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Intro to the History of Yoga: Philosophy, Practice, Transformation with Dr SeanFeitOakes.com | 2017 Intro to the History of Yoga: Philosophy, Practice, Transformation with Dr. Sean Feit Oakes Class 8. Yoga in modernism: universalism, embodiment, globalization 1845 Boston Transcendentalist Ralph Waldo Emerson reads the Bhagavad Gītā (tr. Wilkins: first English trans.) It was the first of books; it was as if an empire spoke to us, nothing small or unworthy, but large, serene, consistent, the voice of an old intelligence which in another age and climate had pondered over and thus disposed of the same questions which exercise us. (Emerson)1 1526-1857 Islamic Mughal Empire rules India. In 1600, British East India Company begins gaining dominance. 1858 British occupy India in order to crush the Rebellion of 1857 against the East India Company (1757-1857). In 1858, the “British Raj” included what is now India, Burma/Myanmar, Pakistan, and Bangladesh. 1893 Swami Vivekananda visits Chicago Parliament of Religions; founds Vedanta Society in NY, SF, LA. Do I wish that the Christian would become Hindu? God forbid. Do I wish that the Hindu or Buddhist would become Christian? God forbid. … But each must assimilate the spirit of the others and yet preserve his individuality and grow according to his own law of growth. …[H]oliness, purity, and charity are not the exclusive possessions of any church in the world and ... every system has produced men and women of the most exalted character. In the face of this evidence, if anybody dreams of the exclusive survival of his own religion and the destruction of the others, I pity him from the bottom of my heart, and point out to him that upon the banner of every religion will soon be written in spite of resistance: ‘Help and not fight,’ ‘Assimilation and not Destruction,’ ‘Harmony and Peace and not Dissension.’ (Vivekananda, closing address at the Chicago Parliament of Religions)2 “Perennial Philosophy”: Renaissance (neo-Platonist) idea popular in the 19th century that all great religions point to the same universal metaphysical truths. Embraced by the New England Transcendentalist movement (Thoreau, Emerson, Alcott, Whitman), the Unitarians, the Theosophical Society (Blavatsky, Besant, Olcott), Neo- Vedanta (Vivekananda, Aurobindo, S. Radhakrishnan), and the Traditionalists (Guénon, Coomaraswamy, Sichuan, Huston Smith). Further popularized by Aldous Huxley in The Perennial Philosophy (1945). Sanātana Dharma: term for the universal truths and practices of Hinduism, used in 19th and 20th centuries as part of Hindu Modernism movement, which elevated Hinduism to “world religion” status. Hindu Modernists (Ram Mohan Roy, Vivekananda, S. Radhakrishnan, M.K. Gandhi) deemphasized “tantric” influences and emphasized doctrine of pan-entheism (God in everything). 1947 British rule of India ends with Independence and Partition into India (Hindu) and Pakistan (Muslim). 1948 British rule of Burma ends. 1 SeanFeitOakes.com | 2017 “Modern Postural Yoga”: the southern lineage 1926 Tirumalai Krishnamacharya (TK) hired by Māharāja of Mysore to teach yoga to his family at the palace. 1933 TK founds Mysore Yogashala. The Māhārāja’s heir cuts off funding and the shala closes in 1950. 1927 Śri K Pattabhi Jois begins 26 year study with TK while at Mysore Sanskrit College. 1934 BKS Iyengar studies with brother-in-law TK “for about ten or fifteen days” over 2 years.3 1937 Iyengar starts teaching in Pune. Becomes famous in West after teaching violinist Yehudi Menuhin. 1938 Russian actress Eugenie Peterson moves to India, changes her name to Indra Devi, acts in Indian films, and studies with TK. 1939 opens yoga school in Shanghai, then in 1948 opens studio in Hollywood. 1948 K. Pattabhi Jois opens Ashtanga Yoga Research Institute in Mysore. Founds Ashtanga yoga system. 1960 TK’s son, TKV Desikachar, a structural engineer, begins 29 year study with his father. Founds Viniyoga. Globalized schools of yoga descended from southern lineage: Iyengar, founded by BKS Iyengar (1937) Ashtanga, founded by Śri K Pattabhi Jois (1948). Basis of modern power yoga and vinyasa flow styles. Viniyoga, founded by TKV Desikachar and student Gary Kraftsow. Anusara, founded by John Friend in 1997, based on Iyengar alignment and Siddha philosophy. (Ends 2012). Jivamukti, founded by David Life and Sharon Gannon (1984). “Modern Postural Yoga”: the northern lineage 1936 Shivananda Saraswati founds Divine Life Society in Rishikesh 1943 Satyananda Saraswati arrives at Shivananda ashram, takes sannyasa in 1947. 1947 Vishnudevananda takes sannyasa, becomes first prof. of Hatha Yoga at Yoga-Vedanta Forest Academy. 1949 After studying with Ramana Maharishi, Satchidananda takes sannyasa with Shivananda. 1956 Swami Satyananda wanders as a yogi beggar through India. Opens Bihar School of Yoga in 1964. 1959 Vishnudevananda opens first Sivananda Yoga Vedanta Centre in Montreal, Canada. Globalized schools of yoga descended from northern lineage: Shivananda, founded by Vishnudevananda (1959) Integral, founded by Satchidananda (1966) Bihar, founded by Satyananda (1964) Yasodhara/Hidden Language, founded by Shivananda Radha, a German female initiate of Shivananda Other prominent systems: Kripalu: founded by Amrit Desai following his teacher Kripalvananda. Teaches spontaneous āsana. Bikram: founded by “All India Yoga Champion” Bikram Choudhury. Original form of “hot yoga.” Siddha: founded by Muktananda, disciple of Nityananda. Current head Gurumayi Chidvilasananda. Kundalini & 3HO: founded by Yogi Bhajan (Sikh). Uses original exercises to awaken kundalini/energy. 2 SeanFeitOakes.com | 2017 Śri T. Krishnamacharya: Yoga Makaranda (1934), excerpts4 The philosophy of yoga is to withdraw the mind from external activities, to draw its focus inwards, and to bring it into deep concentration. … Only after practising according to krama [correct order] for a period of time will the yogabhyasi gain strength of body, good health and happiness, and the mind will mainly reside in sattvaguna. (7-8) … From practising only asana, one gains strength of the body; from the practice of only the yama, one develops compassion towards all living beings; from practising only pranayama, it is possible to achieve long life and good health. … [If] one follows ahimsa, satya, astheya, aparigraha, and brahmacharya systematically without fail, one develops a relationship of affection and compassion not just for other people but equally for all living beings. This attitude of perceiving all living beings with total impartiality (equality) is essential for the welfare of society. … The five niyama are sauca, santosha, tapas, svadhyaya, and isvara pranidhana. If one follows them as krama, then riots, anger, hatred and aversion will become illusory and will slowly disappear from society. ...Asana practice renders correct blood circulation. The snayus (ligaments) and various parts of the body will function at the perfect, ultimate level. … Because of the power of pranayama practice, one develops strength in the bones, the bone marrow and the heart; one develops the brain, the head, the anna kosam, the fat layer, the mana kosam, the strength of breath and prana, and longevity; it sharpens the senses, strengthens the intellect and the voice and purifies the blood. ... Lack or weakness of viryam leads to lack of strength which leads to the atrophy of bones. Such a condition leads one to suffer from tuberculosis. Whoever has no impurities in their blood will never develop any disease, and their body will develop a kind of glow. How can darkness reside where there is sunlight? (8-9) ...There is a unique special aspect to dhyana. That is, suppose one practises pranayama, pratyahara and dharana to control the mind and is able to acquire a state of ekagrata or focus the mind in one direction. Such a person, if he thinks about some situation or matter and wishes that it should or should not occur, events will happen according to his wishes. (14) Our ancients, the great rishis, followers of their sanatana dharma from the beginning of time, became experts in yama, niyama, asana, pranayama, pratyahara, dharana, dhyana, and samadhi, stopped all external movements of the mind, and through the path of raja yoga attained a high state of happiness in this world and beyond. And they continue until this day to experience this. But during ancient times, all were skilled yoga practitioners and therefore had good health and strength, were blessed with a long life and were able to serve society. But just as due to bad association one acquires wrong gunas, nowadays due to bad influences people have slipped from the path of sanatana dharma and yoga and are perpetually sick, age quickly, have a short life-span, have become precocious and, shamefully, lead a selfish life. (16) ...Everyone has a right to do yoga. Everyone — brahmin, kshatriya, vaishya, sudra, gñani, strong, women, men, young, the old and very old, the sick, the weak, boys, girls, etcetera, all are entitled to yogabhyasa with no restrictions on age or caste. This is because yogabhyasa rapidly gives maximum visible benefits to all. … Everyone is entitled, irrespective of caste, to follow the path of yogabhyasa even in order to obtain divine virtues and the resulting eight animadi siddhis, and, if one ignores these siddhis, to proceed further 3 SeanFeitOakes.com | 2017 on the ultimate path. But many do not agree with this opinion. This only reveals their confusion and the absence of a sattvic state of mind. (The sastras do not forbid yoga for anyone.) Whoever wishes to do yoga has the right to do it. Yet whoever it is, it is very important that they should only learn all the aspects and practise it under the guidance of a proper guru. … But “Ruffians, those who eat wrong food, talk filth or use abusive language, those who speak ill of others, lie about others, are obsessed with food, those who are addicted to sensual pleasures, those who pretend to be good, those who destroy and cheat, carry aversion in the mind, those who are disrespectful of the vedas, are alcoholics, or have any such bad habits, these people, no matter what caste or religion, are not fit to practise yoga.” This is firmly stated by Gherandacarya.
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