Yoga's increasing popularity in America today is due to its promises of health, fitness, longevity and stress reduction, as introduced by a variety of Indian yoga gurus in the 20th c. In India, the land of its birth, the goals of yoga have been more radical forms of "embodied philosophy" includin...

This presentation explores Gandhi’s unique interpretation of yogic disciplines as expounded in the Yoga Sutra, including truth, nonviolence, celibacy, and non-possession, to transform his personal life and instigate social change.

Traditionally, these yogic disciplines are observed to purify t...

The yogic world of medieval India was dominated by the Nath Yogis, whose poetic and mythological traditions were remarkable for their rich and varied imagery. One such image represented the head and torso of the yogic body as a set of wells, the one turned downward and the other upward. Here, t...

In this talk, Ruth will map the esoteric feminine aspect of the subtle body by drawing on Haṭhayoga sources. Taking a textual, historical and anecdotal approach, she explores how the subtle body is presented in gendered terms, probes the substances or concepts that are to be influenced, and trace...

Glimpses of what evolves into Yoga can be gleaned from early sources: the loving attention paid to animals and the seated seemingly meditative figures in the seals of the Indus Valley (ca. 3000 B.C.E.) as well as the invocation of tapas (purifying heat) in the Vedas (ca. 1500 B.C.E.). The naming ...

Jason will discuss the research he is currently doing on Yoga, which involves visiting libraries in various countries to view manuscripts of Yoga texts. He’ll discuss some of the important Haṭha- and Rājayoga texts he’s working on, in particular, their content, who wrote them and their audience. ...

Why is Om so central to the practice and philosophy of Yoga? Could it be this radically simple word unlocks the essence of all yogic wisdom?

In this talk, we will trace the presence of Om in the Vedas, in the Upanishads, Patanjali’s Yoga Sutra, the Bhagavad Gita, in Tantric texts, as well as...

In this talk, we will explore conceptual foundations for the integration of energy healing into MindBody Therapy. We will discuss the ways in which energy is already playing a role in the therapeutic process and how to work with that intentionally to benefit the client. We will consider how to im...

When we talk about alignment, we should ask what we are aligning ourselves with? Are we talking about an external shape? An internal sensation? A principle, or value?

Alignment is a dynamic state of shifting relationships in our body. If we let go of the idea that it is a fixed set of rules, we ...

In this talk, Judith will discuss the importance of avoiding spiritual bypassing in order for spiritual realization to be a lasting transformation, rather than just a peak experience. She will teach the main Realization Process practices for uncovering fundamental consciousness, the spiritual gr...

This is not a lecture about individual women and their isolated successes. Rather this talk aims to acknowledge the collective wisdom rising from a (mostly) female-driven phenomenon, which I will refer to as Modern Globalised Yoga, a term coined by Dr Elizabeth de Michelis.

Historical research...

Though much of the evidence for constructing the history of yoga traditions in precolonial India is to be found in Sanskrit manuscripts and texts, extensive and valuable information may be gathered from non-textual historical materials (e.g. through paintings, sculpture, temples, and epigraphy). ...

The practice of yoga is today widely associated with the improvement of mental and physical health and a general increase in well-being. In India, yoga is considered an indigenous form of health practice: The Ministry of AYUSH supports education and research in yoga medicine, and has established ...

In this discussion, Suzanne Newcombe considers some of the key points of transformation in modern yoga traditions based on her academic study. Her historical and sociological research has focused on the entanglement of yoga, medical and physical rejuvenation practices in the modern period. This c...

How old is your downward-facing dog? What about the tree pose? Salutations to the sun? This talk will offer an accessible overview of the latest scholarly research on the history of yogic postures (āsana) in premodern India—as understood through Sanskrit and vernacular texts, sculptures, painting...

The presentation deals with yogic postures (āsanas) in Pātañjala Yoga. Starting with a brief introduction to the main sources of the chapter, i. e., to the Pātañjalayogaśāstra (PYŚ), it initially contextualises posture practice within the yogic path to liberation. This outline provides the backdr...