philosophies, but often struggle to integrate them into our lives in a way that feels relevant and real.
The truth is, there is no single yoga philosophy and no one “right” way to integrate it. Yoga has always changed, and continues to do so. What remains are the timeless questions: What is the nature of reality? What is our purpose? How do the two connect?
For the yogis, mystics and contemplatives of the past, exploring these philosophical questions was never about abstract theory alone. It was a practice of enquiry through body and mind; head and heart. That same enquiry is open to us today.
As yoga practitioners tody - and, for most of us, secondary inheritors of the yogic traditions after the cultural and religious traditions of our own backgrond and upbringing - the first step is to understand yoga's diverse and rich historical and philosophical landscape. This gives us a map to recognise the diverse forms yoga has taken for different people across time and space. The second is to turn inward, as we begin to enquire into our own values, to ask what yoga truly means in our lives now - not as fixed answers, but as a living journey of reflection, questioning, and practice.
This is what this course offers - where yoga philosophy becomes a practice and way of life; one pursued in community with other seekers, and I can't wait to welcome you into this support space of enquiry and discovery.
What does this course involve? |
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6 pre-recorded video lectures — to explore key topics at your own pace.
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6 themed pre-recorded meditation/yoga practices (new for this round!) — to take lecture themes beyond theory into embodied & contemplative practices.
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6 live group Zoom calls — for reflection, discussion, and Q&A, with recordings provided if you can’t attend live.
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Interactive course workbook (new for this round!) — filled with reflective course highlights and journal prompts to help you consolidate knowledge in relation to your own life & practice.
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Suggested Reading list — to further your knowledge & enquiry beyond the course with topics that interest you.
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WhatsApp group for community, reflections, and questions between sessions — a space to share insights and stay engaged.
About your teacher and facilitator | Floss Harry
Hi, I’m Floss—yoga teacher, philosophy facilitator, and scholar-practitioner. I’m passionate about reconnecting yoga philosophy with life, where theoretical study and embodied practice go hand in hand; both helping us live better and more fulfilling lives.
Through this 12-week container live container, I am dedicated to creating a space for yogis to engage with yoga’s history and philosophy in a way that is academically grounded, personally meaningful and spiritually rich.
I’d love to welcome you into this space of learning and enquiry. Any questions? Just reach out.
Floss creates much-needed spaces for yoga teachers and practitioners to share, enquire and discuss from a place of curiosity. She is wonderful at creating an inviting, comfortable, atmosphere in the way that she gently facilitates her sessions."
— Elene, London
"Her teachings invite you to not just think about philosophy, but to feel it, live it, and integrate it into your whole being. I left her sessions feeling both inspired and more connected to myself and my purpose as a teacher.”
— Anna, Cambridge
Who is this course for?
This course is designed for both yoga teachers and serious practitioners who want to move beyond surface-level learning into a space of critical enquiry, personal reflection, and embodied understanding.
Together, we’ll explore the rich philosophical and historical roots of yoga—not as abstract or distant ideas, but as living tools for deepening your connection to the yogic tradition, your personal practice, and your values today.
Maybe you already sense that yoga is grounded in “ancient wisdom” and a long-standing tradition—but you haven’t had the opportunity to explore the details or question the narratives you've been told. If you’re feeling disillusioned by vague spirituality or tired of being handed simplified versions of yoga’s “truth,” this course offers an evidence-based, reflective, and community-centred approach to learning.
With space for discussion, shared enquiry, and personal integration, this is a journey toward a more grounded, nuanced, and empowered relationship with yoga—rooted in both scholarship and lived experience. I can't wait to welcome you into this space!
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What makes this course unique?
This course is not like the majority of other philosophy and history of yoga courses, which focus on abstract ideas and dry history in a way that bears little relevance to modern life.
Instead, this course combines rigorous academic research on the philosophy and history of yoga with philosophy as a practical and active enquiry - one that helps us reflect on and through the past, in order to find more value and meaning in the present.
You do not have to be an experienced philosopher or yogi to join this course. A curious and willing attitude is all that is needed, as this course will introduce you to the fundamentals!
You will not only be introduced to the historical and philosophical development of yoga, but also learn how to explore these developments through the different branches of philosophy, helping aid further reflection in relation to modern life.
In this way, you will not only learn facts about yoga, but learn to grasp philosophical tools to reflect and examine them yoga's development in relation your own life, values, and innate philosophies.
How is the course structured? |
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Every two weeks a pre-recorded lecture will be released.
This lasts approximately 90 minutes. You will have two weeks to watch and digest the lecture. There will be 6 lectures in total.
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Every two weeks we will have a live call on Zoom.
This lasts pproximately 90 minutes and is an opportunity to discuss, reflect, and ask questions in the community in relation to each lecture. There will be 6 live calls in total and a recording available if you can't make it live.
I am delighted to have added some very special bonuses to the course for this round:
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Pre-recorded contemplative meditation/ yoga practices
Alongside the pre-recorded lectures, each lecture will have an accompanying pre-recorded meditation/ yoga practice. This is an opportunity to explore and contemplate the themes from each lecture within your body and being.
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Interactive Workbook
The course comes with an interactive workbook filled with journal prompts and highlights from each lecture, to help you integrate the teachings more thoroughly into memory and go deeper into your enquiry.
Our live time together lasts 12-weeks, however you will have access to all the recorded content on our course portal for a total of 12-month
Lectures:
The main content of the course is delivered through six pre-recorded lectures, which you can watch or listen to in your own time. These lectures are designed to give you a rich, engaging introduction to key moments and ideas in the history and philosophy of yoga—from its ancient roots to modern developments. Each lecture is around 90 minutes long and accompanied by optional reading suggestions, reflection prompts, and occasional short quizzes to help you digest and integrate the material.
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Lecture outlines:
Each lecture explores a different theme or period in the history and philosophy of yoga. Together, they build a picture of yoga as a diverse, evolving, and often contradictory tradition—inviting reflection, curiosity, and critical engagement which we will further explore through our live Zoom sessions.
Lecture 1: What Is (Yoga) Philosophy?
We begin by asking what we mean by 'philosophy'—in yoga and in life. You'll explore different ways of thinking about knowledge, liberation, and practice.
Lecture 2: Ancient Yoga – The Vedas, Upaniṣads & Early Concepts
A deep dive into some of the earliest Indian texts that shaped yogic worldviews: ritual, renunciation, liberation (moksha), and the Self (ātman).
Lecture 3: Classical Yoga – Patañjali and the Eight Limbs
Unpacking the Yoga Sūtras, dualism, the eight limbs (aṣṭāṅga yoga), and how this shaped later ideas of practice and purity.
Lecture 4: Beyond Patañjali - Evolving Visions of Yoga, Dharma, and Liberation
Explore how Indian philosophy reimagined yoga after Patañjali—through devotion, action, and non-duality. This lecture dives into the Bhagavad Gītā, Advaita Vedānta, and the Laws of Manu to trace evolving answers to timeless questions about self, duty, and liberation.
Lecture 5: Medieval Developments: Tantra, Hatha and the Body as Sacred
Explore non-dual Śaiva Tantra, embodied liberation, subtle body maps (like kuṇḍalinī and chakras), and their influence on modern yoga.
Lecture 6: Colonialism, Orientalism & Yoga Today
How yoga was reshaped under colonial rule—through nationalism, Western interest, and the invention of modern postural yoga. We also explore contemporary currents: the rise of post-lineage yoga, decolonial thought, trauma-informed practice, and the - should what we practice today even be called yoga?
*please note, some timings and content details may be subject to change.
Live Calls:
While our lectures in the history and philosophy of yoga offer rich insights, it is through our interactive Zoom calls that we explore, discuss and reflect on our learning, together. These sessions are designed to foster community, reflection and practical exploration. After all, the path of knowledge is not one we pursue alone, but one we excel in through dialogue with others. They’re a chance to ask questions, share your ideas, and reflect on how the teachings and themes we find in the lecture content relate to each other, and our own life and practice. Sometimes, Floss will also introduce additional material or questions to focus and deepen our discussion, or spark fresh perspectives.
Our live calls are every other Wednesday evening at 6.30 pm UK time:
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Wednesday 8th October - Live call 1
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Wednesday 22nd October - Live call 2
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Wednesday 5th November - Live call 3
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Wednesday 19th November - Live call 4
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Wednesday 3rd November - Live call 5
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Wednesday 17th November - Live call 6
Calls will be approximately 90-minutes long. All calls will be recorded for replay if you can't make it live. Please note, all these times are UK Greenwich Mean Time. If you can’t make a call live, don’t worry—recordings will be available, and you are welcome to message Floss in advance with any questions or reflections you’d like brought into the space.
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Floss creates much-needed spaces for yoga teachers and practitioners to share, enquire and discuss from a place of curiosity. She is wonderful at creating an inviting, comfortable, atmosphere in the way that she gently facilitates her sessions."
— Elene, London
"Her teachings invite you to not just think about philosophy, but to feel it, live it, and integrate it into your whole being. I left her sessions feeling both inspired and more connected to myself and my purpose as a teacher.”
— Anna, Cambridge
Full Price Package
444
Access to the full course, paid in one. Access to course content for 12 months.
✅6 pre-recorded lectures
✅ 6 live Zooms
✅ Whatsaap group/ access to Flos for community and questions
✅6 themed embodied meditations *NEW FOR THIS ROUND*
✅Interactive Workbook *NEW FOR THIS ROUND*
Full Course in X4 Instalments
111
Every month
Everything in the full course paid in x4 monthly instalments of £111. Access to content for 12 months.
✅6 pre-recorded lectures
✅ 6 live Zooms
✅ Whatsaap group/ access to Floss for community & questions
✅6 themed embodied meditations *NEW FOR THIS ROUND*
✅Interactive Workbook *NEW FOR THIS ROUND*
Choose your plan:
Join the course by paying in full or in x4 instalments.
The course officially begins on Wednesday 1st October 2025 with the first lecture release. Our first live call is 6.30pm, Wednesday 8th October.
We also have some scholarships available. Please get in touch with Floss to enquire about these.
"Studying the philosophy and history of yoga is essential. Not just to know about yoga’s development, though this is very important - but to deepen our understanding and exploration of yoga, philosophy and spirituality personally in our own lives; reflecting on the past, and enquiring in the present. This course provides a well-needed space and community for that enquiry."
Floss Harry
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)