A History of Modern Yoga: Patañjali and Western EsotericismIn recent years yoga and meditation have become mass-market pursuits in the West. A History of Modern Yoga traces this phenomenon back to its ideological roots in the esoteric circles of late 18th century Bengal, then follows some of its main developments to date. Fully-fledged Modern Yoga, the author argues, started with the publication of Swami Vivekananda's seminal Raja Yoga (1896), in which Patanjali's Yoga Sutras were reconfigured along the lines of a then emerging New Age style of secularised and individualistically oriented religiosity. But what exactly are yoga and meditation as taught and practised today? Many committed practitioners and sympathisers take them to be straight continuations, or even rediscoveries, of ancient South Asian religious practices, but use peculiarly modern ideas when they define them as powerful tools for cultivating one's human potential' and as ultimately aimed at achieving 'self-realisation'. Thus, despite the fact that Modern Yoga encapsulates many religio-philosophical presuppositions (some of which are discussed in this book), it is often characterised as a 'philosophy' or as 'a way of life' rather than as 'religion' per se. In order to map t |
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Page xiii
... especially the Faculty of Divinity and the Faculty of Oriental Studies have provided an ideal setting for my further research work . I am greatly indebted to Dr John Smith and Dr Eivind Kahrs , whose Sanskrit courses I attended in the ...
... especially the Faculty of Divinity and the Faculty of Oriental Studies have provided an ideal setting for my further research work . I am greatly indebted to Dr John Smith and Dr Eivind Kahrs , whose Sanskrit courses I attended in the ...
Page 161
... especially so prāṇāyāma , in the light of mesmeric theories , we find direct links to these tenets in Rāja Yoga . After what has been said about his evaluation of Harmonial beliefs this is hardly surprising . Vivekananda's mesmeric ...
... especially so prāṇāyāma , in the light of mesmeric theories , we find direct links to these tenets in Rāja Yoga . After what has been said about his evaluation of Harmonial beliefs this is hardly surprising . Vivekananda's mesmeric ...
Page 197
... especially committed to integrating the scientific ( quantitative and empirical ) and the spec- ulative - scholarly study of yoga.21 Krishnamacharya was sent by the Mysore Palace to observe this institution's work as early as 1934 ( ILW ...
... especially committed to integrating the scientific ( quantitative and empirical ) and the spec- ulative - scholarly study of yoga.21 Krishnamacharya was sent by the Mysore Palace to observe this institution's work as early as 1934 ( ILW ...
Contents
Introduction | 1 |
Some notes on terminology | 7 |
3 Imagination and mediations | 22 |
Copyright | |
20 other sections not shown
Other editions - View all
A History of Modern Yoga: Patanjali and Western Esotericism Elizabeth De Michelis Limited preview - 2005 |
A History of Modern Yoga: Patañjali and Western Esotericism Elizabeth De Michelis No preview available - 2004 |
A History of Modern Yoga: Patan~jali and Western Esotericism Elizabeth De Michelis No preview available - 2014 |
Common terms and phrases
Acculturation Age religion āsana assimilated aṣṭāngayoga B. K. S. Iyengar become beliefs Bengali body Brahmo Samaj British Chapter Christian classical Hinduism concept contemporary context cultic milieu cultural Datta Debendranath Tagore developments dhyāna discourses discussed divine doctrinal elaborations esoteric esotericism especially example forms Halbfass Hanegraaff 1996 hathayoga healing Hindu Hinduism human ibid ideas ideological India influence intellectual interpretations Iyengar Yoga Keshubchandra knowledge Kopf Light on Yoga LOYSP meditation mesmeric Metaphysical mind Modern Postural Yoga Modern Yoga mysticism nature Neo-Hindu Neo-Vedāntic occultism occultistic Oriental Orientalist Patañjali popular practice practitioners Prana prāṇāyāma psychological quoted Raja Rāja Yoga Ramakrishna movement Rammohan realization religious ritual role Roy's samādhi Samādhi Model Sanskrit schools secular Self-realization Sen's soul spiritual Swami Vivekananda Tagore's teachers teachings theory thought tradition translation types universe Upanisad Vedanta West Western esotericism Yoga Institute Yoga Sutras Yogi yogic