Yoga Sutras of Patanjali Coloring Book I: I. Samadhi Pada: Chapter on Integration Paperback – July 1, 2021

It is a core belief of Blū Lotus Publications that ‘Wisdom Unfolds from Play’. To that end, we have created a Coloring Book Series based upon the Yoga Sūtras of the Indian sage Patañjali. The Yoga Sūtras—the most authoritative and widely-read text on Yoga philosophy—offers the reader a set of practical instructions for living a deeply meaningful life.

Patañjali’s 

Yoga Sūtras is a collection of 196 terse statements, or “sutras” (literally “thread”), sewn together into four distinct chapters. The four chapters have been divided into four separate coloring books. This first coloring book, called the Samādhi Pāda

, is the first chapter of the text. Each page presents one 

sūtra in transliterated Sanskrit (Roman script) with an interpretation of that sūtra in lively hand-drawn font embedded in striking illustrations. The artwork—created by yoga practitioner, teacher, and scholar, Rebecca Polack—is inspired by Madhubanī, a folk art of northern India, as well as the nature of Northern California.

The Samādhi Pāda

 describes the essential purpose of yoga as 

samādhi

, a deep sense of integration on all levels of being. The meaning of the word can be understood through its parts—sam, “together” + ā, “towards” + dhā, “to put”—that is, to move toward or acquire integration or wholeness. This state of integration progresses into deeper and deeper levels through practice of meditation, whereby the mind gains stability and peace.

This Coloring Book Series is a radical departure from the “normal” way of studying the Yoga Sūtras, and is designed to encourage a more lively and playful exploration of the text through the art of “purposeful” coloring. This is not an academic study; it is a transformational practice, where the only requirement is to come with an open heart.