A Comprehensive History of Yoga

Course Description: This course provides a sweeping overview of the terrain of yoga from its roots in ancient India to its modern iterations far flung from its origin, including the challenges and controversies thereof. Set against the backdrop of synthesized secondary material, we will seek to define yoga and become familiar with its diverse set of practices and precepts. These inquiries will piece together a nuanced understanding of how yoga was and is practiced and represented across the magnificent span of time from the 2nd century to today.

Course Objectives

Upon successful completion of this course, the student will be able to:

• Create a nuanced definition of yoga and identify its origins.

• Demonstrate knowledge of yoga’s historico-cultural evolution.

• Differentiate between periods of yogic development.

• Understand various textual sources and representations of yoga.

• Construe how yoga is practiced and portrayed in current-day.

Recommended Reading

Sarbacker, Stuart Ray. Tracing the Path of Yoga: The History and Philosophy of Indian

Mind-Body Discipline

Jain, Andrea R. Selling Yoga: From Counterculture to Pop Culture

Lucia, Amanda J. White Utopias: The Religious Exoticism of Transformational Festivals.

Mallinson, James, and Mark Singleton. Roots of Yoga.

Singleton, Mark. Yoga Body: The Origins of Modern Posture Practice.

Dates and Times

Thursdays, 6-7:30pm

Meeting 1- May 16th 6-7:30pm

Meeting 2- June 6th 6-7:30pm

Meeting 3- June 27th 6-7:30pm

Meeting 4- July 18th 6-7:30pm

Meeting 5- August 8th 6-7:30pm

Course Schedule

Meeting 1 Defining Yoga: A History

Meeting 2 The Classical Hindu Model of Yoga: Pātañjala Yoga and Aṣṭāṅgayoga

Meeting 3 Transformations of Yoga: Epic, Purāṇic, Bhakti, Tantra, and Haṭhayoga

Meeting 4 The Origins of Modern Posture Practice

Meeting 5 Yoga, Consumerism, Appropriation, Whiteness, and Where is Yoga Going?