Art and More
The Yoga Sutras of Patanjali are considered the primary philosophical and spiritual source for the practice of yoga. Composed of four books, or “padas,” with approximately 50 sutras per book, the nearly 200 yoga sutras describe the nature of yoga and the process and means of the practice of yoga. The resulting 51 paintings for Book One are not illustrations, they are the sutras, manifest as art.
Even with decades of Yoga asana practice and years of Sanskrit study, I found that the best way to commit myself to studying the Yoga Sutras was to let them lead me through the process of painting them, while also translating the Sanskrit. The result? These glorious paintings, which along with my translations, form the content of three full color books.
PREORDER NOW AVAILABLE:
The Yoga Sūtras of Patañjali – A Visual Meditation
Book Three, Vibhūti Pādaḥ
On Remarkable Manifestations
Paintings, Translations, and Commentary
by Melissa Townsend
COMPARED TO BOOKS ONE AND TWO of the Yoga Sūtras, not much is written about Book Three. There is often little commentary for many of the sūtras, which can be explained in part by the fact that about two-thirds of the sūtras in Book Three are about the siddhis, the seemingly supernatural powers that can appear or be developed as one advances in the practice of Yoga. Given how much verbal real estate is devoted to these superpower-like accomplishments, the siddhis, it can seem like they are what Book Three is about. But that is far from true. Book
Three is about the Internal Practice of Yoga – the deepest level of the practice of Yoga – and it is about the profound transformation of consciousness that results from this internal practice. When you engage with Book Three, you might not fly or turn invisible or travel at the speed of thought, but you will encounter an experience of reality that challenges your understanding of what it means to occupy time and space here on Earth. Even if you were to experience one (or all!) of these remarkable manifestations, if you were to walk on water or see through walls – that would be incidental and even irrelevant in light of the expansiveness of consciousness that results from the internal practice of Yoga and that is the source of these seemingly miraculous occurrences.
As with the previous books in this series, Books One and Two (Samādhi Pādah and Sādhana Pādah), this Book, Book Three, Vibhūti Pādah, is both a traditional translation of the Yoga Sūtras with commentary and an art book. It features full-color, full-page reproductions of the paintings, one for each sūtra, created as meditative guides as part of the author’s years of work, studying and translating the Yoga Sūtras. The sūtras are given in the original Devanāgarī (Sanskrit), with transliteration, translation, and clear, informed commentary.
The exquisite images on the 51 cards of this meditation deck serve as intuitive gateways, guiding you in to a deeper, personal understanding of each sūtra in Book One of the Yoga Sūtras of Patañjali - the essential, fundamental text for the practice of Yoga
Each sūtra is represented with a painting from Melissa’s book, The Yoga Sūtras of Patañjali – A Visual Meditation. Book One, Samādhi Pādah on the front of the card. On the back, the sūtra is written in devanāgarī (Sanskrit), along with the transliteration, translation, and commentary. The translations have been updated for the meditation deck, and the commentary is new. In addition, there is a color coded bar on the back of each card, that helps place each sūtra in context with other sūtras and with the thematic groupings of sūtras in Book One.
Accordion foldout with information and instruction included.
Card Size: 4"x5"
For more information, please email melissa@melissa-townsend.com.
The exquisite images on the 51 cards of this meditation deck serve as intuitive gateways, guiding you in to a deeper, personal understanding of each sūtra in Book One of the Yoga Sūtras of Patañjali - the essential, fundamental text for the practice of Yoga
Each sūtra is represented with a painting from Melissa’s book, The Yoga Sūtras of Patañjali – A Visual Meditation. Book One, Samādhi Pādah on the front of the card. On the back, the sūtra is written in devanāgarī (Sanskrit), along with the transliteration, translation, and commentary. The translations have been updated for the meditation deck, and the commentary is new. In addition, there is a color coded bar on the back of each card, that helps place each sūtra in context with other sūtras and with the thematic groupings of sūtras in Book One.
Accordion foldout with information and instruction included.
Card Size: 4"x5"
For more information, please email melissa@melissa-townsend.com.
Almost from the beginning, it seemed like it would be a great idea to turn these paintings into a Meditation Deck for others to use. That hazy possibility actually became a factor in determining the consistent size and format of the paintings!
Here, finally – or on its way – is that Meditation Deck, for use in your practice. Enjoy!
Book 2 - Sadhana-Padah
Continuing the project of working with the Yoga Sutras via painting them, as well as translating the Sanskrit, Book Two, Sadhana Padah, “On Practice,” is probably the most well-known of the 4 books comprising the Yoga Sutras.
Book 2 introduces the 8 limbs of practice, and contains the sutras about the yamas, niyamas, asana and pranayama.
As with the first book, this book, Book Two, Sadhana Pādah, On Practice is both a traditional, well-informed, translation with commentary, and it is sophisticated art book, with full color, full page reproductions of the beautiful and evocative paintings, one for each sutra, created as meditative guides in response to the author’s years of work, studying, working with, and translating the Yoga Sutras.
The sutras themselves are in the original Devanagari, with transliteration, translation and succinct, accessible, grounded commentary, which draws upon author and artist Melissa Townsend’s 35+ years of spiritual practice.
The work of Sanskrit and of the Yoga Sutras is to push one along the path towards Enlightenment. To this end, the Yoga Sutras “mean” both exactly what they “say,” and each one means infinitely more. That, “infinitely more,” is expressed through the remarkable artwork in this book.
Book 2 - Sadhana-Padah
Continuing the project of working with the Yoga Sutras via painting them, as well as translating the Sanskrit, Book Two, Sadhana Padah, “On Practice,” is probably the most well-known of the 4 books comprising the Yoga Sutras.
Book 2 introduces the 8 limbs of practice, and contains the sutras about the yamas, niyamas, asana and pranayama.
As with the first book, this book, Book Two, Sadhana Pādah, On Practice is both a traditional, well-informed, translation with commentary, and it is sophisticated art book, with full color, full page reproductions of the beautiful and evocative paintings, one for each sutra, created as meditative guides in response to the author’s years of work, studying, working with, and translating the Yoga Sutras.
The sutras themselves are in the original Devanagari, with transliteration, translation and succinct, accessible, grounded commentary, which draws upon author and artist Melissa Townsend’s 35+ years of spiritual practice.
The work of Sanskrit and of the Yoga Sutras is to push one along the path towards Enlightenment. To this end, the Yoga Sutras “mean” both exactly what they “say,” and each one means infinitely more. That, “infinitely more,” is expressed through the remarkable artwork in this book.
Book two | sadhana-padah
Continuing the project of working with the Yoga Sutras via painting them, as well as translating the Sanskrit, Book Two, Sadhana Padah, “On Practice,” is probably the most well-known of the 4 books comprising the Yoga Sutras. Book Two introduces the 8 limbs of practice, and contains the sutras about the yamas, niyamas, asana and pranayama.
Book 1 - Samadhi-Padah
A remarkable approach to the classic Yogic text, The Yoga Sutras of Patanjali – A Visual Meditation, is both a traditional, well-informed, translation of Book One of the Yoga Sutras, with commentary. It is sophisticated art book, with full color, full page reproductions of the beautiful and evocative paintings, one for each sutra, created as meditative guides in response to the author’s years of work, studying, working with, and translating the Yoga Sutras.
The sutras themselves are in the original Devanāgarī, with transliteration, translation and succinct, accessible, grounded commentary, which draws upon author and artist Melissa Townsend’s 35+ years of spiritual practice.
The work of Sanskrit and of the Yoga Sutras is to push one along the path towards Enlightenment. To this end, the Yoga Sutras “mean” both exactly what they “say,” and each one means infinitely more. That, “infinitely more,” is expressed through the remarkable artwork in this book.
Book 1 - Samadhi-Padah
A remarkable approach to the classic Yogic text, The Yoga Sutras of Patanjali – A Visual Meditation, is both a traditional, well-informed, translation of Book One of the Yoga Sutras, with commentary. It is sophisticated art book, with full color, full page reproductions of the beautiful and evocative paintings, one for each sutra, created as meditative guides in response to the author’s years of work, studying, working with, and translating the Yoga Sutras.
The sutras themselves are in the original Devanāgarī, with transliteration, translation and succinct, accessible, grounded commentary, which draws upon author and artist Melissa Townsend’s 35+ years of spiritual practice.
The work of Sanskrit and of the Yoga Sutras is to push one along the path towards Enlightenment. To this end, the Yoga Sutras “mean” both exactly what they “say,” and each one means infinitely more. That, “infinitely more,” is expressed through the remarkable artwork in this book.
Book 1 - Samadhi-padah
A remarkable approach to the classic Yogic text, The Yoga Sutras of Patanjali – A Visual Meditation, is a traditional, well-informed, translation of Book One of the Yoga Sutras, with full color, full page reproductions of the beautiful and evocative paintings created as meditative guides in response to the author’s years of working with, and translating, the Yoga Sutras.
TAROT DECKS
I have had Tarot cards since the age of 8, and began professionally reading cards in my twenties. As an artist, it was inevitable that I would create my own Tarot Decks!
Click to explore the Tarot decks I have created that are available for purchase
Prints of Patanjali’s Yoga Sutras
Prints and cards for sale.