Introduction and background to the article on the future of Yoga in the West

**updated version from 03.12.16, since first publishing**

I began this project (which is now much more of a process) on a (seemingly) simple request to write an article on the future of Yoga in the west for Hindu Human Rights. Knowing yet another first­person “State of the (Yoga) Union” address would essentially have zero value in light of the bigger ​ issues in western Yoga world, I decided to base the project around a series of interviews with different people who had been involved in the discussion of how we got to where we are, i.e., this “Wild West, anything goes” concept of Yoga.

Suffice it to say, as the conversations began, the project became infinitely more complex. Each one of the interviews highlighted something specific to framing the issues; each of the voices provided a myriad of “jumping off” points for further investigation and research. And with many other key collaborators besides the interviewees also involved, the depth and complexity of the topic expanded incredibly. Really, the “digging into” the topic could go on forever, but at a certain point the “getting it out” needs to take precedence in light of all that is at stake here.

All that said, given the extensive subject matter and all of the nuance and information involved ­­ as well as all that has arisen throughout the process ​ of interviews and related research ­­ the future of Yoga in the west article will be published in a series of three parts:

Part I (as follows herein), “Adharmic Alliance: How the ivory tower helped Yoga Alliance “certify” Yoga as secular and detach it from its ​ ​ ​ Hindu roots”:

● The first part frames the issues of Yoga in the west, and specifically the westernization of Yoga, around a case study of “Sedlock v. Baird” (Yoga in Encinitas). One of the key differences the majority of interviewees noted as a difference between “traditional” Yoga and what they see happening in contemporary, westernized Yoga was secularization1 of the tradition in the latter. Much of what branches off in terms of

1 Admittedly, some of the language used in this article is going to be problematic, either:

(1) by virtue of those “lost in translation” cases (which is so much the case especially when trying to express the meaning of Sanskrit terms ­­ the beautiful complexity and nuance so far beyond “the page”; or

(2) as is the case here with the use of the term “secular/ization,” recognizing that there are different cultural meanings of such a term. I will say then that “secular” is used herein to point to that which is not associated with (and moreover deliberately disassociated with) any spiritual or transcendent aim. Of course this description becomes problematic because of the vagueness of the words “spiritual” and “transcendent” (and the necessary caution that must be used when employing them so as not to venture into the “sameness” realm). All this said, secular is 1 the “anything goes” we see in contemporary Yoga world finds its root in this departure from the sacred. In addition (and part and parcel), many interviewees’ also noted the attempts to divorce Yoga from its roots, i.e., Hinduism and other Indic traditions. Therefore, some of the interviewees’ quotations will be set against the timeline, conclusions and precedent from this specific case to highlight these key departures. ● My decision to begin with this case study as a framework for Part I was based upon what I considered very important for the audience to recognize as to the entrenched institutional ­­ and not just individual ­­ forces at play. The individual voices of the interviewees set against ​ ​ this institutional framework provide this context heading in (especially as Parts II and III will continue to “tie in” other major “inside” players involved in forwarding Yoga as a secular, non­Hindu enterprise). ● I also wish to note that the quotations featured in Part I ­­ as powerful as they are ­­ only reflect a piece of what was offered up by interviewees throughout the process. Parts II and III will provide more quotations by the interviewees featured in Part I and will also include quotations from all of the other interviewees to help reveal the bigger picture (please see the bio sheet in Appendix I for the full list of interviewees). The voices of James Dylan Russell, Kelly Landrigan and Mark DeFillo provide great context in particular for Part II’s focus ­­ and Dianne Bondy’s and J. Brown’s perspectives are also a very important pieces to the “lay of the land” and puzzle here.

Part II: ● The second part of the series will “take stock” dive into the subject matter of the five interview questions. ● It will present a range of responses by interviewees to the questions concerning how they define “traditional” Yoga; and the differences between “traditional” Yoga and what they see happening in contemporary, westernized Yoga. ● Themes and trends from the responses will be placed alongside other references and examples which, taken together, will to help map a big picture of the main differences and departures. ● Along with this big picture, the second part will also more closely examine the causes of changes that got us to where we are now, including key shifts, major players, and forces at play. This will include an examination of the certain tendencies in the western mindset, and specifically those particular to certain groups most influential in western Yoga communities, that influenced particular shifts. We’ll revisit Part I to connect­the­dots to other power players (publications, writers, educators, etc.) who are involved in the business of defining Yoga (or rather “freeing” Yoga from any definition) as a means to their own ends.

best described in this specific context as those practices/efforts found in Yoga in the west that are based ­­ either deliberately or unconsciously ­­ within a framework of philosophical materialism. 2 Part III: ● The last part of the series will focus on the responses by interviewees to the questions concerning the future of Yoga in the west: “When ​ you picture the future of Westernized contemporary Yoga, what does it look like? What is your vision for the future of Westernized contemporary Yoga? How do these two imaginings diverge? How can they be reconciled, if you believe they can be? What actions would need to take place? Who are the key stakeholders who should be involved?” ● This will include a presentation of conclusions, recommendations and outcomes to be considered based on the key themes and trends that arose around these set of questions, as well as the issues that tie in based on responses to other questions (and set against the bigger picture). A key focus will be taking up the issue of infusing and expanding ‘traditional’ Yogic philosophy (offered by the most qualified teachers) into the western Yoga world. ● It will also offer opportunity for the audience to move forward on actions arising from the conclusions, recommendations and outcomes.

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Part I: Adharmic Alliance:

How the ivory tower helped Yoga Alliance “certify” Yoga as secular and detach it from its Hindu roots

A Case Study: The Encinitas Case

3

“If there is one thing I wish that would stop completely is people saying, ‘Yoga is whatever I want it to be.’” ­ Kirthika Chandrasekar, interviewee for the article on the future of Yoga in the west in “Hindu Human Rights” ​ ​

Key: color references to entities, organizations and individuals referenced ​ ​ the Encinitas Union School District “The following puts into place a partnership between the . . . Foundation and the . . . District . . . to deliver a world class mind/body wellness program at all nine Encinitas elementary schools [an expansion following a pilot program in one school]...Assistant superintendent David Miyashiro decided to attempt to secure additional funding from the Foundation in order to expand the yoga program to all of the

4 District's schools.”2

The KP Jois Foundation See above. Grant partner to the District to provide a Yoga program in schools.

Yoga Alliance Yoga Alliance is a standards­setting organization for Yoga teachers and schools. Please read about their history at: https://www.yogaalliance.org/About_Us/Our_History and ​ see their “2015 State of the Union” report for more information as to their mission and initiatives.3 As part of their Advocacy work, Yoga Alliance supported the District in this case.

YES! Yoga for Encinitas Students Parents formed the organization YES! Yoga for Encinitas Students and joined the case to support the District’s program. Yoga Alliance was a partner to this organization in ​ ​ ​ support of the Defendant’s case.

Dr. Christopher Chapple To support YES! Yoga for Encinitas Students, Yoga Alliance ​ ​ ​ arranged the expert testimony of Christopher Chapple, PhD and professor of Indic and comparative religion at Loyola Marymount University (expert witness for the Defense’s side)

Dr. Mark Singleton Mark Singleton, PhD and professor at St. John’s College contributed the expert testimony for the interveners (expert witness for the Defense’s side)

Dr. Singleton is now (elected December 1, 2015) a member

2 https://www.yogaalliance.org/Portals/0/Appellate%20Opinion_04.03.15.pdf ​ 3 Yoga Alliance’s 2015 “State of the Union” report: https://www.yogaalliance.org/Portals/0/member%20benefits%20pdfs/YA%202015%20State%20of%20the%20Untion%20V9%20FOR%20WEB%20V2 .pdf 5 of Yoga Alliance’s Board.4 ​ ​ the Sedlocks Plaintiff’s in the case.

Dr. Candy Gunter Brown Expert witness for the Plaintiff’s side. See Dr. Candy ​ ​ Gunther Brown’s Declaration (link in footnote)5

interviewee quotes (including Quotations from some of the interviewees juxtaposed next introductory context) to sections from the history of the case and official court documents, i.e., placed in the columns to the right within the body of this article.

author’s commentary I’ve offered notes next to certain sections in order to give further context, point out trends and make note of specific errors or misunderstandings in the case history and documents, i.e., placed in the columns to the right within the body of this article.

4 https://www.yogaalliance.org/About_Us/Our_People/Our_Board: “Our dedicated volunteer board of directors provides the overall strategic direction ​ ​ ​ and purpose to develop programs and services that serve our mission to promote and support the integrity and diversity of the teaching of ​ yoga.” ** bolded highlighting added by author ​ ​

5 http://www.nclplaw.org/wp­content/uploads/2011/12/DECLARATION­OF­CANDY­BROWN­FINAL.pdf ​ 6

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Yoga Alliance: the means to their ends

The following case study evidences how Yoga Alliance’s efforts, in particular in the Advocacy6 realm (but that also bleed over into all of their work, including their Education, “benefit” of course), depend on defining Yoga as secular and detaching it ​ ​ ​ from its Hindu roots as the means to supports its own ends. That is, order to continue the “business of Yoga” unfettered, ​ ​ ​ ​ their definition of Yoga must be the least restrictive so as to not interfere with the Yoga industry’s growth. Therefore, it is in their best interest to systematically detach “Yoga” from anything that could potentially damaging to their mission and the work that supports it.

6 https://www.yogaalliance.org/Benefits/Advocacy#Practice ​ 7

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excerpts from the section on “Prohibiting Yoga Practice” from Yoga Alliance’s website7

“Yoga Alliance fully supports the practice of yoga and its diversity. We believe that yoga is a personal ​ ​ ​ ​ practice that can be completely secular, spiritual or somewhere in between, and that there is a ​ yoga practice for everyone. Whenever the right to practice yoga is threatened, Yoga Alliance will work to help protect that freedom.

In 2011, the Encinitas School District in California implemented an optional yoga program as an alternative to a traditional physical education course. Two parents sued the school district to stop the program in the case Sedlock v. Baird, contending that yoga is religious. In July 2013, the case’s presiding judge sided with the school district and ruled the program was not religious, which was appealed. Parents formed the organization YES! Yoga for Encinitas Students and, alongside Yoga Alliance, joined the case to actively support the District’s program...

In October 2014, Yoga Alliance submitted an amicus curiae brief to the presiding judge and compiled ​ ​ ​ expert testimonies from Yoga Alliance board of directors chair Brandon Hartsell and Doshi professor of ​ Indic and comparative theology Christopher Chapple, PhD to outline how yoga is not inherently religious ​ ​ and that it can be practiced in an entirely secular manner.”

On March 11, 2015, the case was argued before a three­judge panel in California's 4th District Court of Appeal. During the hearing, most of the judges' questions were directed to the plaintiffs' attorney. The judges seemed skeptical of plaintiffs' argument that the school district's yoga program endorsed Hindu religious beliefs...

On April 3, 2015, the court of appeal determined the school district's yoga program to be "devoid of any religious, mystical or spiritual trappings," affirming the trial court ruling. Judges ruled unanimously in favor of the district in this decision, and identified Hartsell's testimony as just one piece of "abundant evidence ​ that contemporary yoga is commonly practiced in the United States for reasons that are entirely distinct from religious ideology..." 8 ​

** italics, bold and highlighting added by author

7 https://www.yogaalliance.org/Benefits/Advocacy#Practice ​ 8 https://www.yogaalliance.org/Benefits/Advocacy#Practice ​ 8

summary and highlights from Yoga Alliance’s amicus curiae brief9 ​

I. SUMMARY OF ARGUMENT “The Yoga I practice and teach is Bhakti Yoga, the Yoga in service to the Supreme “The trial court...erred in determining that yoga is necessarily religious. The trial court based its Person.” determination on the fact that yoga has ancient roots in religions and that, to some, yoga is a form of [and] spiritual practice (as well as a mental and physical practice)...

“Bhakti is the essential component of all There are two fundamental problems with the trial court's reasoning. First, the trial court's analysis systems of Yoga. Bhakti can also stand vastly oversimplified the approaches to yoga available today...there are many different styles and ​ ​ alone as both the means to an end and traditions of yoga, in addition to the increasing variety of specialty and non­traditional yoga practices. the end in and of itself. It is therefore, in ​ ​ Second, the trial court's decision rests on faulty logic: that because yoga originally has roots in Eastern the traditional sense, the highest form of religions, and because ‘some...view yoga as a spiritual practice, yoga in contemporary American Yoga and the ultimate goal of Yoga at the ​ culture is inherently religious. In fact, the modern practice of yoga generally involves a series of same time.” ​ ​ ​ physical movements (poses), combined with breath work and mindfulness practices, none of which is ­ Hari­kirtana das, interviewee for the ​ inherently religious or tied to either of the two different established Eastern religions that contributed to article on the future of Yoga in the west the historical development of yoga: Hinduism and Buddhism…” in “Hindu Human Rights”

II. THERE ARE MANY APPROACHES TO YOGA. “...you cannot divorce Yoga from its Vedic roots; [Yoga] originated from Vedic “The trial court considered only a single approach to yoga ­ Ashtanga ­­­­ before concluding teachings. Patañjali himself is considered ​ ​ ​ ​ (erroneously) that ‘yoga is religious. Ashtanga is a specific style of yoga that follows a set sequence of an avatar of Ishvara, and he's considered poses. There are many other styles of yoga.” a Maharishi...Clearly, there has been a very sad attempt in the west and even in III. YOGA CAN BE PRACTICED FREE OF RELIGIOUS IDEOLOGY India these days to divorce Yoga from its Vedic roots. ...The modern practice of yoga typically comprises a physical system of exercises coupled with ​ ​ ​ ​ breathwork and mindfulness practices, without any formal linkage to either Hindu or Buddhist ​

9 https://www.yogaalliance.org/Portals/0/Articles/Sedlock%20v.%20Baird%20Amicus%20Brief.pdf ​ 9 worship. Even if a yoga practitioner chooses to incorporate personal religious beliefs into...yoga ...Yoga, though it is universal in the sense ​ ​ ​ practice, that capacity for accommodation does not mean yoga is inherently religious… that everyone is open to practicing it, ​ ​ everybody should acknowledge and must acknowledge...that Yoga has inherently Hindu roots... [A]ssuming otherwise is doing the tradition a great disservice.”

­ Prashant Parikh, interviewee for the ​ ​ ​ article on the future of Yoga in the west in “Hindu Human Rights”

A. Yoga is Most Often Practiced for Non ­Religious Reasons. “Yoga is a very, very vast spiritual practices...it took thousands of years to Yoga has grown and continues to grow in popularity...Of the motivations for starting yoga, the top five make it this way. Yoga itself is reasons cited by study participants are flexibility, general conditioning, stress relief, improved traditional...Yoga is within Dharma ­ top to ​ bottom and bottom to top...Something overall health and physical fitness ­ motivations one might expect to see for beginning any number ​ that is so old and that has been practiced of well­being programs...a minority of survey participants identified spiritual development as a benefit ​ ​ for thousands of years, the west has just of yoga… discovered about 100 years ago, so they are barely entering kindergarten. And B. A Physical System of Yoga Poses is Not Inherently Religious. they don’t understand that it is more than just postures…” Although their Sanskrit names may be foreign, many yoga poses are similar to stretching or ​ exercise positions seen outside of yoga (including football warm­ups). "Forward fold" (in [and] ​ Sanskrit...uttanasana) is essentially a hamstring stretch… ​ ​ “Given my belief and understand, one thing I do believe is that everything changes, and it constantly changes ­­ whether evolving or de­evolving. But eventually in the bigger picture, I hope that all of this craziness, which seems like we are taking a few steps back as a human race, will help us eventually to explore further.

If now we are in kindergarten playing, we

10 can then say ‘Okay, we are done having fun, and now we are actually ready to move on…’”

­ Rashmi Tantra, interviewee for the ​ ​ article on the future of Yoga in the west in “Hindu Human Rights”

C. The Breathwork and Mindfulness Aspects of Yoga Are Not Inherently Religious. “It is a truism that there is only one system which having consciously ...the modern practice of yoga includes breathwork and mindfulness practices. These latter completely purified the human body­brain ​ ​ components are not inherently religious either. Yoga includes breathing practices (pranayamas), which machinery, can deliberately and with ​ ​ complete control, separate the atma from can be effective for reducing the stress response, improving lung function and encouraging relaxation. ​ ​ the physical form. This is the definition and orientation of traditional YogAbhyasa The mindfulness aspects of yoga...can also include a conscious attention to the body. For ​ ​ ​ (Yoga practices). Any practice which is example, a practitioner may discover that a pose is more challenging on one side of the body than the not oriented in this direction is not other... YogAbhyasa, irrespective of how healthy ​ and rejuvenated it makes the body brain feel.”

­Satish Sharma, interviewee, ​ interviewee for the article on the future of Yoga in the west in “Hindu Human Rights”

D. The Trial Court Correctly Upheld the Constitutionality of EUSD Yoga.

...Appellants decry the meditative aspect...as ‘religious’ and point to record evidence that some students said ‘om’ during the classes. Even assuming, however, that the chanting of ‘om’ had spiritual or religious significance to any students, chanting was not an aspect of EUSD Yoga. To the contrary, ‘if [the students] said `namaste' or said `om,' they were either ignored or discouraged...’”10 ​ ​

** italics, bold and highlighting added by author

10 https://www.yogaalliance.org/Portals/0/Articles/Sedlock%20v.%20Baird%20Amicus%20Brief.pdf ​ 11

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The California Supreme Court of the Court of Appeal’s ruling: summary and highlights from the full appellate opinion11 ​

“...the Sedlocks alleged that the District's implementation of an Ashtanga yoga program as a component of its physical education curriculum ​ ​ ​ ​ violated various religious freedom...The Sedlocks' initial petition/complaint did not expressly name the Encinitas Union School District as a ​ ​ defendant. However, in April 2013, the Sedlocks filed an amendment to their petition/complaint adding the Encinitas Union School District as a named defendant…

An entity called Yes! Yoga for Encinitas Students...filed a motion to intervene in support of the District and its yoga program. ​ ​

...Ashtanga yoga is a form of yoga developed and popularized by K. Author’s note: in this part of the court document, there is an ​ ​ ​ Pattabhi Jois. According to Jois, the meaning of yoga is explained in a series egregious error ­­ the description of “Ashtanga yoga” herein of Hindu texts, including the Bhagavad Gita, the Upanishads, and Yoga conflates Ashtanga Vinyasa Yoga ­­ a system of modern postural ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ Sutras. Jois first established an institute for the teaching of Ashtanga yoga in yoga popularized by Sri K. Pattabhi Jois, a discipline of Sri ​ India in the 1940s, and introduced Ashtanga yoga in the United States after Krishnamacharya ­­ with Ashtanga, the eight­limbed path codified ​ ​ traveling to Encinitas in 1974. As developed and popularized by Jois, in The Yoga Sūtras of Patañjali. ​ ​ ​ Ashtanga yoga prescribes eight limbs. The limbs are referred to as ​ yamas (moral codes), niyamas (self­purification), asanas(postures), In fact, Dr. Mark Singleton in his declaration describes the pranayana (breath control), pratyahara (withdrawing the mind from the development of the system of Ashtanga Vinyasa.12 However, the senses), dharana (concentration), and samadhi (union with the divine). two ­­ Ashtanga Vinyasa (and its postural sequences as a part of Ashtanga yoga prescribes approximately 100 yoga poses, including two that system) and Ashtanga, the eight­limbed path ­­ are not ​ ​ ​ series of opening poses, two series of poses characterized as either primary distinguished from one another in this part of the court document. or intermediate, and a series of finishing poses... The record notes that it was Jois who “developed and popularized” the “eight limbs.” No, Sri K. Pattahbi Jois popularized Ashtanga Vinyasa. The Yoga Sūtras of Patañjali codified the eight­limbed ​ ​ path.

11 https://www.yogaalliance.org/Portals/0/Appellate%20Opinion_04.03.15.pdf ​ 12 https://yogaencinitasstudents.files.wordpress.com/2013/05/declaration­of­dr­singleton.pdf ​ 12 ...According to the trial court, the Foundation...is a foundation with a ‘mission ​ ​ to establish and teach Ashtanga yoga in the community, at minimum, the One other error that should be noted is that the court record here ​ ​ physical postures, breathing, and relaxation… leaves out one (the seventh) of the eight­limbs: dhyāna ​ (meditation). While this may seem like an insignificant omission in the record, it actually points to something much bigger: that is, that within the The Yoga Sūtras of Patañjali, “when dhāraṇā, ​ ​ ​ ​ dhyāna, and samādhi are performed together, ekatra, on an ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ object, the act of concentration is called saṁyama. Vyāsa ​ ​ [commentator on The Yoga Sūtras] uses the term tāntrika to ​ ​ ​ ​ describe his, and, certainly, the tantras are a body of texts that, among other things, deal with the types of mystic powers that occupy the bulk of [chapter III]” (E. Bryant).13

The linking of these three points to two significant things: (1) that any one of all eight­limbs cannot simply be de­linked from the others; and (2) that the limbs prior to the final three are considered preparatory to saṁyama. And here is where the significance of ​ ​ how the physical practice of āsana needs to be considered in context of the other limbs, not to mention the significance of considering The Yoga Sūtras in the context of other Yogic texts: ​ ​

“Although the entirety of yoga is typically understood and presented as āsana, physical posture, in the popular ​ ​ representations of the term in the West, it is actually only the third limb of yoga, not an end or goal unto itself...Patañjali has relatively little to say about āsana, leaving us with only three sūtras on the ​ ​ topic consisting of a total of eight words...However, we should not conclude that this limb is irrelevant. That Patañjali does not give more detail about specific āsanas does not mean he considers ​ ​ them unimportant practices for yogīs. One could also suppose that ​ ​ other extant texts concerned themselves with the specifics of āsanas...An elaboration of āsana is not undertaken here, because ​ ​ ​

13 Excerpt From: Edwin F. Bryant. “The Yoga Sutras of Patañjali.” Farrar, Straus and Giroux, 2014­12­17. iBooks Store: https://itun.es/us/L7cN4.l ​ ​ 13 our subject matter is rāja­yoga and a full and detailed treatment of ​ ​ this subject is to be found in works on haṭha­yoga. ​ ​

Essentially, posture is a limb of the actual goal of yoga to the extent that it allows the meditator to sit firmly, sthira, and ​ ​ comfortably, sukha, for meditation...āsana’s relevance and ​ ​ function for the classical Yoga tradition are to train the body so that it does not disturb or distract the mind of the yogī in any way when ​ ​ sitting in meditation...The point is that yogic postures are useful only to the extent to which they facilitate fixing the mind completely.” (E. Bryant)14

...In July 2012, the District presented the Foundation with a grant proposal....that stated in part:

‘The following puts into place a partnership between the . . . Foundation and the . . . District . . . to deliver a world class mind/body wellness program at all nine Encinitas elementary schools. The core foundation of this program will be built around providing students, staff, and families access to Ashtanga Yoga on a regular basis throughout the year.’

The grant proposal further specified that...classes would be taught by ‘certified yoga instructors, selected and hired by District staff and trained ​ ​ by . . . Foundation teachers.’ The grant proposal also provided that the District would develop a yoga curriculum that would be ‘scalable and transferable to other settings.’...

As the District began implementing the program, some parents complained “The philosophy not just in schools but in the educational systems that the program was religious…The District responded by [:] in general, when they do any kind of cultural work, you can either ​ take an anti­racist or anti­oppression viewpoint on it, or a remov[ing] anything considered [a] cultural component [b] or multicultural approach to it. Most schools and districts take a ​ much more multicultural approach and just sort of blend things and that could be arguably deemed religious. Jennifer Brown's ​ bland things...but you’ll get some groups of teachers and Ashtanga tree poster was removed almost immediately...[10] All educators that take a more anti­racist/anti­oppression, Sanskrit language was removed. Jenn Brown took down . . . ​ justice­focused approach to working with [issues of cultural postcards from India. The names of the poses were changed to ​ ​ diversity]. And that’s a whole different take because you’re kid­friendly, kid­familiar poses. The so called 'lotus' position, was actually working with human right’s issues. ​ renamed 'criss­cross applesauce.' There was something called a ​

14 Excerpt From: Edwin F. Bryant. “The Yoga Sutras of Patañjali.” Farrar, Straus and Giroux, 2014­12­17. iBooks Store: https://itun.es/us/L7cN4.l ​ ​ 14 mudra, which is where you put your thumb and your forefinger I think if Yoga is brought into a school and the teacher or the group ​ together. That was eliminated, and instead what was substituted was of people who are bringing it in have that social justice something called ‘brain highway’ where students tap alternate fingers perspective, then I think it would have a different way of being 15 with their thumbs. And there was no namaste or chanting 'om.' presented, maybe more authentic.” ​

­ Joanna Krop, interviewee for the article on the future of Yoga ​ ​ ​ in the west in “Hindu Human Rights”

C. The District's yoga program passes the Lemon test “Yoga is essentially Sanatana Dharma (Hinduism) in practice.”

1. The religion at issue [and]

It is undisputed that Hinduism is a religion. We assume, without deciding, that “Westernized Yoga has basically plucked the Asana/Pranayama ​ Ashtanga yoga, insofar as it prescribes the practice of an eight­limbed form of activities due to their utilitarian value and calls them Yoga. While yoga in which the eighth and final limb is ‘union with the universal or the not totally inaccurate, it is an incomplete definition ­­ and leads to divine,’ is a religion...Accordingly, we apply the Lemon test to determine many essential parts of Yoga being rendered 'irrelevant' or whether the District's yoga program advances Hinduism or Ashtanga Yoga… marginalized, except where the teacher has enough rigor and commitment to insist on a holistic treatment/teaching.

From a Patanjali Ashtanga perspective: of the Bahirangas (outer ​ ​ ​ ​ limbs 1­4), only 3 and 4 are emphasized ­­ since the 1st (Yama) & ​ ​ 2nd (Niyama) won't fly easily with the paying student/client in the ​ ​ western model. The Antarangas (limbs 5­8: Pratyahara, Dharana, ​ ​ ​ Dhyana, Samadhi) are mostly ignored, or trivialized ­­ with their ​ inherent subjectivity turned into an 'anything goes,’ 'feel good' pop psychology. There are also many sincere attempts to recast them in western garb for easy consumption, but most seem to change the original entity beyond recognition.”

­ Karigar Medha, interviewee for the article on the future of Yoga ​ ​ ​ in the west in “Hindu Human Rights”

15 Vamadev Shastri’s (David Frawley’s) article “The New Masks Of Colonialism : India’s Final Conflict” on Hindu Human Rights is a must­read on the ​ ​ ​ ​ topic of http://www.hinduhumanrights.info/the­new­masks­of­colonialism/ ​ 15 2. The District's yoga program has a secular purpose. The Sedlocks do not “I believe that most severe departure [between ‘traditional’ Yoga contest that the District's yoga program has a secular purpose. Further, the and contemporary, Westernized Yoga] we often see, is the record contains overwhelming evidence demonstrating that the District ego­driven assumption that is made when someone decides ‘I can instituted the yoga program for a secular purpose, namely, to implement a make up my own rules, my own teachings, my own ‘principles’, and can package it with a new perhaps clever label and sell it as physical fitness program that promotes physical and mental health... “yoga’. A subtle but more insidious version of this is when someone decides they can make up their own meaning to existing ...The court summarized a typical lesson plan as follows: yogic terms, and promote it within their yoga teachings.

‘There is a physical component . . . and there is a character Any indication that a yoga teacher, with or without several hundred component. And there is a famous person and quote that is to be hours of certification training, can partially dismantle then focused on. The quotes are not religious. As examples, one of the reassemble teachings of asanas or make up their own variations famous persons is Babe Ruth and his quote was, 'Every strike brings of pranayama, should be a red flag of caution to students.” ​ me closer to my next home run,' and that's for the subject of ­ Bill Francis Barry, interviewee for the article on the future of 'Perseverance.'... ​ ​ ​ ​ Yoga in the west in “Hindu Human Rights”

Then the curriculum indicates a breathing exercise. The teacher can ­­­­­­­­­­ choose a couple. Dragon breath, belly breathing, floating arms, connect breath with movement, kite, cat, cow. And then the posture is “At the end of the day, it doesn’t matter [if people want to do all of 20 minutes...The curriculum suggests to the teacher, 'Before the these different things without going back to the traditional sources], closing sequence, take a moment to check in with your you just need to change the name of what you are doing. It’s fine...But it needs to be disassociated from traditional Yoga. It’s students.'...And then the closing sequence: Telephone, pretzel, not Yoga.” butterfly, flower, turtle, criss­cross applesauce, and rest. ­ Tony Wilmot, interviewee for the article on the future of Yoga ​ ​ ​ in the west in “Hindu Human Rights”

** italics, bold and highlighting added by author

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16 “...To support YES! Yoga for Encinitas Students, we arranged the expert testimony of Chris Chapple, PhD and professor of Indic and comparative ​ ​ ​ ​ religion at Loyola Marymount University. He asserts that ‘yoga may be practiced free from religious ideology,’ and describes the wide array of religions and cultures that have practiced and studied yoga…”16

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[screenshots from the] “DECLARATION OF CHRISTOPHER K. CHAPPLE”17 ​ ​ ​ [1] Author’s note: Dr. Chapple’s statements here reflect at least two very ​ significant misunderstandings:

(1) He notes that in addition to yoga practices being “found in Hinduism, Buddhism, and Jainism” that it is “also practiced by Sikhs, Muslims, and Christians in India and elsewhere.” Here he commits a logical fallacy, arguing that because yoga is practiced in various other cultural contexts that the practices do not find their roots in Hinduism, Buddhism and Jainism. This also assumes that because Yoga is open for everyone to practice (which is the case), that there is an unrestricted openness to its spiritual essence, i.e., a “sameness.”

The challenge here is in understanding that Yoga is a practice­oriented tradition and not a belief­oriented system. Belief in its transcendent goal or any specific spiritual ideas within the tradition is not prerequisite for practice. So, yes, in this way, the tradition of Yoga cannot be equated to religion in the same way as the belief­oriented systems of religion, e.g., Abrahamic, monotheistic faiths. Yet, just because Yoga does not a necessitate belief on the part of any individual practitioner does not negate the essential, transcendent goal of the tradition as a whole.

16 https://www.yogaalliance.org/Learn/Articles/Yoga_Alliance_helps_defend_yoga_in_schools ​ 17 https://yogaencinitasstudents.files.wordpress.com/2013/05/declaration­of­dr­chapple.pdf ​

17 [2]

(2) Further, Dr. Chapple implies that because the Amtakkunda was ​ ​ “circulated” in other regions besides India that it is not to India’s particular spiritual practices that fall under the umbrella of Sanatana Dharma. This begs the question: If by that same token, we note that

the New Testament has been circulated worldwide, can we then assume that their teachings are not particularly Christian in nature? That they are open to interpretation by any and all other religions to do with as they wish? While this is not ad one­to­one because Sanatana Dharma (Hinduism) is certainly not at all within the same purview of understanding as Christianity or other belief­oriented, monotheistic religions18, the point is that Dr. Chapple’s assumption as to dissemination of the Yogic texts does not mean they can be de­linked them from their roots in India’s spiritual practices.

[3] Author’s note: Dr. Chapple’s statement that (by his “own experience,” mind ​ ​ you) that yoga­imagery is employed to “invoke Christian ideals...For instance, an image of Jesus as Yogi” is the most disconcerting misunderstanding within his declaration. His statement here implies that because Yogic imagery is used by Christians that its essential teachings are the same as ­­ or at least transferable ­­ to that religion’s. This erroneous assumption reflects a

profound naiveté at best ­­ and at worst a striking ignorance of the reality that

Hindus throughout India are aggressively targeted for conversion by Christian

missionaries who deliberately appropriate Hindu symbols and customs and

distort them in order to advance Christianity.19 And it should also be noted to further distinguish Hinduism from other religions that Hinduism is not conversionary in nature.

18 Rajiv Maholtra in his essay “The Myth of Hindu Sameness,” “examines the often repeated claim by Hindus and non­Hindus alike that Hinduism is the same as other religions.” http://rajivmalhotra.com/library/articles/myth­hindu­sameness/ ​ 19 See: http://indiafacts.org/christian­missionaries­target­every­single­component­hindu­society/ ​ ​

18 If Dr. Chapple was not truly aware of this reality (and further that it is only based on his personal observation), this calls into question whether this statement should have been included as part of his “expert testimony.”

Author’s note: Dr. Chapple makes the case that because other programs ​ [4] have stripped away the cultural roots and spiritual essence from practices within the tradition of Yoga, then it follows that the program in question may also do the same. The reason issue here is less about whether a program such as the one operating within Encinitas USD according to the curriculum they established is secular (because even the Plaintiffs acknowledge that in the final form it was), but more about whether such a program ­­ devoid of any of Yoga’s cultural context and spiritual essence ­­ should call itself “Yoga” at all.20

** italics, highlighted parts, including [parenthetical reference markers], and under­ling added by author

summarized excerpts from Dr. Mark Singleton21’s statements as an “expert witness” for the Defense from “DECLARATION OF MARK ​ ​ ​ SINGLETON, Ph.D.”22 ​ “Mark summarized the development of modern yoga and Author’s note:

20 “Western academics fail to see how much they are promoting a Eurocentric view and ignoring other perspectives. They portray themselves as the ​ defenders of minorities or the oppressed all over the world, while at the same time they ignore the cultural achievements and spiritual values of these same peoples. They may be trying to help the oppressed economically or politically but they are often destroying their culture and spiritual traditions along the way.” ­ Vamadev Shastri (David Frawley), “The New Masks of Colonialism”: http://www.hinduhumanrights.info/the­new­masks­of­colonialism/ 21 MARK SINGLETON’S PROJECT & HIS ROLE AS HE RESEARCHED FOR MODERN YOGA 22 https://yogaencinitasstudents.files.wordpress.com/2013/05/declaration­of­dr­singleton.pdf ​ 19 some of its most influential teachers. He states, (1) Dr. Singleton makes a similar assumption here to one that Dr. Chapple makes ‘Krishnamacharya presented a form of yoga that could in one his statements: that because Yoga is open for everyone to practice be open and accessible to all, beyond religious (which is the case), that there is an unrestricted openness to its spiritual sectarianism, gender, caste or nationality.’”23 essence, i.e., a “sameness” (or moreover in this case specifically, that there needs not be any recognition of an unchanging, spiritual essence to the tradition). Again, there is the need to understand the tradition of Yoga as a practice­oriented tradition and not a belief­oriented system. Yet, just because Yoga does not a necessitate belief on the part of any individual practitioner does not negate that there is an essential, transcendent goal of the tradition as a whole. (2) The following screenshots are from Dr. Singleton’s “Preface to the 2016 ​ Serbian edition of Yoga Body, The Origins of Modern Posture Practice.”24 ​ ​

23 https://www.yogaalliance.org/Learn/Articles/Yoga_Alliance_helps_defend_yoga_in_schools ​ 24 https://www.academia.edu/17411279/Preface_to_the_2016_Serbian_edition_of_Yoga_Body_The_Origins_of_Modern_Posture_Practice_ ​ 20 Note that in this work of his, he in fact, notes that T. Krishnamacharya’s work did develop “from on­going adaptation and innovation in the face of modernity” but also explicitly recognizes that Sri Krishnamacharya would not have viewed these changes as reflective of the “‘eternal’ features of this teaching” ­­ and further [that the analysis of such developments and adaptations] would have been considered by Sri Krishnamacharya “even irrelevant when set beside yoga’s perennial sameness.”

In other words, Dr. Singleton in his “Declaration” chooses to highlight the “openness” of Sri Krishnamacharya’s teachings but yet fails to disclose the context that this openness does not translate to an understanding of Yoga beyond these temporal shifts in the material ­­ or in other words:

“Traditional Yoga is a pathway that leads to liberation or enlightenment. You could say it seeks to recover a person’s highest potential. Underlying all forms of Yoga is the understanding that the human being is more than the physical body and that, through a course of discipline, it is possible to discover what this ‘more’ is.”

­ Brenda Feuerstein, interviewee for the article on the future of Yoga in the west in ​ ​ ​ “Hindu Human Rights”

“Mark refuted the claim that yoga is inherently religious, “Why is it so wrong to give a credit to where [this tradition] comes from? Just because stating, ‘In my opinion, to claim that the practice of yoga these people are not violent enough, or these people are not forceful enough? Or techniques in secular, ecumenical, or religiously plural because they are too loving and too compassionate? Is that a crime? Isn’t that what settings in the United States today is inherently religious we are trying to achieve with all of these practices?”

is akin to claiming that college basketball is inherently ­ Rashmi Tantra, interviewee for the article on the future of Yoga in the west in 25 ​ ​ ​ religious because of its missionary Christian origins.’” “Hindu Human Rights”

** italics, highlighted parts, including [parenthetical reference markers], and under­ling added by author

25 https://www.yogaalliance.org/Learn/Articles/Yoga_Alliance_helps_defend_yoga_in_schools ​ 21 Appendix I: Interviewees and Collaborators

Interviewees

Dianne Bondy Dianne Bondy ERYT 500 Writer, Motivator, Educator, Yoga Teacher, and A Leading Voice in the Diversity in Yoga, Yoga and Empowerment and Yoga of Inclusion Movement. Creator of the Yoga for All Movement.

With over 1000 hours of yoga training in diverse modalities such as yoga therapeutics, restorative yoga, meditation, and Anusara Yoga – Dianne is passionate about including everyone on the mat. She is the founder and Managing Director of Yogasteya online yoga studio that specializes in creating an inclusive safe space for students of all shapes, sizes, ethnicities, and abilities to practice yoga.

Dianne has developed Yoga For All Teacher Trainings which seeks to educate and empower teachers on how to teach to all bodies on the mat. She is one of the founding board members of the Yoga & Body Image Coalition.

Connect with Dianne on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and Periscope

22 J. Brown J. Brown is a yoga teacher, writer, podcaster and founder of Abhyasa Yoga Center in Brooklyn, NY. His writing has been featured in Yoga Therapy Today, the International Journal of Yoga Therapy, and across the yoga blogosphere. Visit his website at jbrownyoga.com

Kelly Landrigan Kelly’s mission is to keep people healthy and calm while living a busy city life. Kelly studied Classical Languages and culture at the Ohio State University in her hometown of Columbus, Ohio. Her first yoga teacher training was in 2006 and she continued with additional trainings and workshops along with personal and group study. The alignment based physical practice along with meditation, pranayama, and philosophy are included in Kelly’s personal practice as well as her classes.

Kelly seeks to create more of a culture that desires to continue to learn more about yoga, especially its origins and varied traditions and practices. There is so much that the practice has to offer, so much that we have received from India that it is important to keep this within our thoughts and close to our hearts.

23 Kirthika Chandrasekar I was born and raised in Southern India. Growing up, I was exposed more to the spiritual practices of Bhakti ,Mantra and Karma Yoga. I grew up listening to spiritual lectures of the Bhagavad Gita and the Vedas. Asanas ​ ​ ​ ​ were introduced as part of our schooling fitness program. In the U.S., I had my formal asana training from my aunt who came to stay with me. She was a yoga teacher in Pondicherry, India.

I started to explore more about Yoga and developed a home practice. It provided me with much comfort and mental strength during days of intense stress. Meditation provided me with a clarity that seemed elusive in my life.

I started teaching to continue to grow my own understanding of this beautiful practice that has changed the way I live and see life. I am passionate about how I can use this practice and its subtle energies to encourage people to see the journey of their own life and others with clarity and compassion.

Kirthika Chandrasekar is the founder and teacher at Oasis Bloom Yoga. She lives in Cincinnati, OH. You can reach her at [email protected]

24 Rashmi Tantra Rashmi’s thirst for yoga, spirituality and a healthy lifestyle runs in her veins. Her childhood was richly seasoned with her maternal grandparents’ inspiration to find her spiritual core, introducing her to Yoga and Tantra at the very tender age of 3.

For many years, Rashmi enjoyed a successful career in glamour and media, but her heart ached to find her true purpose and sense of being and to serve and spread the love and passion she always felt towards Shakti and Shiva, the divine union of ultimate power, nature and pure consciousness. It was the practice of Tantra, under guidance of her ishta devi Shakti, under guidance of her grandmother (a practicing tantric) that she found her purpose ­­ to heal and help people on a holistic level and bring them health, happiness, harmony and healing in their lives.

She been practicing as well as teaching and sharing Tantra Yoga for 30 years. Her Classic Tantra teaching technique is deeply rooted in classic Hatha Yoga blended with a knowledge of Vedanta, Ayurveda and teachings from various Indian yoga masters, including: Yoga Master Swami Niranjan, Swami Muktananda, Bihar school of Yoga, Kaivalya Yoga Rishikesh, Sri Rudra Gawda (right hand of Sri BKS Iyengar), Tantra hermit baba vyas Gular, Rishikesh, Tantra master ma Gyaan Devi.

In her teachings, Rashmi offers practical tools for reprogramming the anxious modern mind and desires. You can find her at http://sacredgarden.strikingly.com

25 Joanna Krop Joanna helps people who are ready for significant shifts in their life create massive transformations in their personal lives and health. This former teacher re­routed her own life path from the classroom to become certified in yoga, hypnosis and bioresonance holistic healing to coach people out of burnout and into purposeful, healed living. Although she works with anyone ready for transformation ­ her special passion is teachers She has taught at OISE­UT and published in Education Journals. Visit her at www.teachingwellbeing.com ​

26 Hari­kirtana das26 Hari­kirtana das is an 800­Hour certified Jivamukti Yoga teacher, registered as an E­RYT 500 yoga teacher with Yoga Alliance, and the author of the upcoming book 8 ​ Keys to Understanding the Bhagavad Gita. Having a ​ life­long interest in yoga, meditation, and eastern spiritual philosophy, Hari­kirtana lived full­time in devotional yoga ashrams and intentional spiritual communities from 1977 to 1981 and was formally initiated into the Gaudiya Vaisnava lineage of Bhakti Yoga in 1978.

After years of teaching meditation and philosophy along with maintaining a personal yoga practice, he began teaching yoga classes in 2009. He currently teaches classes, leads workshops, designs Yoga Teacher Training courses and is a frequent guest­teacher for numerous regional Yoga Teacher Training programs. He also leads annual spiritual pilgrimages to India and publishes articles about the enduring relevance of traditional yoga philosophy on his website: hari­kirtana.com.

26 Updated as of 03.12.16: Context is exceptionally important in Dharma, so I will make it clear that Hari­kirtana das was my teacher and was a very ​ ​ influential mentor to me on my path. This is not to say that he and I agree on everything ­­ because we diverge on some key issues ­­ but simply to recognize that his teachings and understandings have influenced me on my path (and to make this context transparent to the readers of this article). While I am no longer studying with Hari­kirtana das, I am very grateful for all that he shared as a guide. 27 Cameron Shayne Cameron Shayne ­ Mixed Movement Artist, Primate Provocateur, Liberated Thinker, Founder Budokon University, Creator Budokon Yoga, Martial, Living Arts Systems.

Satish K. Sharma Satish, the founder of Vishaad Yoga, a practitioner and teacher of Jnana Yoga (the Yoga of Mental Purification) and Hatha Yoga (the Yoga of Physical Balance) was born in a rural Indian village, into a family of traditional Yogis whose daily living was based on the the Practices and Principles of Yoga. With a solid grounding in the essential basic foundations of Yoga he started his first Advanced Pranayama practices at the age of 17, and since has been blessed with the guidance and teaching of several of India's Yoga adepts and spiritual masters. Receiving Advanced Anant Yoga initiation from His Holiness Sri Rudrabhayananda and Kundalini Kriya Yoga with Swami Gyan Vijay Saraswati of Bihar School of Yoga (with whom he lived and practised for 2 years) to name but two.

He teaches the practices for attaining Mental Health, working with seekers from all over the world. His particular passion is to work with persons suffering with depression and hypertension.

Satish has spent much of the last 6 years researching, studying and contemplating the Vishaad Yoga practices mentioned in the very first Chapter of the central Yoga ​ Shastra, the Bhagavad Gita, as well as other ancient ​ ​ ​ texts and has recontextualised and made contemporary the teachings and techniques necessary to stilling the mind using Yoga, Vishaad Yoga.

www.vishaadyoga.com

28 Prashant Parikh An Industrial and Systems Engineer, now working in the field of Business Intelligence, Prashant considers himself first and foremost a student of traditional Advaita Vedānta, from the Ārśa Vidyā Gurukulam. Born and brought up in Mumbai, India, he has been living in USA since 2005, thereafter amalgamating his appreciation for both Indian and Western cultures.

In the face of myriad faulty interpretations of the Vedic scriptures­ and its associated culture, Prashant recognizes the imminent need of not only promoting, but also preserving these teachings. This, he believes, can be achieved by unfolding them in a traditional manner, as this kind of nuanced treatment alone can ensure posterity.

Additionally, he is involved in writing articles, conducting study groups­ online or otherwise­ and always looking for new opportunities to share his love and enthusiasm for the subject.

29 Linda Sama Karl Linda Karl has been called a maverick, an innovator, and a facilitator of deep healing. Seeking a paradigm shift in her local Yoga scene she takes students beyond asana into the deeper dimensions of traditional Yoga. Teaching since 2002, Linda trained for 10 years at the Krishnamacharya Yoga Mandiram in Chennai, India and in Svastha Yoga Therapy with Dr. Ganesh Mohan. She has taught in Africa and India, was one of the first Yin Yoga teachers in the Chicago area, and has earned certificates in teaching Trauma Sensitive Yoga (The Trauma Center, Massachusetts) and Therapeutic Yoga for Seniors (Duke University.)

Linda has written the subversive Yoga blog "Linda's Yoga Journey" since 2005, being one of the first Yoga blogs to critically question the status quo of Modern American Yoga, and is honored and humbled to be featured in the 2014 book Conversations with Modern Yogis. ​ ​

Neal Pollack Neal Pollack is the author of 10 books of fiction and nonfiction, including the memoir Stretch: The Unlikely ​ Making Of A Yoga Dude, and the Matt Bolster yoga ​ ​ mysteries Downward­Facing Death and Open Your ​ ​ Heart. His most recent book is Keep Mars Weird, a sci­fi ​ ​ ​ satire about space gentrification. Pollack completed a 200­hour Ashtanga teacher's intensive with Richard Freeman in 2010, and has also been certified in yin, restorative, and Yoga Nidra. But he only teaches yoga if no one else is available. A three­time Jeopardy! champion, Pollack lives in Austin, TX with his wife and son.

30 Brenda Feuerstein Brenda L. Feuerstein is the director of Traditional Yoga Studies and author of The Yoga­Sutra From a Woman’s ​ Perspective and co­author of The Bhagavad­Gita: A New ​ ​ Translation, The Matrix of Yoga, Green Yoga and Green ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ Dharma with Georg Feuerstein, Ph.D. Brenda spent nine ​ years studying Yoga philosophy and Sanskrit with her late husband and spiritual partner, Georg Feuerstein, and continues to write, acts as the developer and tutor of TYS’ distance learning courses, and teaches worldwide.

www.traditionalyogastudies.com

Mike Holliday Mike Holliday practices Natural Acupuncture, hatha yoga, and jyotish (known as Vedic astrology) and offers all sessions on a by donation basis. He has been living in India part time for the past 10 years where he studies Indian philosophy and other branches of Indian knowledge. In his youth he studied Chinese Philosophy and Kung Fu. His writing can be found at http://sleepingdogblog.wordpress.com. About his practice ​ he says; “I would have nothing if not for my mother, my father, and my teacher: Donna, John and Sanjay; Parvati, Shiva, Ganesh; my matter, my soul and my mind.”

https://sleepingdogblog.wordpress.com

31 Tony Wilmot Tony has practiced Yoga for over thirty years and is in his 17th year of teaching. As well as the Ashtanga Yoga Primary Series, his personal sadhana incorporates Japa, Mantra, Pranayama and Vipassana Meditation. Tony’s interest in Yoga started at an early age. He always a feeling of there being more to life than the apparent. The practice of Yoga has allowed for this to become apparent.

After many years of practice and study, Tony obtained his British Wheel of Yoga Teaching Diploma in 2000. Later he achieved from his Ashtanga Vinyasa Yoga Teaching Certificate from David Swenson..

He has been taught and inspired by some of the best teachers. In Mysore, India, he practiced under Sri K Pattabhi Jois, his grandson Sharath Rangaswamy and daughter Saraswati at the Ashtanga Research Institute. Tony’s introduction to meditation was through the Buddhist Zen Tradition which forms the basis of the meditative practices used in some of his classes. He has also attended numerous Vipassana 10­day meditation retreats in the U.S. and India. At Kopan (Tibetan) Buddhist Monastery in Nepal he was introduced to the

‘Lam Rim’ (Stages to Enlightenment).

Many schools of Yoga influence his teaching. Increasingly incorporated in his teaching are some meditative practices from the Satyananda Yoga tradition. In 2009 he took a mantra & name initiation into this school and attained the spiritual name ‘Vedanta’.

Find him online at www.http://www.sadhanaom.org.uk

32 Josh Sherman Josh Sherman is a beginner Yoga practitioner from Cleveland, Ohio. His interest in Yoga and Hinduism, and in particular Jnana Yoga, began in his early teens as he began to read stories and became enamored with the great Yogis throughout history. Eventually this interest was paired with another, in Classical Hindustani Music, the two sharing largely common roots. During this period, Josh had the good fortune of attending lectures and and studying with various spiritual teachers within traditional Yoga as well as Taoism, Tabla and Classical Indian Music, and other subjects. The most influential of these relationships was with Swami Shantanand, a teacher of Jnana Yoga, Self­inquiry, and Non­doing, who Josh has studied with for approximately 5 years.

Karigar (pen name) ­­­­­ Karigar (pen name) grew up to adulthood in India and spent the last two decades of his life in the U.S. He lives in the midwest. He is a technical researcher in his professional life with two Masters degrees.

His family is traditional Hindu, and his outlook is rooted in the traditions, coupled with westernization from a formal education in English schools in India & the U.S. He's fluent in four Indian languages and has a working knowledge of Sanskrit. Beyond a traditional upbringing with all the requisite samskaaras, he also has had training in Yogasanas & Pranayama since childhood, with a more formalized initiation with a Yoga guru for the past seven years.

Regarding the position of Indic Civilizational knowledge, he has been active both online & otherwise for the past 10 years. This includes teaching of Dharma with Yogasanas/Pranayam at the local Hindu temple, as well as a leadership role in a major global Vedic Conference group.

A seminal influence in his understanding of the Geopolitics of Indic Civilizational knowledge has been the work of Rajiv Malhotra and other luminaries who are at the forefront of the drive to decolonize the study of Indic forms of knowledge. For him, Yoga is the active expression of Sanatana Dharma, nee Hinduism.

33

He is active online on Facebook / Twitter as Karigar Medha / @Karigar01 . He also co founded the online Medha Journal at http://medhajournal.com ​ Mark DeFillo Mark DeFillo has studied and in some cases practiced many traditional religions, starting from childhood. An interest in languages and linguistics led to study of Sanskrit, which in turn led to reading Hindu scriptures, and then incorporating Hindu dharma into his life. Born into an intellectual family of teachers, museum personnel, writers, historians and other educators, he was raised in an environment of life­long learning. Discovering the Hindu world was like finding a long­lost homeland for him.

He has contributed to a variety of Hindu publications in North America and India. He has regularly volunteered since the early­mid 1990’s in the Jagannatha Ratha­Yatra of New York City, and participates in other festivals of the Hindu and Sikh communities.

His particular interests include language and linguistics, including and especially India’s own ancient field of “Vyakarana” and its underestimated influence on the Western science of linguistics; ancient history, including the relationships and influences between India and other peoples, both related and unrelated; in the religious

sphere, bhakti, especially Nam­bhakti, as found in several major parts of Hinduism and the closely­related but distinct Sikh religion, as well as the analogous practices in many other world religions. He advocates unity and cooperation among all non­fanatic religions.

34 James Russell James practices and teaches a holistic approach to yoga that incorporates a range of traditional practices such as kriya, asana, pranayama, meditation and mantra. Over the course of many trips to India he has studied yoga with a number of remarkable teachers. His main teacher in the UK remains Duncan Hulin with whom he has studied regularly for over 16 years.

James has been teaching yoga since 2007. He is a teacher for the Devon School of Yoga and teaches on the school’s popular, 500 hour, teacher training programme. He has taught yoga at the Royal Academy for Deaf Education and has taught yoga to ex­offenders in recovery from drug and alcohol dependency. James has also taught in a number of large institutions and corporations such as Exeter University, Devon County Council, Michelmores solicitors and Riverford Organic.

www.jamesrussellyoga.co.uk

Bill Francis Barry Bill Francis Barry is a certified Teacher of Mantra, Vedic Priest, with a BA degree in Yoga (Univ. of Mass). He has been a student and practitioner of mantra, yoga and Vedic studies since 1969. His studies included in­person training with Namadeva Acharya, Yogi Bhajan, Swami Muktananda, Swami Satchidananda; plus works of Sadguru Sant Keshavadas.

University of Mass credentials include: BA, BS, M.Ed & MBA degrees, plus a self­created 500+ hours Yoga Teacher Training, completed decades before Yoga Alliance existed. He teaches workshops in Sanskrit Mantra, Inner Nada Yoga, Learning Puja Ceremonies and offers puja services & private consultation.

For more info see his website at www.mantravijaya.com

35

Collaborators

In addition to all of those (above) who lent their voices in the interview process:

● a special thank you to Aditya Tyagi and Shantanu Ghosh, both instrumental collaborators and reviewers throughout this process. ● great thanks also to Aravindan Neelakandan and Syamkrishna Kamath who both were very helpful and generous thought­partners in this work. ● This process has found its basis in the responses of the formal interviews, but has continued to developed through an open exchange of ideas between peers on social media and in the course of other discussions. On this note, gratitude to Pankaj Seth for all of the guidance he’s offered in the past and throughout this specific process ­­ and for all who have been active on the Sutra group on Facebook (the dialogue within that forum has forwarded the issues involved herein in very meaningful ways). ● And, of course, greatest gratitude to Sai Arjun with Hindu Human Rights for the request to write this article and all of the support provided from him and that exceptional platform.

­ Kathleen Reynolds

36 Appendix II: Interview Questions (**with qualifications and context noted) ​ ​

Context on interview format:

● Of the 20 interviews conducted (21 really but that is a whole other story…), twelve (12) interviews were conducted on video chat or via phone. For these, the conversations were more fluid, i.e., all of the questions were addressed over the course of discussions, but the nature of one­on­one interviews meant that the answers were not constrained to a one­to­one question/response format and that clarifying questions were interjected as well (these interviews were recorded, and the interviewees were aware that they were being recorded for transcription later on prior to answering questions). ● Eight (8) of the interviewees responded to the questions in written format. This type of response option was offered to offer consideration in terms of time/scheduling and also people’s preferred method of communication on these topics. ● All this said, the process of interviews was not constrained to only the one­off conversations or responses. In many cases, I followed up with certain individuals to clarify questions that I had after the interviews, and discussions continued more fluidly as well as conversations continued on social media and in additional one­on­one discussions. ● I will also note that I reached out to others to request interviews for this project. In some cases, no response to my requests were given. In other cases, individuals specifically declined to participate.

The following are questions that provided a general, guiding structure for the interviews. All interviewees received the questions to review (i.e., to think and reflect on the questions) prior to their offering any responses in the process.

1. How do you define "traditional" Yoga?

2. What is your understanding of "traditional" Yoga and its relation ­­ if you recognize any ­­ to Hindu Dharma?

** I will note a specific qualification that I offered to some interviewees as to this question: because there are certainly a wide­range of understandings of the Hindu identity, I did recognize that some people who were interviewing may not define Hinduism as I feel it is important to do (i.e., as an expression of Sanatana Dharma). This was not intended to be an “escape hatch,” but rather an opportunity for me to get a fuller understanding of the range of perspectives how Hinduism is perceived. In this way, I feel I offered through the open­ended nature of this question and also through certain qualifiers a more than fair opportunity for everyone’s point of view to be heard. Part III of this article will explicitly take up this question, i.e., Yoga and its relation to Hindu Dharma in greater specifics with all context taken in.**

3. How do you define the Yoga that you practice and/or teach ­­ or in the case you do not practice/teach Yoga, how do you define contemporary (specifically Westernized) Yoga?

37 4. What are the key differences or departures you find, if any, between "traditional" Yoga and contemporary, Westernized Yoga (both that which you may practice & teach and/or that which you see being practiced & taught on a broader scale)?

5. Do you feel the any foundational philosophical and metaphysical principles from "traditional" Yoga have been diluted or discarded?

And if so, do you feel this is a problem? Why or why not?

What do you see as the causes, if you recognize any, for such departures from core "traditional" Yoga principles and teachings?

6. When you picture the future of Westernized contemporary Yoga, what does it look like?

What is your vision for the future of Westernized contemporary Yoga?

How do these two imaginings diverge? How can they be reconciled, if you believe they can be? What actions would need to take place? Who are the key stakeholders who should be involved?

38 Appendix III: Other key context and references

● To frame this work, I will explicitly say that my intention was never one of objective journalism, and I believe this was very clear to all of those who participated in the interview process and collaborated on this project otherwise. While I was very open to understanding different perspectives and always upheld my intention to sort through all of the knowledge and viewpoints as best as possible, it was always very clear as to who I was writing this for (moreover, all interviewees were made aware of my prior work with Hindu Human Rights for context). My ​ ​ intention is, first and foremost, to be in service to Dharma. Consensus­building may or may not serve this purpose at different times.

● Key resources and references:

● I am especially indebted to the following resources and references (in addition to others) for providing inspiration and context throughout the research process of this article: ○ My former teacher and mentor, Hari­kirtana das ○ The work of David Frawley (Vamadev Shastri), in particular his recent piece, “The New Masks of Colonialism”: http://www.hinduhumanrights.info/the­new­masks­of­colonialism/ ○ The work of Rajiv Malhotra ○ The work of Aravindan Neelakandan ○ Hindu American Foundation’s “Take Back Yoga” campaign

● Some notes on language, formatting and grammar:

○ It has been a challenging task to ascribe a particular formatting style to this article. Because the nature of this project is not academic and does not neatly fit into any particular other construct, I have attempted to both respect the use of the particular formatting style of each individual’s writing (e.g., from written responses and communication between interviewers and collaborators) and also maintain some consistency in terminology for the sake of the audience. Like this whole project has been, I consider these choices open to all feedback and suggestions moving forward. If there is lack of consistency then at this point, I have to work with this moving forward after taking in more perspectives. A couple of specific things on this subject:

■ I have used Yoga in capitalization for the most part, but this is not the case when I am quoting from sources who chose not to capitalize it). The issue of whether the name should be capitalized in all cases (i.e., when not specifically referring to one of the six darshans) is something that I feel can be taken up as subject of debate ­­ perhaps as one of the outcomes to this ​ ​ endeavor, since there is a wide­range of opinion on this issue.

39 ■ “I would emphasize that in the West yoga can be found in a whole spectrum from very traditional to very Westernized forms; ​ so yoga found in the West is not necessarily Westernized.” ­ Mark DeFillo, interviewee for the article on the future of Yoga in the west for “Hindu Human Rights.” I am abiding by Mark’s astute observation here and using “westernized” to characterize specific trends within the Yoga community in the west. However, note that I am using capitalization for “west” or “westernized” in the article (except with respect to direct quotations from interviewees or other references who do capitalize these term. For consistency, I also kept this capitalization in the interview questions included here in the Appendix ­­ noting the additional notes added later for context, of course ­­ wherein I used capitalization of these terms in the original questions ​ ​ sent to the interviewees).

■ Finally, as noted in an earlier footnote as to certain terminology:

Admittedly, some of the language used in this article is going to be problematic, either:

(1) by virtue of those “lost in translation” cases (which is so much the case especially when trying to express the meaning of Sanskrit terms ­­ the beautiful complexity and nuance so far beyond “the page”); or

(2) as is the case of the term “secular,” e.g., recognizing that there are different cultural meanings of such a term. I will say then that “secular” is used herein to point to that which is not associated with (and moreover deliberately disassociated with) any spiritual or transcendent aim. Of course this description becomes problematic because of the vagueness of the words “spiritual” and “transcendent” (and the necessary caution that must be used when employing them so as not to venture into the “sameness” realm). All this said, secular is best described in this specific context as those practices/efforts found in Yoga in the west that are based ­­ either deliberately or unconsciously ­­ within a framework of philosophical materialism.

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