Beyond Asana: Asceticism, Alchemy, & the Tangled Roots of Yoga.

Schedule#

Tuesday 3rd October 2017 - James Mallinson, ’The Ascetic Roots of Yoga’; & Mark Singleton *’Yoga as we Know It: The Development of Physical Practices of Yoga’*

James Mallinson: Yoga is one of the world’s most popular ways to physical and mental wellbeing. In its early descriptions, however, which date to more than two thousand years ago, it is practised by world-denying ascetics and closely associated with methods of self-deprivation, including extreme practises of bodily mortification. In this talk James Mallinson will describe yoga’s origins and its transformation from an ascetic path to liberation undertaken by those on the fringes of society to a wholesome method of achieving wellbeing available to all.

Mark Singleton: A talk on the physical practices of yoga. A general history of āsana, including the modern. Full description coming soon.

Tuesday 10th October 2017 – Daniela Bevilacqua, ‘Yoga Among Indian Sadhus: Living Ascetic Practitioners of Yoga, Some Theoretical and Practical Insights Yoga Among Indian Sadhus, Some Theoretical and Practical Insights’

In this talk Daniela will explore the yoga practice of Hindu ascetics in India. Before describing their physical practice, she will introduce their religious background and affiliation, and then clarify what yoga and haṭha yoga mean according to them. Afterwards Daniela will describe the performance of yoga āsanas made by some of them with her (a kind of sādhu yoga session) and the public performance of yoga āsanas during religious gatherings, creating some comparison with modern yoga practices.

Tuesday 17th October 2017 – Suzanne Newcombe, ’Yoga, Ayurveda, Magic & Alchemy’

In the twentieth century, Yoga is often presented as a ‘sister science’ to Ayurveda and is increasingly promoted as able to promote longevity and ‘wellness’. In this talk, Suzanne Newcombe will present some interesting vignettes of points of contact between these traditions. She will outline the extent of current knowledge of the overlapping histories of yoga, ayurveda, longevity practices and rasaśāstra (Indian alchemy and iatrochemistry) from the tenth century to the present, based on the research findings to-date of the ERC-funded AYURYOG project.

Tuesday 31st October 2017 - Colin Dunsmuir,’*Unlocking the Ancient Wisdom of Yoga Philosophy for Today’*

Colin will begin to reveal the hidden meanings and explain clearly key concepts within Chapters One and Two of yoga’s main philosophical text: Patanjali’s Yoga Sutra.

The lecture itself will combine practices, with clear, down-to-earth explanations and group discussions of the key promises of yoga. Drawing from a number of tools: asana; pranayama; meditation; visualisation and mantra, the evening will be a wonderful mix of experience, teaching and participation.

The theory, experience and the practices will lead us to take practical examples that will de-mystify the often confused concepts such as: how yoga views the mind; how yoga can be practiced to find stability and peace; and how we can use yoga to overcome obstacles in our lives?

You should leave with a solid framework of understanding that shows a system that is as relevant today as it was over 2000 years ago.