A huge thank you to JAMES MALLINSON for an extraordinary weekend discussing the origins of Hatha Yoga on the Yoga Teacher Training course. I’ve never encounter anyone with such insight and profound understanding about the traditions of yoga. His 20-hour presentation, that included photos, film and traditional yoga techniques, was sweeping in scope from the Indus valley civilisation, through the emergence of yogic thought in the classical texts, as well as obscure texts that he has personally translated from sanskrit, to yoga practices still done by sadhus in India today. What was truly extraordinary is that everything he said was backed up by references in texts, always finding the original sources that disputed what was commonly thought in later texts. He argued how certain texts like the Hatha Yoga Pradipika had an exclusionary agenda that placed the Nath tradition at the forefront of yogic practice and overlaid tantric practices on to the physical yoga techniques that were quite distinct from each other. He identified verses where different aspects of yoga from mantra, pranayama, kriyas, nada yoga, dharana/dhyana/samadi and asana, were mentioned for the first time, weaving a cultural/historical thread of yoga philosophy and practice, based on original research and actual textual anecdotes. It was so fascinating that you could hear a pin drop. We followed his every word, from the soaring Sanskrit poetry describing non-dual states, to his experiences with his guru and living with Sadhus – all shared with the greatest humility and kindness. Thank you James!
Posted on: Mon, 22 Jul 2013 09:16:48 +0000
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