POPULARITY
3 episodes with shyam ranganathan
2 episodes with shyam ranganathan
2 episodes with shyam ranganathan
2 episodes with shyam ranganathan
2 episodes with shyam ranganathan
2 episodes with shyam ranganathan
2 episodes with shyam ranganathan
2 episodes with shyam ranganathan
The Connected Yoga Teacher Podcast 395: Anticolonial Philosophy & Yoga with Shyam Ranganathan Description: Yoga philosophy can sometimes feel overwhelming, inapplicable to the modern problems we face today, or just too abstract. Dr. Shyam Ranganathan, a repeat guest on the podcast, has a gift for breaking philosophy down in a way that we can relate to. Dr. Shyam Ranganathan is a philosopher, author, researcher, and leading voice in anti-colonial philosophy, as well as the founder of the Yoga Philosophy Institute. He specializes in the study and translation of philosophy, especially South Asian philosophy and Yoga. In his recent book, Yoga — AntiColonial Philosophy, Shyam explores yoga as a decolonial tradition and how we can reconnect to that legacy in our modern practice. In this episode, Shyam explains how colonialism shows up even in yoga philosophy, and how we can apply the practice of yoga and yoga philosophy to the many social justice issues we face in the world. He shares more about Ishvara Pranidhana (devotion to sovereignty), samskaras (rituals and practices), and how we might apply them to our daily lives to take back agency and practice yogic behavior. Tune into this conversation if you are seeking to be inspired by how philosophy can be a tool for liberation. Key Takeaways: [2:04] Shannon gives a shout-out to sponsor, OfferingTree. [3:08] Shannon introduces her guest for this episode - Dr. Shyam Ranganathan. [6:20] What does Shyam do and who does he do it for? [8:06] How did Shyam choose the title of his book, Yoga — AntiColonial Philosophy? [9:27] Why is it that yoga philosophy does not often give a platform to the voices of South Asian yoga teachers and authors? [13:35] Shyam reflects on how education is not really about learning but about training people to follow instructions. [16:39] How does the practice of yoga and yoga philosophy apply to the many social justice issues we are facing in the world? [21:40] Shyam explains the concept of Ishvara Pranidhana (devotion to sovereignty) in more concrete terms with some examples. [24:19] What is the practice to get out of being stuck in our own prejudices? [26:23] What are samskaras in yoga and how do they affect us? [29:55] Shyam shares how we can take back and redeploy our agency instead of getting stuck in loops and patterns. [31:58] Shannon pops in to give a shout-out of thanks to OfferingTree. [33:25] Simply practicing yoga is the easiest way to disrupt the harm of colonialism. [34:47] Shannon and Shyam discuss how challenging certain laws may be a part of resisting colonialism and is yogic behavior. [39:47] Shyam explains what he means by "the real philosophical practice is what one does where one already is in relationship to the people that are already in one's life." [44:51] What is a practice that can be a first baby step for someone who has not explored much of yoga philosophy? [46:57] What might the first moment of conscious thought look like when we are showing up as an ally for ourselves? Shyam talks about what the practice of yoga can look like in our daily lives. [51:31] Shannon and Shyam discuss the future of (de)colonization. [57:35] Shannon and Shyam chat about how he felt writing the book and how Shannon felt reading it. [58:49] Connect with Shyam via his website or on Instagram to learn more. [59:18] Shannon shares her biggest takeaways from this conversation. Links: Dr. Shyam Ranganathan Dr. Shyam Ranganathan on Instagram Yoga AntiColonial Philosophy by Dr. Shyam Ranganathan The Connected Yoga Teacher Podcast Episode 269: Yoga Philosophy and Colonialism with Shyam Ranganathan The Connected Yoga Teacher Facebook Group Shannon Crow on Instagram Gratitude to our Sponsor, OfferingTree Quotes from this episode: "The fact that people do self-select in this way speaks to a kind of an actual fear of learning." "What we call education, especially in the West, is not really education. It's geared to getting us to follow instructions." "Every kind of bigotry or small-mindedness is part of just not being free from those past experiences." "What happens is we don't see our agency when we're in these patterns and loops because our agency is hidden by these patterns, but our agency is what's powering it. So we have to find a way to redeploy our agency." "You can't be working on your autonomy and also being colonized at the same time."
The Connected Yoga Teacher Podcast 384: Yoga for Election Grief with Shannon Crow Description: Many people have shared that they are feeling numb, sad, scared, shocked, and powerless in light of the recent US election results. Shannon Crow has experienced similar feelings and shares her experience in the aftermath of the election results. Shannon relates an interaction she had with a yoga teacher that prompted her to turn inward and reflect and invites us to do the same. She also invites listeners who support Trump to reach out to have a conversation – in these divisive times, Shannon highlights the importance of remaining open to alternative perspectives, finding common ground, and still showing up to do the work we are here to do. If you are feeling grief, helplessness, despair, or fear, Shannon shares some inspiring and uplifting words from her community, as well as her strategies for continuing to move forward through this time. Regardless of where you live, where you are in the election cycle, or who is/has been elected to office, this episode can help you ground into the important things. Key Takeaways: [0:48] This episode was inspired by some powerful messages from friends and colleagues who were feeling so many emotions after the results of the US elections were announced. [3:15] Shannon introduces herself and gives a shout-out of thanks to the sponsors, OfferingTree and Shannon's 20-hour Yoga for Pelvic Health Training. [7:15] Shannon shares how she felt in the aftermath of the elections in the United States. [12:02] Shannon shares an anecdote of an interaction with a yoga teacher related to the elections in the US. [16:08] Shannon understands and empathizes with people who have fears about living in a country and a world where Trump is the President of the US. She seeks to hear from people who voted for him about their perspectives. [19:00] Shannon explains why the US elections are so relevant to her as a Canadian (and all of us) -- and why we should care about cultures and events in other countries outside our own. [24:49] Having someone like Trump voted in makes Shannon look inward and reflect on what part of her she needs to work on. [26:45] Shannon shares a bit about OfferingTree. [28:26] Some things have helped Shannon in the moment of despair she was feeling when she learned the news that Trump had been elected. [35:07] Next week on the podcast, Shannon will be holding some people accountable for their (in)action. Links: Some Related Connected Yoga Teacher Podcasts 323: Finding Support in Yoga Philosophy with Sunita Patil 269: Yoga Philosophy and Colonialism with Shyam Ranganathan 382: Having Tough Conversations with Rebecca Sebastian 356: How Silence Feels for a Yoga Student with Suzanne Miller 359: Ahimsa in Times of Conflict with Rula Wardeh 362: Yoga in Times of War & Violence with Molly Nixon Yoga for Peace with Shannon Crow [BONUS EPISODE] 273: Yoga is a Revolution with Jivana Heyman 203: Do Politics Belong in Yoga? with Chara Caruthers & Maria Kirsten Post by Jezz Chung on Instagram Yoga for Pelvic Health 3-Hour On Demand Workshop with Shannon Crow The Connected Yoga Teacher Podcast Team Shannon Crow on Instagram Gratitude to our Sponsors, OfferingTree, and Yoga for Pelvic Health 20-hr Online Training with Shannon Crow. Quotes from this episode: "This episode was inspired by some powerful messages from friends and colleagues who were feeling so many emotions." "We talk yoga on this podcast and we talk politics because politics is part of yoga." "Education is the foundational strength of a country." "We need to ask what's underneath this if we really want to build safer communities for everyone." "Having someone like Trump elected in the US definitely does make me ask a lot more questions, but it also makes me look inward." "Do the work that you are here to do."
Yoga is a system of moral philosophy that has long been overlooked by Western scholars and appropriated by the fitness industry. Dr. Shyam Ranganathan, author of Yoga: Anticolonial Philosophy provides context for the dissonance between modern yoga and its roots. We discuss how to frame yoga practice authentically, how philosophy is the unifying force between varied practices, and why decolonization requires embracing discomfort. EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS: 00:00 Yoga and personal agency 05:53 The role of philosophy in understanding yoga 09:52 Challenges and rewards of yoga practice 15:34 The problem of modern yoga 22:15 Defining colonialism, philosophy, and ethics 26:12 Understanding Yoga: Capital Y vs. Small Y 28:27 Why embracing dissonance is key for decolonization 29:14 Philosophy's role in decolonization 31:26 The physical and emotional impact of philosophy 40:53 Teaching yoga in a capitalist society 46:32 Conclusion and further resources EPISODE LINKS & RESOURCES: Yoga Philosophy Book: Yoga: Anticolonial Philosophy Yoga: Anticolonial Philosophy Study Group Follow Dr. Shyam Ranganathan on Instagram @yogaphilosophy_com Follow Dr. Shyam Ranganathan on Facebook LINKS AND RESOURCES: Follow YTR on Instagram @yoga.teacher.resource Join the Yoga Teacher Resource email list Join the Yoga Teacher Resource Facebook Group Learn more about the Impact Club Leave a review on iTunes Ask a question for the podcast on the Yoga Teacher Resource website or on SpeakPipe
In this thought-provoking episode of the Finding Harmony Podcast, Harmony Slater and Russell Case sit down with philosophical scholar and teacher, Dr. Shyam Ranganathan, to explore the deeper aspects of yoga philosophy, ethics, and autonomy. Dr. Ranganathan dives into the true purpose of yoga as a tool for independence, and how the practice has been shaped—and sometimes distorted—by colonial and cultural influences. Listeners will gain valuable insights into the roots of yoga, understanding how devotion to sovereignty, through practices like Ishvara Pranidhana, leads to Kaivalya, a state of autonomy. Dr. Ranganathan also touches on the challenges of decolonizing yoga, the philosophical lens necessary for true yoga practice, and the importance of questioning the cultural baggage that modern yoga carries. Dr. Ranganathan's reflections on the Yoga Sutras, the role of language, and how philosophy intertwines with meditation will inspire anyone looking to deepen their understanding of yoga beyond physical asana. This episode is a must-listen for both seasoned practitioners and those new to the philosophy of yoga. Key Topics Discussed: Decolonizing yoga and returning to its philosophical roots The ethical and philosophical dimensions of yoga practice The real meaning behind Ishvara Pranidhana and Kaivalya Breaking free from the constraints of past habits (Tapas) The intersection of personal freedom and yoga philosophy How colonization has shaped modern yoga practices Connect with Dr. Shyam Ranganathan: https://www.shyam-ranganathan.info/ Connect with Us (We love to hear from you!) Harmony Slater's Website: http://harmonyslater.com Finding Harmony Community https://harmonyslater.com/harmony-slater-coaching Find Harmony on Instagram Follow the Finding Harmony Podcast on IG Two Minute Breathwork Session Yoga Gives Back Fundraiser
Dr. Shyam Ranganathan, a philosopher, scholar, and author, offers a compelling perspective on yoga as an anticolonial philosophy in this episode of the Flow Artist Podcast. Drawing from his book "Yoga - Anticolonial Philosophy, An Action Focused Guide To Practice," Dr. Ranganathan challenges conventional interpretations of yoga and presents it as a practice that encourages critical thinking, individual sovereignty, and decolonization. The discussion illuminates the contrast between Western academic traditions and South Asian philosophical frameworks, particularly in how non-Western philosophies are often categorized as "religion" rather than recognized as rigorous intellectual systems. Dr. Ranganathan's work seeks to bridge this gap, offering translations and interpretations of key yoga concepts that reveal their deeper philosophical meanings. Throughout the conversation, Dr. Ranganathan stresses the importance of questioning assumptions and engaging in continuous learning within yoga practice. He critiques the tendency in some yoga spaces to present personal opinions as universal truths, instead advocating for a more thoughtful, philosophical exploration of the practice. This approach aligns with his view of yoga as a "work in progress" that encourages practitioners to remain humble and open to growth. The podcast also delves into Dr. Ranganathan's doctoral research on ethical frameworks within yoga and South Asian philosophy. He explains how the "yoga-bhakti" approach, with its emphasis on individual sovereignty and devotion to the ideal of Isvara, offers a decolonial alternative to dominant Western ethical frameworks. This perspective encourages a focus on making responsible choices rather than simply striving to be "good," potentially expanding our imagination for what is possible in addressing societal and environmental issues. Dr Ranganathan has generously offered a special discount to our Patreon subscribers on his latest training. He has also generously shared a free 1.5 hour course: "Yoga, Apparel and Climate Change". To learn more, head to our patreon page: https://www.patreon.com/flowartistspodcast Links: Website: https://www.yogaphilosophy.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/yogaphilosophy_com/ Aerial Yoga Therapeutics: https://aerialyogateachertraining.com/our-courses/
www.shyam-ranganathan.info | @yogaphilosophy_com | amazon books Dr. Shyam Ranganathan discusses explores the themes of yoga, anti-colonial philosophy, and action-focused guide to practice. He highlights the concept of the Linguistic Account of Thought (LAT) and how it has led to cultural filtering and colonialism. He also explains the difference between understanding and belief, emphasizing that action is about choice, not belief. Dr. Ranganathan challenges the Western appropriation of yoga and the secularization of Indian philosophy, advocating for a more nuanced and responsible approach to understanding other cultures. Support Keen on Yoga
“Decolonizing yoga is admirable but I think it is just better to learn yoga.” I'd like to introduce you to Dr. Shyam Ranganathan a field-changing researcher, scholar, author, and teacher of philosophy, and an expert in the neglected traditions of Indian moral philosophy, which covers practical questions of how to live, what to aim for, and what we should value—including Yoga. Find Dr. Shyam Ranganthan 100 Hour Level 1 Yoga Philosophy Training and other courses at: yogaphilosophy.com/level-1-and-2-certificationFind his most recent book Yoga - Anticolonial Philosophy HERE I'm looking forward to discussing this episode during our next monthly Satsang which always takes place on the first Sunday of every month.
Providing a decolonial, action-focused account of Yoga philosophy, Yoga - Anticolonial Philosophy: An Action-Focused Guide to Practice (Singing Dragon, 2024) from Dr. Shyam Ranganathan, pioneering scholar in the field of Indian moral philosophy, focuses on the South Asian tradition to explore what Yoga was like prior to colonization. It challenges teachers and trainees to reflect on the impact of Western colonialism on Yoga as well as understand Yoga as the original decolonial practice in a way that is accessible. Each chapter takes the reader through a journey of sources and traditions, beginning with an investigation into the colonial -Platonic and Aristotelian- approaches to pedagogy in colonized yoga spaces, through contrary, ancient philosophies of South Asia, such as Jainism, Buddhism, Sankhya, and various forms of Vedanta, to sources of Yoga, including the Upanisads, Yoga Sutra, Bhagavad Gita and Hatha Yoga Pradipika. With discussions of the precolonial philosophy of Yoga, its relationship to social justice, and modern postural yoga's relationship with colonial trauma, this is a comprehensive guide for any yoga teacher or trainee to activate and synergize their practice. Supplementary online resources bring the text to life, making this the perfect text for yoga teacher trainings. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/new-books-network
Providing a decolonial, action-focused account of Yoga philosophy, Yoga - Anticolonial Philosophy: An Action-Focused Guide to Practice (Singing Dragon, 2024) from Dr. Shyam Ranganathan, pioneering scholar in the field of Indian moral philosophy, focuses on the South Asian tradition to explore what Yoga was like prior to colonization. It challenges teachers and trainees to reflect on the impact of Western colonialism on Yoga as well as understand Yoga as the original decolonial practice in a way that is accessible. Each chapter takes the reader through a journey of sources and traditions, beginning with an investigation into the colonial -Platonic and Aristotelian- approaches to pedagogy in colonized yoga spaces, through contrary, ancient philosophies of South Asia, such as Jainism, Buddhism, Sankhya, and various forms of Vedanta, to sources of Yoga, including the Upanisads, Yoga Sutra, Bhagavad Gita and Hatha Yoga Pradipika. With discussions of the precolonial philosophy of Yoga, its relationship to social justice, and modern postural yoga's relationship with colonial trauma, this is a comprehensive guide for any yoga teacher or trainee to activate and synergize their practice. Supplementary online resources bring the text to life, making this the perfect text for yoga teacher trainings. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/critical-theory
Providing a decolonial, action-focused account of Yoga philosophy, Yoga - Anticolonial Philosophy: An Action-Focused Guide to Practice (Singing Dragon, 2024) from Dr. Shyam Ranganathan, pioneering scholar in the field of Indian moral philosophy, focuses on the South Asian tradition to explore what Yoga was like prior to colonization. It challenges teachers and trainees to reflect on the impact of Western colonialism on Yoga as well as understand Yoga as the original decolonial practice in a way that is accessible. Each chapter takes the reader through a journey of sources and traditions, beginning with an investigation into the colonial -Platonic and Aristotelian- approaches to pedagogy in colonized yoga spaces, through contrary, ancient philosophies of South Asia, such as Jainism, Buddhism, Sankhya, and various forms of Vedanta, to sources of Yoga, including the Upanisads, Yoga Sutra, Bhagavad Gita and Hatha Yoga Pradipika. With discussions of the precolonial philosophy of Yoga, its relationship to social justice, and modern postural yoga's relationship with colonial trauma, this is a comprehensive guide for any yoga teacher or trainee to activate and synergize their practice. Supplementary online resources bring the text to life, making this the perfect text for yoga teacher trainings. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/intellectual-history
Providing a decolonial, action-focused account of Yoga philosophy, Yoga - Anticolonial Philosophy: An Action-Focused Guide to Practice (Singing Dragon, 2024) from Dr. Shyam Ranganathan, pioneering scholar in the field of Indian moral philosophy, focuses on the South Asian tradition to explore what Yoga was like prior to colonization. It challenges teachers and trainees to reflect on the impact of Western colonialism on Yoga as well as understand Yoga as the original decolonial practice in a way that is accessible. Each chapter takes the reader through a journey of sources and traditions, beginning with an investigation into the colonial -Platonic and Aristotelian- approaches to pedagogy in colonized yoga spaces, through contrary, ancient philosophies of South Asia, such as Jainism, Buddhism, Sankhya, and various forms of Vedanta, to sources of Yoga, including the Upanisads, Yoga Sutra, Bhagavad Gita and Hatha Yoga Pradipika. With discussions of the precolonial philosophy of Yoga, its relationship to social justice, and modern postural yoga's relationship with colonial trauma, this is a comprehensive guide for any yoga teacher or trainee to activate and synergize their practice. Supplementary online resources bring the text to life, making this the perfect text for yoga teacher trainings. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/south-asian-studies
Providing a decolonial, action-focused account of Yoga philosophy, Yoga - Anticolonial Philosophy: An Action-Focused Guide to Practice (Singing Dragon, 2024) from Dr. Shyam Ranganathan, pioneering scholar in the field of Indian moral philosophy, focuses on the South Asian tradition to explore what Yoga was like prior to colonization. It challenges teachers and trainees to reflect on the impact of Western colonialism on Yoga as well as understand Yoga as the original decolonial practice in a way that is accessible. Each chapter takes the reader through a journey of sources and traditions, beginning with an investigation into the colonial -Platonic and Aristotelian- approaches to pedagogy in colonized yoga spaces, through contrary, ancient philosophies of South Asia, such as Jainism, Buddhism, Sankhya, and various forms of Vedanta, to sources of Yoga, including the Upanisads, Yoga Sutra, Bhagavad Gita and Hatha Yoga Pradipika. With discussions of the precolonial philosophy of Yoga, its relationship to social justice, and modern postural yoga's relationship with colonial trauma, this is a comprehensive guide for any yoga teacher or trainee to activate and synergize their practice. Supplementary online resources bring the text to life, making this the perfect text for yoga teacher trainings. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/indian-religions
In this episode we have a moderated discussion about yoga, colonialism, attitudes about yoga that are coming out of the DEI space. Taking part in this discussion are HAF's Vijay Satnarine and scholar Shyam Ranganathan, with Mat McDermott moderating.Read more about Shyam Ranganathan https://www.yogaphilosophy.com/bioShyam's latest book: Yoga-Anticolonial Philosophy Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
In this episode we have a moderated discussion about yoga, colonialism, attitudes about yoga that are coming out of the DEI space. Taking part in this discussion are HAF's Vijay Satnarine and scholar Shyam Ranganathan, with Mat McDermott moderating.Read more about Shyam Ranganathan https://www.yogaphilosophy.com/bioShyam's latest book: Yoga-Anticolonial Philosophy Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
8 Guests. Tons of words of wisdom. A mini-lesson on white supremacy.That's what I call a series. This episode takes clips from each episode and guides you through the small changes, experiences, and big-picture ideas that made this series so special. A huge thanks to all of my guests: Dr. Shyam Ranganathan, Ann Swanson, Colin Hall, Daniel Simpson, Steff Gallante, Pooja Virani, Tristan Katz, and Colice Sanders. Y'all are the coolest people I know.RESOURCESWorking In Yoga WebsiteWorking In Yoga NewsletterSPONSORSunlight Streams BlogSunlight ApothecaryEXTRASWhite Supremacy Culture website
Yoga classes are great at telling us how to move our bodies, but not so much on how to think.So this week's podcast has a guest who will do just that. Enter Dr. Shyam Ranganathan to the chat to talk to us about how we think about perfection in the yoga space, why we have trouble as leaders being less than perfect, and what yoga philosophy actually says in regards to figuring out what is “right”.This is such a great conversation, and Dr. Ranganathan will have you listening, and rewinding again and again.KEY TAKEAWAYS*When you are faced with someone who is speaking a truth that you don't like, take a few moments to reflect what part of you is having trouble reconciling what they have to say. One of the most potent things we can do as yoga practitioners is to get very good at figuring out what things we need to work on in ourselves, and what things simply are not a part of our own belief system. *Virtue ethics is a Western mode of thinking that asks us to start with the “right person”, where we choose a person who we deem to be “right” and then we do what they say. Yoga, conversely, asks us to start with the idea of right doing and then you spend a lifetime practicing the essential traits of right doing–as you see them. Not as someone else sees them.*The customer is always right is a difficult thing to utilize when you are teaching something, because the customer always doesn't know what they need. So take that into consideration when you are making marketing plans for your business. You've got to know and understand what it is that yoga is really about, so that once customers come in the door you can teach them.*”Yoga is subversive”, and the beginning of this journey is dissatisfaction. So once you get people in the door you can share with them what we are actually doing here. This, to me, was one of the most freeing things Dr. Ranganathan said–we can market and run businesses effectively within the scope and ethics of yoga. In fact, it might be easier than we think.*Good leadership requires vulnerability, and it is a difficult thing to manage. If you are in charge of other people in the yoga space, make sure that you figure out how to hold the tension between having healthy professional boundaries and allowing other people to see your weaknesses and mistakes. It is something I am challenged with daily, so if you are struggling I am with you. We will figure it out together. Your first step is to make sure you are being a serious and dedicated student.RESOURCESWorking In Yoga WebsiteWorking In Yoga NewsletterRebecca's InstagramDr. Ranganathan's websiteSPONSORSunlight Streams Blog
This week, we spoke with Maia Ramnath about her essay contribution to ¡No Pasarán!: Antifascist Dispatches From a World in Crisis. The essay was entitled “The Other Aryan Supremacy: Fighting Hindu Fascism in the South Asia Diaspora”. Transcript PDF (Unimposed) – pending Zine (Imposed PDF) – pending For the hour, we talk about about Hindutva, a brand of Indian ethno-religious-nationalism some have called fascism, the organizations that carry it in India and in the sub-continental or Desi diaspora around the world, some of the ideas and actions attributed to it, Islamophobia, Hindutva's connections with the project of Israel, also it's overlaps with far right, Nazi-inspired ideologies and how non-Desi anti-fascists can stand in solidarity against it. Some publications by or including Maia Ramnath: Haj to Utopia: How the Ghadar Movement Charted Global Radicalism and Attempted to Overthrow the British Empire Decolonizing Anarchism: An Antiauthoritarian History of India's Liberation Struggle Art for Life: Conversations with the Progressive Writers Movement on Pens, Swords, and Internationalism, from Antifascism to Afro-Asian Solidarity (paperback / ebook) ¡No Pasarán!: Antifascist Dispatches From a World in Crisis (edited by Shane Burley). The essay was entitled “The Other Aryan Supremacy: Fighting Hindu Fascism in the South Asia Diaspora”. For audiophiles out there, there is an audiobook version of this book available from AK Press, though it's a little pricey it is over 20 hours long! Other interviews on related topics: Yeah Nah Pasaran! interview with Raja of The Humanist Project Nazi Lies podcast with Shyam Ranganathan 12 Rules for What with Amardeep Dhillon Bursts also recommends Azadi by Arundhati Roy, which includes lots of thoughts on these topics. And you can hear our 2020 interview with Pranav Jeevan P. in Karela state in India which covers many of these same topics, which is also transcribed. Phone Zap for #StopCopCity Arrestee, Emily Murphy #StopCopCity protestor Emily Murphy has been in jail for almost a month since being arrested 1/22 following the protest against the police killing of Tortuguita. Emily has been vegan for many years, but the Atlanta City Dentention Center has not been giving them food they can eat. They describe being emaciated and having physical problems after a month of starvation. We are asking that you listen to Emily's statement, participate in our call in campaign, and show up at Atlanta City Dentention Center at 7pm this Friday (2/24/23) to voice your discontent. We present Emily in their own words You can find info on this in Blue Ridge ABC's mastodon post on the subject. Announcement Bad News #65 The monthly, English-language podcast from the international A-Radio network is now available at a-radio-network.org for streaming or downloading. You'll hear updates from antifascist struggle in Bulgaria, news from comrades in Greece as well as info about how the organizing of the 2023 St-Imier anti-authoritarian and anarchist gathering is going in Switzerland recorded by A-Radio Berlin. . ... . .. Featured Tracks Note by Rekoil Chafe Baapmanus (a tribute to B.R. Ambedkar) by Mahi Ghane
In today's episode, Amy chats with Dr. Shyam Ranganathan. Shyam is a thought-leader, author, and teacher of Eastern Philosophy, and an expert in the traditions of Indian Moral Philosophy. Dr. Ranganathan is a trained scholar and researcher of philosophy and is the author, editor, and translator of numerous peer-reviewed, scholarly works. His research focus across disciplines is understanding how non-Western traditions are marginalized in a Westernized world, and how BIPOC traditions of philosophy can help understand this process of colonialism and provide alternatives to inform our way forward and away from colonialism. Amy & Dr. Ranganathan discuss What Yoga is and yoga as a philosophical practice, the benefits of true Yoga, understanding who you are as an individual, and so much more. Today's episode promises to be enlightening. They talk about the following:Shyam's thoughts on Trauma-Informed Yoga and why this is phrase he does not prefer to useWhat is Yoga?What is The Purpose of Yoga?What it takes to understand Yoga Philosophy from a clear lensShyam's advice on finding an ideal teacher of Yoga PhilosophyModels of Yoga EducationHow Shyam interacts with his students and what he expects in the learning arenaThe benefits of true Yoga, which include being authentically true to yourselfLiving life on your terms in all situations and with all peopleA key component in knowing and understanding who you are at your core level of being If you would like to receive the free infographics and handouts that correspond to each episode on the Yoga Therapy Hour Podcast, please subscribe to our segmented email list. You will have the opportunity to determine the Infographic Topics that you would like to receive. When The Yoga Therapy Hour Podcast has a topic that corresponds to your choices, then you will receive an email for that week with the PDF's for download. Topics you can choose from include: • Yoga Therapy & Mental Health• Yoga Therapy & Physical Health• Social Justice in yoga & Yoga Therapy• Yoga/Ayurveda Toolbox• Yoga & Indian Philosophy• Global & Trending Yoga Therapy TopicsClick the link below to subscribe. It takes 10 seconds total.https://amywheeler.com/subscribe Today's podcasts is sponsored by: Optimal State We have all benefitted from the ancient wisdom of India and her people, so it feels really great to be able to serve in this way. The Optimal State family has pledged on-going support of $250 per month, to go directly to KYM Mitra (www.kym.org). We will collect the monies and gift them each month. Please consider a recurring monthly payment to the fund. Even a small gift or intention makes a difference! If we make more than $250 in any given month, it will roll into the following month's payment. The hope is that we can contribute for many years to come. If you even lose the link to donate, it is at the top of the homepage at www.amywheeler.com also. I will be reporting on the website the progress; how much money is coming in at any given time and where we are in the process of getting this project off the ground.Here is the link for you to get started with your donation. We are so happy that you have decided to join us. We thank you for the bottom of our hearts!Link to click in the description: http://Paypal.me/KymMitraDonation The Optimal State and Yoga Therapy Hour Podcast also has a Patreon page. We now have 5 staff that help us product the audio and video versions of the podcast. Please consider donating to help us keep this good work for the field of yoga therapy going. Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/yogatherapyhourThe new You Tube Channel for this podcast is: YouTube: AmyWheelerPhd https://www.youtube.com/c/AmyWheelerphdCheck out Amy's website Feel free to use download our free eBook and mobile App by going to the websites below.www.OptimalStateApp.comwww.GoldZoneBook.com Facebook: Optimal State by Amy Wheeler https://www.facebook.com/OptimalStatebyAmyWheeler Twitter: Optimal State of Living with Dr. Amy TikTok: Dr. Amy@OptimalStateofLiving Instagram: Optimal State by Amy Wheeler Pinterest: TheOptimalState https://www.pinterest.com/TheOptimalState To checkout Shyam's offeringshttps://www.yogaphilosophy.com/
Dr. Shyam is a scholar-practitioner and professor of the department of philosophy at the York Centre For Asian Research at York University in Toronto, Canada, and the founder of yogaphilosophy.com. Dr. Shyam translated the Yoga Sutra as a project as an undergrad taking South Asian Studies. This is what sparked his interest in yoga. Through studying the ancient sources of yoga, he recognized how time and colonialism had changed the yoga practice. Then, he began to understand the true philosophy behind the yoga practice. Yoga is a devotional practice for doing the right thing and becoming a better version of yourself. It creates independence and self-responsibility, two huge parts of yoga often left out of Western practice. Devotion to yoga is about recognizing the ideal of the practice and committing yourself to it even if you don't fully understand it. Because when you're devoted, you challenge yourself to go deeper, understand, and become better. Challenge yourself to deepen your practice by going deeper than Asanas and really understand the yoga practice as a whole. After that, yoga is just another part of your life. It becomes second nature when you truly understand the philosophy. Start the journey now with your free 30-day membership on Omstars.com. Use code: PODCAST. Keep up with us online @omstarsofficial or follow me on Instagram @kinoyoga. Visit my blog at Kinoyoga.com to learn more. Don't hesitate to get in touch with me at info@kinoyoga.com. If you want to share what you've learned on your yoga journey, you could be invited to guest spot on The Yoga Inspiration Podcast.
The Connected Yoga Teacher Podcast 269: Yoga Philosophy & Colonialism with Shyam Ranganathan Description: As yoga teachers, we learn a little bit about yoga philosophy in our YTTs, but yoga philosophy is much more than just the 8 limbs, or the brief summary we may have come across in our studies. Dr. Shyam Ranganathan (he/him) is an expert in yoga philosophy and in this episode, he shares more about this topic, as well as how colonialism has influenced what we understand as yoga philosophy. Dr. Shyam Ranganathan is the founder of Yoga Philosophy, and a field-changing researcher on the study and translation of philosophy, especially South Asian philosophy and Yoga. He holds an MA in South Asian Studies, and an MA and PhD in philosophy, and is a member of the Department of Philosophy, and York Center for Asian Research, York University, Toronto. Shyam is a translator of the Yoga Sūtra, and founded his organization, Yoga Philosophy, to provide support for those interested in answering the question - What makes something yoga? Shyam explains how learning about philosophy helps us to get along and why not all opinions are equally good or right. He also shares more about how Europeans misunderstood things when they studied the communities they colonized and how that showed up in the yoga sutras and how they are translated. This continues to influence how yoga is taught and practiced in the world, today, especially in the West. He also gives us insight about the yamas and social justice, choices and responsibility, ahimsa, dharma, self-governing and Ishvara Pranidhana. This is a really rich conversation that all of us can learn from. Key Takeaways: [3:48] Shannon introduces her guest for this episode - Shyam Ranganathan. [6:45] Shyam shares his pronouns and explains how to pronounce his name. [7:36] What does Shyam do and who does he do it for? [8:46] What got Shyam interested in the work of studying philosophy? [10:48] Shyam was born in Toronto, yet felt that he didn't fit in. He talks a bit about that experience. [13:00] Shyam believes that philosophy enabled him to get along with people without having to agree with them. [15:06] There are several polarizing issues in the world right now. Shyam highlights the fact that just because we are okay with disagreement doesn't mean there are no right answers. [16:07] Where did Shyam's journey with yoga philosophy start? [22:14] Shyam clarifies the role and impact of colonization in the interpretation of yoga sutras. [31:49] Shyam shares an example of the two different ways of relating to what you contemplate. [37:00] Shannon and Shyam discuss the linguistic model of thought and how that has influenced different situations and scenarios in history and in the present day. [40:26] Why is it not yoga when we go in and try to make other people conform to our systems? [44:08] How does the idea of choice and responsibility connect to the eight limbs? [49:18] Shannon gives a shout out to OfferingTree. [51:04] One of the three kriyas is ishvara pranidhana. Shyam unpacks what this really refers to. [56:10] What are the other two kriyas? [58:43] How is yoga connected to social justice? What do the niyamas have to do with social justice? [64:48Shyam explains that fear is trauma and it's the result of a bad decision based on people's experiences. [67:41] Where do the eight limbs of yoga fit in? [72:21] What does Shyam mean when he talks about sovereignty? [76:51] Find out more about Shyam and his work around yoga philosophy on his website. [77:29] What is something in terms of yoga and philosophy that really has Shyam's interest right now? [80:00] Shannon shares her key takeaways from this interview with Shyam. What were yours? Links: Dr. Shyam Ranganathan, Yoga Philosophy Dr. Shyam Ranganathan on Instagram The Connected Yoga Teacher Podcast Episode 266: Social Location, Power & Privilege with Raudhah Rahman Teaching Yoga in Schools: Examining the Issues Raised by the Alabama Bill Braiding Sweetgrass, by Robin Wall Kimmerer Native Land Digital Shannon Crow on Instagram The Connected Yoga Teacher Facebook Group Gratitude to our Sponsor, OfferingTree and Pelvic Health Professionals. Quotes from this episode: "What I loved about philosophy immediately was that it was a way to get along with people without having to agree." "Just because we're okay with disagreement doesn't mean that there are no right answers. Disagreement doesn't mean that everybody's opinion is equally good." "The actual practice of yoga is something more basic and the eight limbs are there to help you practice. " "After that colonial moment, people have to identify with imposed religious identities in order to find a place in a colonized world and that's where we are today." "Whereas the external world (nature) can be explained in terms of causality, persons have to understand themselves in terms of choice and responsibility." "When you meet up with people who advocate violence, you have to appreciate that that's a result of trauma." "There's no yoga practice that isn't informed by trauma."
It's been an amazing year and 59 episodes of The Yoga Pro Podcast. In this final new episode of the year, Pamela Crane expresses her gratitude to her listeners and shares the top ten most listened to podcasts, and what she loved about each of them. Since there are no new episodes until January, this is a great time to check out this list or any of the episodes you may have missed. She also gives a sneak peek into her new offering coming in January. Pamela helps heart-centered entrepreneurs overcome fears and imposter syndrome to create online content; and provides evidence-based continuing education and mentoring for yoga professionals. She is a former broadcast journalist and film and commercial actress; and has presented nationally and internationally at symposia and conferences for yoga and integrative medicine. Topics: Thank you for being a part of The Yoga Pro Podcast this past year! I'm so grateful for you and excited about next year. IMPORTANT ANNOUNCEMENT! I'm taking off the month of December so there will be no new episodes. Please check out the top ten episodes from our first season: Top ten list (check them out over the next few weeks) 10-The Business of Yoga Therapy in Healthcare with Matthew Taylor 10-Yoga For Healthy Aging with Dr. Baxter Bell 9-How to Strengthen Your Online Presence with Kim Castro 8-The Importance of Yoga Philosophy with Dr. Shyam Ranganathan 7-Breathwork for Wellbeing with Jackie Rosenheim 6-Should You Record Yoga Classes for Studios? 5-Yoga for Covid Recovery with Dr. Ingrid Yang 4-Meditation and the Application of Yoga with Chase Bossart 3-Understanding Yoga Therapy with Marlysa Sullivan 2-Therapeutic Yin Yoga with Nyk Danu 1-What is Advanced Yoga with Kaya Mindlin Please fill out this survey that would really help me decide what type of content and improvements I can make for you for next year. I will send you a FREE I'm a yoga pro sticker! https://lynxshort.com/podcastsurvey Link to the website to find past episodes: https://www.podpage.com/the-yoga-pro-podcast/ Check out my Confidence and Connection on Camera-1 day intensive transformation! It is January 15th and it is a full day of learning and practicing skills to get you comfortable taking your business online. You will uncover your fears & reframe them, learn real skills and techniques that on-camera pros use, understand body language, and learn prep skills. We will also have action steps and feedback as well as some bonuses! Use coupon code EARLYBIRD until November 30th, 2021 for a FREE on one one session and $50 off your registration https://lynxshort.com/confidencetransformation Connect with Pamela: www.instagram.com/interoceptiveperformance Email: info@interoceptiveperformance.com Clubhouse and Greenroom: @pamelacrane Music: The State of Things (The Bouncy Song) by Rena Wren is used with permission. www.renawren.com
Tucker Shelton has studied and taught yoga for over a decade. He has also studied 200 hours of Thai Yoga Massage in Chiang Mai, Thailand and has a Masters with Honors in Contemplative Religious Studies and Sanskrit Language from Naropa University in Boulder, CO. While Tucker has taught and studied throughout the United States and around the world, from New Zealand to India to Mexico, he currently lives in Asheville, NC. We talk about Tucker's upbringing in the Episcopal church and how he eventually found a deeper connection to ritual through practicing and teaching yoga. We compare the meaning behind yoga to other religions and discuss how he presents and identifies as a queer person on his yoga mat. Tucker also helps us begin to unpack what the word "yoga" really means and how the practice of yoga is often misappropriated in our culture today. Tucker identifies as gender non-binary and uses he, she, and they pronouns interchangeably. Find Tucker at tuckeryoga.com and on Instagram @tucker_yoga. For Reflection: How do you balance the masculine and feminine within yourself? Resources: On cultural appropriation,Tucker mentioned two influential teachers: Dr. Shyam Ranganathan and Anusha Wijeyakumar. Tucker also recommends visiting, https://decolonizingyoga.com, https://www.offthematintotheworld.org, https://yogainaction.org New to yoga? Here are a few resources from Greg Greg recommends. On the physical benefits of yoga, visit webmd.com. For a look at yoga's spiritual roots, read The Yoga Sutras of Patanjali (Translation and Commentary by Sri Swami Satchidananda). For a deeper dive into the practice and poses of yoga, read Yoga: The Spirit and Practice of Moving Into Stillness by Erich Schiffmann. Out Loud is a podcast by and for queer people of faith in the South. Follow us on Facebook and Instagram, and join our mailing list for updates. Support the show financially by becoming a Patreon member, or by leaving a one-time donation on our website. Hosted and Produced by Greg Thompson. Follow Greg on Instagram @itsgregthompson. Theme music by JP Rugierri. Recorded in Richmond, VA.
Mike Isaacson: Ride the tiger, bro. [Theme song] Nazi SS UFOsLizards wearing human clothesHinduism's secret codesThese are nazi lies Race and IQ are in genesWarfare keeps the nation cleanWhiteness is an AIDS vaccineThese are nazi lies Hollow earth, white genocideMuslim's rampant femicideShooting suspects named Sam HydeHiter lived and no Jews died Army, navy, and the copsSecret service, special opsThey protect us, not sweatshopsThese are nazi lies Mike Isaacson: Thanks for joining us for another episode of The Nazi Lies Podcast. You can support the podcast by subscribing to our Patreon or donating to our PayPal or CashApp. Today, we're going to touch on esoteric fascism by talking to someone who actually knows something about Hinduism. Shyam Ranganathan is a translation theorist and philosopher at York University in Canada. He is the author of several books including his most recent, Hinduism: A Contemporary Philosophical Investigation. Thanks for coming on the podcast Dr. Ranganathan. Shyam Ranganathan: Thanks for having me. Mike Isaacson: Okay. So the central contention in your book is that the West has gotten Hinduism wrong. How does the West get Hinduism wrong? Shyam Ranganathan: Right. It's an even weirder contention. There are two parts to this. There's first a historical observation that religious identity is actually a creation of Western colonialism. You wouldn't know this if you only paid attention to the exemplars from the Western tradition, but even then the evidence is pretty much there. Jesus was crucified by the Romans, and Christian identity was formed within the context of Roman imperialism. So even that isn't really an exception to this rule, and of course Jews were colonized by the Egyptians and the Romans and it's within the context of Roman imperialism that we first get this idea of religion, which is the precursor to our idea of religion. So the Romans had this idea that there was some type of acceptable traditional practice but wasn't the standard practice. There's some type of standard practice that everybody has to be involved in, and that evolves into our idea of secularism and then there are these kind of traditions that are tolerated. Overtime what happens is this then gets converted into a way of making sense of the European tradition as a kind of universal standard, and then anything that's got origins outside of Europe, any origins at all, ends up being called religion. Now this is most obvious, I mean, it's kind of stark when you look at the development to religious identity in Asia, because prior to Western colonialism there was no religious identity. So one of the things I point out is that if you look at the history of South Asian philosophy, they disagreed about the right and the good, and that's just what you disagree about in moral philosophy. They had a word Dharma that they use to disagree about the right or the good, and that was just how they got along. They had different views on Dharma, and some people were really famous like the Buddha. He had a very influential view and lots of followers. But under Western colonialism, there's this need to box in the people that are being colonized. And so the British end up using a Persian word for South Asia Hinduism or rather Hindu was the Persian word. And it has a similar route to our word India, and there's a place in Northern India called the Sindu, and these are all cognates. So anyways, the Persians had this way of talking to South Asians and the British decided to use that as a word for all indigenous South Asian religion, whatever that is, and it was a way to try and make sense of South Asians in contradistinction to Islam, which has a long history, but not a very ancient history in South Asia. So the British wanted to try and just have a word to refer to some type of native or indigenous practice. Now the thing is prior to this, no South Asian called themselves a Hindu, and then overnight you have like millions of people calling themselves Hindus because it happened under a condition of colonialism where people had to conform to these expectations in order to be recognized. So there's a kind of before and after moment when we want to study Hinduism, because there's the before moment where there's the entire history of South Asian philosophy and everybody was just happy to disagree with each other. And then there's the moment of naming this tradition of religion Hinduism, and then there's the after history that we have inherited where South Asians and everybody else tries to make sense of the indigenous tradition in terms of religious categories. And then they read these categories backwards into the history of South Asia. So people ask nonsensical questions like what did Hindus disagree with? What were the disagreements between Buddhists and Hindus in ancient times? There were no Hindus, there were just people who disagreed about how to live and what to do. So in so far as there's a misunderstanding, it's a misunderstanding that comes from taking really seriously these artifacts of colonialism. One of the things I point out is that religious identity is just a precursor to racial identity. So racial identity is born out of the West treating itself as a kind of standard of what it is to be a full fledged person, and then everybody's judged by way of their conformity or deviation to that. And so brown people of color we get this funny expression. Europeans don't have any color, everybody else does. And religion is the same thing, it's the racialization of BIPOC intellectual traditions. What people don't often realize is the same position said by Plato, for instance, that there's a God and afterlife. And in fact, reincarnation is treated as secular philosophy because there's no extra European origin. But if it's said by a brown guy from the Middle East, it's religion, and you can find all sorts of Atheist positions in South Asia where there's no God, history of reality is just the evolution of matter. If it's said by a brown guy 2000 years ago in Sanskrit, it's Hinduism. If it said by someone of European descent today on the basis of Democritus or something, it's secular philosophy. So the misunderstanding then is in a way a matter of taking these artifacts of Western colonialism seriously as though they map out the way things really are when in reality they're just artifacts of colonialism. Mike Isaacson: In the book, you said that Hinduism basically encapsulates four separate traditions, at least. There's the Vedic tradition, there's the Dravidian tradition, the Adivasi tradition, and then there was one other one that I forgot. Shyam Ranganathan: Oh, I see. Well, in the sense that... I didn't say that, van Buitenen said that. [The book gives the citation as Klostermaier] But I was pointing out that there is... If you try to harvest all the things that get called Hindu, there's basically nothing that's left out of it. So my analogy here is that it's an odd kind of category, a class category like fruit salad. So some categories are kind categories, and in a kind category the criterion of inclusion is also exemplified by its members. So red is a kind category. So the category of red things is the set of things that display redness. But fruit salad is a collection of different pieces of fruit, so it doesn't follow that a piece of fruit salad is a collection of different pieces of fruit. A piece of fruit salad could be a piece of apple or an orange, but when you put them together, fruit salad. And so if we want to think about Hinduism, we can certainly catalog different traditions that go into it. But I think what's really illuminating is that it wasn't created by a matter of self representation, in exactly the way racial categories are created, they were created as a way for a hostile outsider to box people in. So I just describe it, I say the founding membership criterion of something being Hindu is South Asian, no common founder. So this leads to funny logical properties like so you could be a Hindu and say a Christian in so far as you could be a Christian South Asian, but you couldn't be a Christian first and a Hindu second because Christianity is a kind category. So all Christian things are going to display some type of commitment to Jesus, etc. But just in the same way that a piece of fruit salad can be an apple but a piece of an apple is not fruit salad. So we have to just appreciate there's more than one kind of category that we're invoking when we talk about religion. And so Hinduism, even though all religious identity is really a creation or function of Western colonialism, Hinduism is odd in simply being the disagreements of philosophy. There's no common position or text or commitment that defines what it is to be Hindu. So I argue that thinking about Hinduism historically, not what comes after people try to make sense of it as a religion, but historically has just this openness to diversity of philosophical disagreement is a model for us to think about how we can move forward from a Westernized world where there's one tradition that's used as a standard to judge everything else. Mike Isaacson: Okay. So let's jump into the part that everybody's looking for, the fascist part. So esoteric fascists make a lot of noise about living in the Kali Yuga. “We're living in the Kali Yuga. Everything's fucked. Ride the tiger.” So what is the Kali Yuga? What is a yuga? Are we in the Kali Yuga? And what would that mean for us? Shyam Ranganathan: So a yuga is a period or an aeon. It's a large increment of time. And in many stories that are part of the Hindu tradition, there are these cosmologies that divide up time into the cyclical patterns. Just like Monday will repeat itself next week and so will Saturday, the yuga as well too, but they're large scale increments of time. And according to one very popular cosmology, there are four basic yugas and it starts off with the best yuga, where it's all based on truth. And then it's a slow descent to the fourth, which we're supposed to be in Kali Yuga. And so what defines Kali Yuga in a lot of descriptions is that it's just this moral degradation. And but by moral degradation, the descriptions usually turn on violence, fear and anger as being defining features of Kali Yuga. So I think it's funny the fascists like this because they're actually evidence that we're in Kali cause they trade in things like fear and anger. So if we're in Kali Yuga, it's their fault, we can blame them for it. Mike Isaacson: Okay. You ready for some fascist lore? Shyam Ranganathan: Sure, yeah. Mike Isaacson: Okay. Strap in for this one. So Greco-French Nazi and self-styled Hindu Savitri Devi like to claim that Hitler was an avatar of Vishnu, specifically the ninth avatar, describing him as a man against time and the greatest European who ever lived. I don't want to spend too much time on Hitler but I do want to talk about his Vishnu and his avatars. So what kinds of people were Vishnu's avatars and what did they do in life? Shyam Ranganathan: Yeah, so I want to take a step back before I answer this question and just provide some context for deities from South Asia. So one of the important traditions of philosophy in South Asia, and we don't have this philosophical theory anywhere else is yoga or sometimes called devotion. And so I'm going to distinguish yoga from three very common ethical theories we have and three very common theories in the Western tradition. One is virtue ethics, the idea that in order to know the right thing to do you have to be a good person. So theism is a version of virtue ethics, God is the ultimately good person whose preferences are what we should follow. Then there's consequentialism, this idea that there are these good ends that we should aim for and then the right thing to do is instrumental to that. And then there's deontology, the idea that there are a bunch of good things that we can do, but only some of them we have special reason to do. These are very popular, salient, iconic, ethical theories in the Western tradition. We find them also in South Asia, but South Asians also had a fourth ethical theory, namely that... Well, the right thing to do involves devotion to an ideal of right doing, and then as you perfect that devotional practice, you bring about the good, but the good is just the success of that practice. So when we look at deities in South Asia, they often play a role not as good agents whose preferences are what we should follow, but rather as procedural ideals, ways of living or choosing that when we are devoted to we work on emulating those kinds of procedures ourselves. So Vishnu represents one of the essential features of the ultimate procedural ideal according to yoga, which is unconservatism, so self-challenge, not being ruled by one's own past choices, working through difficulties, and his partner Lakshmi is the goddess of self-determination, she's depicted as a lotus who sits on herself. And these two, being unconservative and self-governing, make up the ideal of what it is to be a person in the yoga tradition. So when you read a lot of the stuff about Vishnu, it makes more sense when you realize that he's that procedural ideal. Now there's a story as to why he has to have avatars, I'm sure there's lots of stories. But one story is that he was just kind of doing his own thing his realm. And these youthful people who look like kids approached the gate and he had entrusted these two guards to act as sentries, and the guards wouldn't let them in to see Vishnu because they assumed they were... They claimed to be sages, but they looked too young. And so they barred entry to these very useful looking child-like figures. But they were really sages and they look really young because of their personal work and transformation. And so they curse the gatekeepers and then Vishnu has to take responsibility for that for empowering those gatekeepers. Now, one of the interesting features of this story is that it's a criticism of patriarchy. Patriarchy is the theory that, well, not only are men superior to women, but importantly, age is an important factor in authority or being taken seriously. So the older are treated as though they are to be deferred to over the anger. But also there's this prejudice that set foot, it's a prejudice against novelty. So this story is a metaphor for that, that there are these kind of novel-looking people come along and they're not allowed to see Vishnu. So then he has to... So the story goes... Anyway, these are all thought experiments, they're just ways to think about what these ideals are like. The story goes that he has to take on these life experiences to work through basically all the issues and prejudices and problems that gave rise to that encounter. And so he has lots of different incarnations or avatars. They span species. And they choose to kind of mimic a bit of our understanding of evolution, starts with a fish and an eternal amphibian and then a boar and then half-lion half man, small man. And in every case, in virtually every incarnation, there are some themes about Vishnu. First, he is a deity of working on problems, overcoming challenges, but there's always a theme of friendship, loyalty, and diversity. So Vishnu himself presents in these diverse ways. And his friends are diverse too, and they come from all sorts of different walks of life and species. So it's really weird that fascists think that Hitler could be an avatar of Vishnu because Hitler wasn't really interested in diversity, and he also wasn't really interested in overcoming his prejudices and his assumptions. So that's entirely bizarre. And another thing that's entirely bizarre is that Vishnu as someone who's challenging himself is aware of himself by self triangulation. And that triangulation is when you look at something from two different points, but then he also triangulates the activity of triangulation. And that's actually represented as a disc. But if you look at the disc, it's got superimposed triangles that look like the star of David. So that's even weirder that Nazis would think that there's anything going on with Vishnu there. So, yeah, so I would say that as a kind of character in the stories is he's compassionate, social relationships are important and so is diversity. And one of the themes of a lot of the stories where Vishnu is concerned is that you make room for yourself or Vishnu makes room for himself by making room for other people. So he's the preserver of a world of diverse beings. Mike Isaacson: Okay. Now surprise, surprise, there's a big reverence for caste among the esoteric fascists. So what is caste? Where did caste come from? What place does it hold in Hinduism? Shyam Ranganathan: All right. So caste, there's two things going on. There's three things actually, I think, going on when we think about caste. First of all, I think it's really important to note, and I'm always surprised that people don't talk about this, they're not aware of this, that clearest philosophical defense of caste is to be found in Plato's Republic. And Plato argues there that there are three castes. There's kind of work or appetitive class and there's kind of implementing motivative class and then the philosophers who rules. And the state is on Plato's account the soul writ large. So just as the soul has to be, the individual soul has to be governed with reason at the top providing both motivation and appetite their proper place, so to in society should there be this hierarchy, and the hierarchy should be a kind of meritocracy. Now, one of the really important features of Plato's theory of caste, well, there's a couple of interesting features. First of all, it's hierarchical. So it's really important in the Plato story that there are some people who really should be in the position of telling other people what to do. And other people would really be smart to listen to what these wise people have to tell them, but because they're not smart, they're not going to be able to recognize that. So Plato actually thinks you have to lie to them, and you have to tell them a noble lie that they were all created by the same loving God. So I think when people think about caste, a lot of times their idea of caste is actually this Platonic idea where there are people who need to be directed, and then there are people who need to do the directing. Now in South Asia, caste goes all the way back to the start of the Indo-European peoples there. So you can find in the Vedas that caste there, I think, was different because one of the things that's really different about South Asia or rather one of the things that's really peculiar about the Western tradition is that in the Western tradition community was the basic category of political explanation. So not the individual, it was community. So you understood your place, what to do by understanding your place in your society. So we find this in Plato, find it in Aristotle, and there's a long tradition of thinking just this way in the Western tradition. But in South Asia community was not the basic unit of explanation. So if you were going to understand caste, caste allows people to have a vocational identity that they can pass, that they can inherit and then pass down, but it allows them to be modular. So they can actually float in and out of different societies because they understand what kind of contribution they could make if they were part of a society. And so that way of thinking about caste takes away a lot of the hierarchy only because it's not tied to community in the way you find it in Plato. Now in South Asia, there is a long tradition of one caste, the Brahmins, of them doing all the writing. So what ends up happening and the Brahmins are kind of the intelligentsia, the literati, and they're tasked with conserving the Vedas, which is this kind of ancient corpus of the Indo-European peoples. But they're also often the intellectuals and the advisers and stuff, but they have a class interest in making themselves seem like they're top of the [heap 26.23]. So in most of the literature that was created by Brahmins, you get this story of a hierarchy where the Brahmins are supposed to be regarded as the most important. Now the funny thing about the Brahmins is that they weren't a rich group. They didn't have a lot of money. Just that most had the ability to legitimize and influence political leaders. So if you could get a Brahmin on board, it was like saying, "Oh, well, this intellectual approves of what I'm doing." So in Brahminical literature, there's a lot of propaganda where these Brahmins try to tell the story of themselves at the top of this heap. And like most people before I started doing, well, becoming a scholar of South Asia, I believed that that's what caste was. And I remember very clearly sitting in my historiography class in Master's in South Asian studies and we're doing the history of history-- is what historiography is— and I learned for the first time that even though there's a chart for your class, which is a martial class that's supposed to be the ruling class, there were lots of kings from various castes. There were kings in dynasties from the Shudra caste, which is according to Brahminical reckoning, the lowest caste because they do all the kind of the hard labor, etc. So there's this kind of story that gets told in literature, and then there's the reality of how people related to each other. And so the story that gets told in literature is this very stylized for caste story where there is the Brahmin intellectuals, and then there are the warrior Kshatriyas, and then there are these kind of merchant class folks, and then there's a fourth caste which are the Shudras, who kind of do the heavy lifting. But the reality of South Asia is there's just a million castes. Everybody has their own story about how important they are and everybody has a caste. So Jews, Christians, Muslims, Jains, Buddhists, it's just kind of what South Asians do. They have this history of understanding themselves in terms of this idea of inherited vocation. So when the British come along and they decide that they need to figure out what's going on with these South Asians, they turn to the Brahmins and the literati who have all these stories. And so one of the funny things that starts to happen is these stories and these ritual manuals that were largely just part fantasy, part propaganda, part self idealization, gets legitimized as Hindu law. So these books where you see Brahmins talking about ritual purity and how they're so important gets retold in the colonial period as what was law for Hindus prior to colonialism. Now, there are lots of funny things about that. First of all, there was no Hinduism before British colonialism. And second of all, you have this writing of a history based on the literature of a small group of people who had a class interest. Now once this gets created as the narrative, it starts to become more and more real. And so colonialism really then ends up weaponizing caste in ways that it was probably far more benign. I'm not saying that it was perfect, people use distinctions as a way to be crappy to each other all the time, but it gets ramped up in terms of its weaponization because it gets part of the official story that people believe under colonialism and then it just ends up being what people inherit. And so there's this fantasy or myth that colonialism in South Asia is over, it's not cause people still believe all these things that were formulated during that time. Mike Isaacson: Okay. So lastly, you reserve an entire chapter in your book to discuss what you call the global alt-right. How has the alt-right interacted with Hinduism? Shyam Ranganathan: Yeah, so that chapter is me providing an explanation for how conservativism and xenophobia and this idea of the new conservatives, so more conservative than conservatives, it's this kind of contemporary invention of some type of path that doesn't really exist except in these people's heads. How does that happen at all? So as I was writing it, things were starting to get pretty wild in the US with the rise of the far right. And for South Asianist it wasn't anything particularly new because South Asianists have been watching the rise of the far right in South Asia for some time. And so in this chapter, I'm thinking about or I'm asking the question of how is this a global... In what way is this a global phenomenon? Or how can you account for the same weird thing happening in different places? Now in the case of South Asia, it's particularly weird because South Asians historically were super open to diversity. So people fleeing persecution elsewhere often had a place to settle down in South Asia. I don't know how old the Bene Israel is, but there's a group of Jews who've been there for some reckonings to millennia in India. And then the Farsis when Iran became Islamicized, they had to leave and a large number of those folks settled down in India, and Christians came and it was just... And the thing about South Asia traditionally, which is something that I was interested in in this book and in this chapter, was a place where two things happened. People were okay with disagreeing and they also thought that they were right. So everybody thought that they were right and everybody else was wrong, but they were also okay for that just to be the way things are. So they were okay that they thought that they were right and everybody was wrong, and they were okay to live like that, which meant that they were really okay with diversity. So diversity for them wasn't this kind of liberal relativism or skepticism that you see now, where people go, "Oh, it's just all about your perspective." People took their philosophical commitment seriously, but they also had this long tradition of not thinking that somehow the existence of other people who didn't agree with them was a problem for them. Most people thought, "Oh, well, it's a problem..." If I was really committed to some philosophical position, I might think it's a problem for the people who don't agree with me cause they're just going to lose out. But the reality is that I'm just still going to do my own thing. And that was really a very dominant feature of the history of South Asia. And I think it's quite historically unique amongst the three major philosophical traditions with ancient roots. So in China you have Confucianism from ancient times really stressed the importance of social cohesion and conformity. And then there was Daoism that also rejected that, but there is a strong tradition in Chinese thinking about the importance of social agreement and practice. That's a major mind in Confucian thinking. And if you go back all the way to the beginning of the Western tradition with Plato and Aristotle, it was all about the centralization of all decisions in a community in the hands of a few elevated individuals. But in South Asia there was always this kind of decentralized idea. There were empires and there were kingdoms, but they tended to be fluid and people were just far more okay with diversity and disagreement. So one of the questions I ask is how is it that South Asians can go from being so comfortable with diversity in descent to being so fascist and xenophobic? So in South Asia with the rise of the Hindu right, you see all this Islamophobia, and there's this creation of this kind of very strange Brahminical Hinduism that tries to deny caste and historical injustices against marginalized peoples. And there's also just this rise of violence and lynchings or perceived slights against being Hindu. So it's remarkable, within a span of few hundred years, a whole continent, sub-continent where people knew how to get along with diversity, a large number of those people lost the ability. They went from being reasonable about diversity to being progressively and increasingly unreasonable. Not everybody but enough people to cement a new political reality of the Hindu right. So most people who try to write about these things, the phenomena fascism in the far right, etc, they'll focus on the values of the people in question. And my account of this is that it's not about the values that people say they profess because so many times you would have say Christians talking about love and then participating in genocide or forced conversion, colonialism, and kind of horrible... There's a kind of disconnect between the values that people pass and what they're actually doing. And so my story says, well, let's look at what model of thought people are operating with, not the values that they claim to endorse, but how they model thought. And so there's two options that I compare. One option is the option that the model of thought that characterizes the Western tradition, there's no second model of thought in the Western tradition. There's this default model of thought. And it's the idea that thought is the same as linguistic meaning or the meaning of what you say. And I started to realize that this was just this hegemonic view when I was writing my dissertation on translation. And the connection between thought and speech goes back all the way to the Greeks who had one word for thought, reason, speech, logos. So if you believe that thought is the meaning of what you say, then you're going to have difficulty understanding what you wouldn't say. So everything then becomes assessable by way of whatever your culture in codes and its language. And at the same time, you lose the ability to understand alternative perspectives because understanding for you becomes a matter of explanation in terms of what you agree to. So it's a very debilitating model. I started to realize not only that it was ubiquitous, but it causes all these technical problems in trying to make sense of translation, etc. And I was thinking about alternative models of thought, and there's a South Asian model of thought that avoids all these problems where you think about thought as what you can do with something meaningful. And so I set up this thought experiment. The thought experiment is... I've written about it in a few different places, some places planted ethics, some places planted subcontinent Dharma, but the thought experiment goes like this: You have a large area where there's several different communities and each community has a national ethical identity. And in every community, the ethical identity is going to be different, it's going to be distinctive, and their word ethics or morality in the case in South Asia Dharma is going to be defined in their language, in their intellect, as their national theory. So you could imagine a place where ethics or morality is just whatever Jesus said. So that ends up you have this kind of Christian nation. Then next to them, you would have this thing you could imagine a Muslim nation where it's whatever Muhammad said. And then in the thought experiment in the South Asian version, I just populate this place with all sorts of different ethical theories, Dharma theories, that people entertained in South Asia. And I asked, "Well, how are they going to understand each other?" Because when everybody says something like hitting your neighbor is not Dharma, they actually are saying something with the different meaning because Dharma means something different in each of their languages. So if you adopt this yogic approach to thought, you would say, "Well, the thought isn't actually the linguistic meaning, but it's the disciplinary use that we can make of it. So insofar as all of those sentences could be used to articulate a philosophical thought about hitting your neighbor being inappropriate, everybody could use their native intellectual resources without having to buy the values of their culture, and it would allow them to also be critical of the values of their culture. But let's say we assume the standard Western account of thought, where thought is just the meaning of what you say, anybody who operates with this will never be able to understand anything except for the values encoded into their language as just the only possible answer. And so what that then does for people is it makes them incapable of operating successfully in a world of diversity because everybody else will seem like a threat to their moral identity. And so what I argue is that the rise of the far right if you really want to understand it, you have to understand it in terms of this adoption of a really bad model of understanding. And I think it's actually a pretty good explanation. So for instance, one of the things I talk about is antithematism, them as in t h e m. And the thems are a bunch of people who are dispersed, and they have two linguistic identities. They have the linguistic identity of the society they live in, and then they have some historical them identity. And if we operated with the yoga model of thought, it would be fine. We could understand them just like we could understand anybody else. But if we switch to the Western models thought, where thought is the meaning of what you say, these people start to seem like double agents because once they participate, they seem to participate in your culture's linguistic practices, but they also have an allegiance to another value system in another language. So I think, for instance, it explains things like an antisemitism, why was there antisemitism in Europe but not in South Asia? Why does, for instance, why were South Asians generally okay with Muslims and then once they started becoming westernized by adopting this linguistic model of thought, all of a sudden Islamophobia becomes increasingly a problem?. So a lot of people might not be aware of this, but there was one language Hindustani, and then when the British came along and gave South Asians this idea that they had a religious identity or at least there was such a thing as Hindus, then they had to split up the language into two languages, a Muslim language and a Hindu language. And so that's where you get the birth of Urdu, a Muslim language written with an Arabic script in Hindi which is supposed to be a Hindu language written in Devanagari. But it's the same language which is just kind of remarkable. But this is what colonialism does, it convinces people that they are tied to their cultural identity by way of some kind of external threat. And then once they're tied to this cultural identity, they then experience the world from this corner of terror where everyone else is out to get them. And so that's my explanation for what we're seeing in South Asia, but also I think this explains ways in which the far right in Europe and in North America is a continuation of Western colonialism. Mike Isaacson: Antithematism, I like it. Shyam Ranganathan: Antithematism, yeah. They were the thems and everybody would refer to them as the thems. And whether you were scared or creeped out depended upon what model of thought you adopted. Mike Isaacson: Okay. Well, Dr. Ranganathan, thank you so much for coming on The Nazi Lies Podcast to talk to us about Hinduism. Again, the book is Hinduism: A Contemporary Philosophical Investigation out from Routledge. Thanks again. Shyam Ranganathan: Thank you so much. Mike Isaacson: If you want to support the guest fees and transcription fees we pay to run The Nazi Lies Podcast, subscribe to our Patreon at patreon.com/nazilies and we'll send you some stickers and stuff. If you'd like to make a one time donation, you can send your payment via PayPal or CashApp to user NaziLies. Include your mailing address so I can throw you some merch. [Theme song]
In today's episode, Dr. Shyam Ranganathan explains the process of translating spiritual texts; how belief systems, both conscious and unconscious, can influence our interpretations; and why logic is better than experience in deciphering ethics. Dr. Ranganathan is a trained scholar and researcher of philosophy and is author, editor and translator of numerous peer reviewed, scholarly works. To learn more, visit www.yogaphilosophy.com or follow on Instagram @ yogaphilosophy_com Also, be sure to check out our newest online offering begins this October -- Living the Path: Using the Tools of Yoga for Navigating Change. We hope you can join us. Visit www.ashtangadispatch.com/online-courses for details. The Ashtanga Dispatch Podcast is hosted by Peg Mulqueen and Meghan Powell. Music is by Marc Pilley.
I’m delighted to share my podcast guest today. Dr. Shyam Ranganathan is a field-changing researcher, scholar, author, and teacher of philosophy, and an expert in the neglected traditions of Indian moral philosophy, including Yoga. He’s also a trained scholar, researcher of philosophy, and an author, editor, and translator of over 50 peer-reviewed, scholarly works. If you’re a yoga teacher trying to get a grasp over what is yoga philosophy, hit play now. Here are some of the highlights of our conversation…
Summary: Having a responsible and respectful yoga practice involves having an understanding of the importance of the philosophy. Dr. Shyam Ranganathan joins us to share his expertise and insight on philosophy, compassion, colonization, and more. Shyam is a researcher, author, translator, scholar, and teacher of philosophy. He's the author of two scholarly books, the editor of two volumes, translator of one philosophical text with commentary and the author of numerous papers in philosophy. He's also the member of the department of philosophy in York center for Asian research at York university. Topics: [2:20] Why yoga philosophy is so important [4:29] What Shyam considers the main focus of yoga [5:33] Thoughts on sovereignty “So when you act, you're acting with greater, greater clarity and less confusion about why you're doing what you're doing, that makes a huge difference with respect to any type of activity” [9:00] Yoga as a disciplined practice [12:55] Shyam on his translation of the sutras [16:59] Differences in South Asia and the Western traditions [18:01] How Shyam approaches those who challenge his teachings [20:00] Egos and arguments “We can either treat everything as an autobiographical fact, in which case we understand everything in terms of how we see the world; or we understand ourselves as responsible for organizing and relating to the things that we can contemplate and think about…that's yoga.” [23:53] Taking responsibility for our thoughts [25:13] Having grace through yoga [27:13] Interpretation VS explication [36:55] Dropping into others' lived experiences “I shouldn't need to be you to see it. I should be able to see it from where I am. So then the question is, if it's real and I'm not seeing it, what's stopping me?” [42:08] Developing compassion through yoga [50:56] Do you need facts to make decisions? [57:13] Shyam's thoughts on colonization of yoga Connect with Shyam: kriya@yogaphilosophy.com yogaphilosophy.com https://www.instagram.com/yogaphilosophy_com/ Shyam's Books (affiliate links) Patanjali's Yoga Sutra (Penguin Classics) https://amzn.to/3cezYWH Ethics and the History of Indian Philosophy https://amzn.to/3ceAaVV Hinduism (Investigating Philosophy of Religion) https://amzn.to/3cfnoGs Connect with Pamela: Clubhouse: @pamelacrane www.facebook.com/interoceptiveperformance www.instagram.com/interoceptiveperformance www.youtube.com/interoceptiveperformance www.interoceptiveperformance.com info@interoceptiveperformance.com Sign Up-Confidence on Camera and Connecting on Youtube Course https://empowered-yoga-teaching.teachable.com/p/confidence-on-camera-connecting-on-youtube Sign up for The Yamas and Niyamas in Practice Course https://interoceptiveperformance.vipmembervault.com/products/courses/view/1044526 Subscribe to the newsletter https://mailchi.mp/e4bd5f0b53c0/interoceptive-performance-landing-page
Welcome to another episode of the Decoding Purpose Podcast.Now today’s episode is one that I hold close to the heart for several reasons, and that is because this subject, this practice, this process and philosophy is one that has literally kept me sane throughout the craziness that has been 2020. In Fact it kept me sane through various chapters of my life. What I am talking about is none other than the art and practice of yoga.So what does yoga have to do with our life purpose? In my opinion everything. See just like yoga, I am a firm believer that purpose is a practice, and that a huge part of living with a purpose is all about showing up on the mat. Leaning into the postures, just as we lean into our lives.Just like yoga, there will be days where the postures flow, and other days where we feel challenged, but as we move through the process, and as we keep showing up for the sovereignty that is our life purpose we continue to move towards an integrated state of being. A state of wholeness and a place of union. A coming together of the possibilities for our life, channeled through us, and through our bodies. Though our purpose.Personally practicing yoga has been so much more than a form of exercise in my world. I have found my dharma on the mat. As we discuss in today's episode in exploring the nature of yoga - It has enabled me to stop viewing my life as an autobiography, in order to play an active role in creating my own script with the golden ink of purpose.For all of these reasons, in today's podcast I wanted to talk to someone who is way more qualified than I to decode yoga philosophy. Coming all the way from Toronto, Dr. Shyam Ranganathan is the founder of Yoga Philosophy - a scholar-practitioner initiative - and a virtual school of yoga. He is a field-changing researcher, scholar, author and teacher of philosophy, and an expert in the neglected traditions of Indian moral philosophy, which covers practical questions of how to live, what to aim for, and what we should value—including Yoga.So without further delay let's get on the mat, and get ready to decode our dharma, through the lens of our limbs, our breath and all the beautiful states of being the practice of yoga provides.Welcome to the podcast.
Episode 8 Show Notes In episode 8 of the Accessible Yoga Podcast, Shyam Ranganathan and Jivana Heyman have a discussion about Yoga philosophy through a South Asian perspective. They explore the various ways that Western imperialism shows up in the way we interpret and practice yoga, what the Yoga Sutras and the Bhagavad Gita both say about our responsibility when it comes to other people (social justice), and how translations, interpretation, and a Eurocentric bias can completely change the context and the meanings of the teachings. In episode 8, Shyam & Jivana discuss: Shyam's story including why he decided to teach yoga philosophy, why he translated the yoga sutras, and how online education through the Yoga Philosophy school informs his teaching Moral philosophy & ethics (or dharma in south asian tradition), an investigation into the right and the good Shyam talks about how Yoga is a practice of devotion to the ideal of Ishvara, which is defined by unconservativism and self governance, whereas Yoga philosophy is a question of right action (or social justice) How Western imperialism expresses itself as a common theme when we study yoga philosophy (“shut up and get in line” or “don't question the status quo”) and why intellectual traditions from outside of Europe automatically get labeled as “religion” What Shyam thinks of a guru that makes you earn your status and work your way up their ladder… “That's Plato, not Patanjali” What Patanjali has to say about how we should deal with folks who advocate for harm (or against ahimsa) Ghandi's influence on social justice movements and his connection with the sutras How yoga is a practice of "getting over yourself" Karma yoga and Bhakti yoga in the Gita and the sutras How spiritual abuse isn't yoga, and why modeling yoga after Plato's model (where a series of hoops is presented as education) is flawed How to have discernment when it comes to finding or vetting a teacher, and noticing where we give our power away How Shyam understands and defines Ishvara, and how that changes the context of the teachings Get a transcript, links to resources, and show notes at accessibleyogatraining.com/podcast.
Episode 8 Show Notes In episode 8 of the Accessible Yoga Podcast, Shyam Ranganathan and Jivana Heyman have a discussion about Yoga philosophy through a South Asian perspective. They explore the various ways that Western imperialism shows up in the way we interpret and practice yoga, what the Yoga Sutras and the Bhagavad Gita both say about our responsibility when it comes to other people (social justice), and how translations, interpretation, and a Eurocentric bias can completely change the context and the meanings of the teachings. In episode 8, Shyam & Jivana discuss: Shyam's story including why he decided to teach yoga philosophy, why he translated the yoga sutras, and how online education through the Yoga Philosophy school informs his teaching Moral philosophy & ethics (or dharma in south asian tradition), an investigation into the right and the good Shyam talks about how Yoga is a practice of devotion to the ideal of Ishvara, which is defined by unconservativism and self governance, whereas Yoga philosophy is a question of right action (or social justice) How Western imperialism expresses itself as a common theme when we study yoga philosophy (“shut up and get in line” or “don't question the status quo”) and why intellectual traditions from outside of Europe automatically get labeled as “religion” What Shyam thinks of a guru that makes you earn your status and work your way up their ladder… “That's Plato, not Patanjali” What Patanjali has to say about how we should deal with folks who advocate for harm (or against ahimsa) Ghandi's influence on social justice movements and his connection with the sutras How yoga is a practice of "getting over yourself" Karma yoga and Bhakti yoga in the Gita and the sutras How spiritual abuse isn't yoga, and why modeling yoga after Plato's model (where a series of hoops is presented as education) is flawed How to have discernment when it comes to finding or vetting a teacher, and noticing where we give our power away How Shyam understands and defines Ishvara, and how that changes the context of the teachings Get a transcript, links to resources, and show notes at accessibleyogatraining.com/podcast.
Episode 8 Show Notes In episode 8 of the Accessible Yoga Podcast, Shyam Ranganathan and Jivana Heyman have a discussion about Yoga philosophy through a South Asian perspective. They explore the various ways that Western imperialism shows up in the way we interpret and practice yoga, what the Yoga Sutras and the Bhagavad Gita both say about our responsibility when it comes to other people (social justice), and how translations, interpretation, and a Eurocentric bias can completely change the context and the meanings of the teachings. In episode 8, Shyam & Jivana discuss: Shyam’s story including why he decided to teach yoga philosophy, why he translated the yoga sutras, and how online education through the Yoga Philosophy school informs his teaching Moral philosophy & ethics (or dharma in south asian tradition), an investigation into the right and the good Shyam talks about how Yoga is a practice of devotion to the ideal of Ishvara, which is defined by unconservativism and self governance, whereas Yoga philosophy is a question of right action (or social justice) How Western imperialism expresses itself as a common theme when we study yoga philosophy (“shut up and get in line” or “don’t question the status quo”) and why intellectual traditions from outside of Europe automatically get labeled as “religion” What Shyam thinks of a guru that makes you earn your status and work your way up their ladder… “That’s Plato, not Patanjali” What Patanjali has to say about how we should deal with folks who advocate for harm (or against ahimsa) Ghandi’s influence on social justice movements and his connection with the sutras How yoga is a practice of "getting over yourself" Karma yoga and Bhakti yoga in the Gita and the sutras How spiritual abuse isn’t yoga, and why modeling yoga after Plato’s model (where a series of hoops is presented as education) is flawed How to have discernment when it comes to finding or vetting a teacher, and noticing where we give our power away How Shyam understands and defines Ishvara, and how that changes the context of the teachings Get a transcript, links to resources, and show notes at accessibleyogatraining.com/podcast.
I invited Professor Shyam Ranganathan to talk with Russell and I about some of the integral concepts found in Patanjali's Yoga Sutra. In this conversation, you'll learn how these essential practices are vital for us to actively participate in and how through our participation we can reshape not only ourselves but the world. Dr. Shyam is an incredibly insightful authority on both South Asian and Western Philosophy. He is able to weave together classical thoughts about Logos or Logic, Linguistic Theory with Civil Disobedience, Cultural Appropriation, and the teaching of Patanjali. We discuss the essential practices of Ahimsa and Isvara Pranidhana and how they relate to the idea of non-violent resistance, Satyagraha. This episode is so funny and so good… Ontologically speaking! We know you're going to have as much fun listening to it as we had recording it. It was a treat and an honour to host Shyam on our podcast. You can find more information about Shyam Ranganathan on his website and hear more of his insights on his Instagram Account. Dr. Shyam Ranganathan is a professional moral philosopher, translation expert, scholar of South Asia studies, a translator of the Yoga Sūtra (Penguin 2008), and a yoga practitioner. Dr. Shyam Ranganathan holds an MA in South Asian Studies, an MA and PhD in philosophy. He teaches at York University and The York Center for Asian Research. With over 50 peer reviewed publications, he is a wonderful resource for expanding your yoga education. Opening and closing music compliments of my dear friend teaching Ashtanga yoga in Eindhoven, Nick Evans with his band “dawnSong” from the album “for Morgan.” Listen to the entire album on Spotify - simply click Here. To purchase your own copy - click Here.
In Hinduism: A Contemporary Philosophical Investigation (Routledge, 2018), Shyam Ranganathan argues that a careful philosophical study reveals telling philosophical disagreements across topics such as: ethics, logic, epistemology, moral standing, metaphysics, and politics. His analysis offers an innovative stance on the very study of Hinduism, and tensions between scholars and practitioners of Hindu traditions. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
In Hinduism: A Contemporary Philosophical Investigation (Routledge, 2018), Shyam Ranganathan argues that a careful philosophical study reveals telling philosophical disagreements across topics such as: ethics, logic, epistemology, moral standing, metaphysics, and politics. His analysis offers an innovative stance on the very study of Hinduism, and tensions between scholars and practitioners of Hindu traditions. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
In Hinduism: A Contemporary Philosophical Investigation (Routledge, 2018), Shyam Ranganathan argues that a careful philosophical study reveals telling philosophical disagreements across topics such as: ethics, logic, epistemology, moral standing, metaphysics, and politics. His analysis offers an innovative stance on the very study of Hinduism, and tensions between scholars and practitioners of Hindu traditions. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
In Hinduism: A Contemporary Philosophical Investigation (Routledge, 2018), Shyam Ranganathan argues that a careful philosophical study reveals telling philosophical disagreements across topics such as: ethics, logic, epistemology, moral standing, metaphysics, and politics. His analysis offers an innovative stance on the very study of Hinduism, and tensions between scholars and practitioners of Hindu traditions. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
© 2020-2025 Ivy Podcast Discovery LLC
