Explorez tous les épisodes du podcast Ancient Futures

To what extent is yoga compatible with drama? Performance is in some ways the opposite of inward focus, yet it might still be enhanced by yogic practices.

Sergei Tcherkasski is a theatre director and teacher of acting at the Russian State Institute of Performing Arts. He is also the author of Stanislavsky and Yoga, which explores a key influence on the Russian pioneer of modern acting techniques.

Konstantin Stanislavsky’s system helped actors tap into their inner experiences, enabling them to embody a fictional character and perform more believably. This inspired what American followers such as Lee Strasberg called “method acting” and shaped what’s taught in drama schools all over the world.

As Sergei explains, about a third of the first-year acting curriculum is influenced by yoga, which Stanislavsky learned in the early 20th century. He did so not by visiting India but from reading translated books by an American attorney who wrote under the pseudonym “Yogi Ramacharaka”.

We talk about the hybrid ideas that Ramacharaka presented, and why their worldly emphasis might be more helpful than traditional teachings on transcendence – as argued by the Polish director Jerzy Grotowski. We also consider which modern schools of yoga might be best suited to training actors.

Among other names we discuss are Stella Adler and Sanford Meisner, two other influential American acting coaches. Plus Sergei highlights the term perezhivanie (переживание), which translates as “emotional experience”. He once made a film about Stanislavsky and yoga, which is available on YouTube.

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What distinguishes self-centredness from care for oneself? To what extent is emotional healing a spiritual practice? How might an inner sense of safety and connection fuel better relationships and more sustainable ways of living?

Justin Michelson is a meditation teacher, author and wilderness guide. His recent book The Dharma of Healing is billed by its publisher as: “A handbook for spiritual freedom in an age of global crisis”. Its focus is on changing responses to difficult feelings, which otherwise block the development of wisdom and compassion.

Our conversation explores Justin’s fusion of Buddhist perspectives with modern psychology. We discuss what it means to heal personal wounds, as well as how that relates to taking better care of each other and the world. We also reflect on a tension between accepting what is and facilitating change.

Justin’s book provides a practical guide to the transformative power of self-compassion. It’s accompanied by guided meditations, available here.

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What inspired the idea of being “spiritual but not religious”? Modern quests for experiential insight have diverse roots. Influences range from the work of Aldous Huxley – The Perennial Philosophy and The Doors of Perception – to the 12 steps of Alcoholics Anonymous and their references to “God as we understood Him”.

Don Lattin is the author of Distilled Spirits: Getting High, Then Sober, with a Famous Writer, a Forgotten Philosopher, and a Hopeless Drunk, which highlights the impact of Gerald Heard, who got Huxley interested in Eastern wisdom, and turned on many others to LSD – including Bill Wilson, the co-founder of AA.

This book is the prequel to an earlier bestseller, The Harvard Psychedelic Club: How Timothy Leary, Ram Dass, Huston Smith, and Andrew Weil Killed the Fifties and Ushered in a New Age for America. That grew out of Don’s career as a reporter, covering religion for the San Francisco Chronicle while becoming an addict and alcoholic.

We discuss how his own story overlaps with those he writes about, from religious doubts to experiencing oneness on LSD. In the process, we explore whether altered states lead to mystical insights or resolve mental health issues – topics addressed by Don’s recent books, God on Psychedelics and Changing Our Minds.

These days, Don shares reflections on cults and other new religious movements via his Substack, Messiahs I Have Known, which I highly recommend.

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How might humans relate to other beings if we saw ourselves as animals? What if beastliness had positive qualities, instead of being seen as a defect to exorcise? Which natural tendencies might we embody if we paid more attention to ancestral insights?

Elizabeth Sulis Kim is the author of the recently published Book of Beasts, which is subtitled “Reclaiming Animal Wisdom”. She is also the founding editor of Cunning Folk, an independent magazine about magic, folklore, mythology and the occult.

Our conversation explores how these interests overlap, with a particular focus on the power of telling stories to present new possibilities – or as Cunning Folk puts it: “to innovate, we have to imagine”. In the process, we consider how to foster better treatment of animals and live more harmoniously with our surroundings.

Elizabeth’s second book, The Art of Folklore: A Visual Miscellany of Myths, Lore and Legend will be published next year. She’s also working on a novel that examines how the stories we tell shape our future.

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Practically speaking, what does it mean to wake up? It’s literally the opposite of falling asleep, so it involves being aware. But since the Buddha’s name means he awakened, the bar seems quite high.

This conversation with my friend Matthew Green reflects on what we’ve learned from decades of practice – not least that it’s ultimately not about us. So we talk about ways of processing unhelpful conditioning, avoiding being triggered and the value of what Matthew calls “relational mysticism” – i.e. doing this communally.

Matthew is global investigations editor for the climate website DeSmog. Having trained as a collective trauma integration facilitator with Thomas Hübl, he co-hosts the What Is Collective Healing? podcast, writes Resonant World, and is co-founder of the Resonant Man international men’s group. He offers Tarot readings here.

The book I quote from at one point is Awareness by Anthony de Mello. Matthew also mentions his wife Genevieve, a clinical psychologist and parenting coach.

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How much has yoga changed over the past 2,000 years? 🤔

In one sense, very little – assuming yoga means a state beyond mental activity, as ancient texts teach. However, nowadays, it mostly refers to something else – the regular practice of sequences of postures that developed more recently.

My new book, The Evolution of Modern Yoga, is an engaging guide to the shifts in priorities that shaped new methods and objectives over the centuries, making yoga more appealing to contemporary practitioners. Drawing on the latest research, it examines key trends, influential teachers and issues of authenticity, among other topics. The overall aim is to explore how innovation relates to tradition.

This episode includes a brief sample, along with some reflections on broader ideas. The book is part of a series from the Oxford Centre for Hindu Studies. It will be published in October and it’s available for pre-order now via the following links: bookshop.org, amazon.com, amazon.co.uk

See the publisher’s website for other online options, along with endorsements. And send me an email if you have any questions about placing orders or anything else.

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What if everything we think is a dream? Would nothing be real? Or might it reveal how to live in infinity, untroubled by suffering? 🤯

Tamara Cohen wrote her PhD about the Yogavāsiṣṭha – a text whose original name was the Mokṣopāya, or “means to liberation”. Structured as a dialogue between the sage Vasiṣṭha and the young prince Rāma, it explains how to set oneself free from conceptual delusions.

As we discuss, the text suggests its method is the ultimate summary of all possible philosophies. In the process, it incorporates yoga alongside Buddhism, Śaiva Tantra and – in the Yogavāsiṣṭha – non-dual Vedānta. It also brings ideas to life by telling stories, presenting worlds within worlds that stretch beyond imagination.

You can find out more about Tamara’s work here. She taught a course on the text at the start of this year and she’s writing a book about its teachings on yoga. For now, she recommends this translation by Swami Venkatesananda (which can be found online). The Sanskrit of the Mokṣopāya is here – it’s also available in German.

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What might we learn about mental resilience from ancient Greek mythology? 💭

Sam Akbar is a clinical psychologist and Oxford-trained classicist. Her new book is The Odyssey Mindset, which explores timeless guidance from Homer’s epic on finding purpose and strength in the face of life’s challenges.

Sam’s speciality is trauma. She’s worked with refugees who’ve fled torture, war and sexual violence, and she draws on that experience to address a general audience with practical suggestions for overcoming difficulties.

Together, we consider how Odysseus’s long journey home can be read as a metaphor for seeking security. We also discuss how it helps to have mentors, perhaps including therapists, and to identify core values with which one aligns.

Along the way, we talk about this trailer for Christopher Nolan’s new Odyssey movie, as well as the translation by Emily Wilson that Sam recommends.

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What if yoga meant technology, jihad or sex with multiple partners? 😳

That’s just a sample of the thought-provoking papers presented in Paris at the Yoga Darśana Yoga Sādhana conference last week. This podcast shares a few reflections on what was discussed, plus my own presentation on misleading books that manipulate readers to generate sales (slides available here).

Expanding on a range of conversations across other panels, I also outline some possible responses to broader concerns about misinformation. In the process, I consider ways to bridge gaps between scholars, yoga teachers and practitioners, journalists, activists and the general public.

Recordings of some keynote presentations will be uploaded here via the YouTube channel of the SOAS Centre of Yoga Studies. I also referenced a talk about fascist yogis by Emily Ward, which is available here. Meanwhile, my critical reviews of Shyam Ranganathan’s and Stewart Home’s books are here and here.

The next YDYS conference will be held in Finland in 2028. To stay informed about plans, join the mailing list here at yogaresearch.org, where you can also find resources from scholars. And for more thoughts from me, see this earlier episode.

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How might we be inspired by a worldwide community of Yiddish-speaking Jews, whose cultural identity was broadly internationalist?

David Mazower is the author of Yiddish: A Global Culture, which accompanies an exhibit he curated at the Yiddish Book Center in Amherst, Massachusetts.

Our conversation explores the heritage and influence of Yiddish – the everyday language of East European Jews, which became a diaspora lingua franca and the medium for bold creativity, from avant-garde art and subversive writing to radical politics that shaped socialist and anarchist movements.

David’s great-grandfather, Sholem Asch, was a pioneering Yiddishist writer and another of his ancestors – his father’s father Max – was a revolutionary in tsarist Russia, becoming involved with a socialist party called the Bund, whose deeply humanistic perspective has since been marginalised.

As David observes, the impact of the Bund is now the focus of a book by Molly Crabapple (titled Here Where We Live is Our Country). And an outing of London Bundists from the early 1900s features on the cover of David’s book.

Before joining the Yiddish Book Center as its research bibliographer and editorial director, David was a senior journalist with BBC World News and deputy curator of the Jewish Museum London. He writes for a range of publications on topics from Yiddish theatre and popular culture to British Jewish history.

Selected highlights from the exhibit that accompanies his book are available here. There’s also a digital guide via the Bloomberg Connects app (see here for details).

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What defines the right thing to do, and how helpful is yoga in doing it? 🤔

Yogic traditions present different frameworks for ethical conduct, with varying degrees of engagement in worldly affairs. If their aim is to promote liberation, can they also support human rights? Might ideas about the highest good, or a self in all beings, provide orientation? If so, which philosophy seems the best fit?

Brett Parris explored these themes – among many others – for a doctorate from Oxford. A book based on his thesis, which was titled Yogic Metaethics: Comparing Patañjali’s Yoga, Nondual Śaivism, and Vedānta, is now in the works, and he recently presented his findings here.

Together, we discuss how key teachings relate to modern challenges. At one point, I quote this line by the sceptical scholar Agehananda Bharati (from his book The Light at the Center): “You don’t learn ethical behavior through yoga and meditation any more than you learn loving your neighbors by playing poker or cello.”

🎙️ Thanks to Gerard Harris for help with the audio. Gerard also wrote the podcast music – more of his productions are uploaded here.

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How reliable are articles on yoga by contributors to Wikipedia? 🤷‍♂️

More than they used to be, thanks to the input of Ian Alexander, who’s personally edited between a third and half of them. Many meet the criteria for what the free encyclopaedia calls a “good article” – combining clear and neutral writing with verifiable sourcing and broad coverage.

For the 25 years since Wikipedia launched, it’s been dependent on the work of volunteers. In an age of hallucinating chatbots, this human commitment is all the more striking. Our conversation explores how it works, why Ian got involved and where the yoga WikiProject might go from here.

We also talk about other things – from pages on the writings of Tolkien to Swami Propagandananda, a nickname for Sivananda that Ian included in one of his edits. He’s a longstanding yoga practitioner, as well as writing books about nature and software engineering.

For more on Wikipedia, and the principles of trust it depends on, see this book by founder Jimmy Wales – thanks to Dominik Wujastyk for the recommendation.

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What does it mean to be human in the age of AI? 🤖

How old is the fear of machines taking over? What might we learn about how to respond from previous examples? Is technology dehumanising or can it also be liberating? How could philosophy expand our understanding of its potential?

Dan Turello is a cultural historian, photographer and author. His new book Connection: How Technology Can Make Us Better Humans explores a middle way between nostalgia and utopianism, focusing closely on social dimensions.

Together, we consider both the perils and the promise of technology, drawing inspiration from a range of perspectives – including those of Christian mystics, contemporary philosophers, yogic traditions and Battlestar Galactica.

An excerpt from Dan’s book was recently published by the New Yorker. He holds a PhD in Romance Languages and Literatures from Harvard and is a Fellow at the Center for the Future of Mind, AI & Society at Florida Atlantic University.

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How do we know what we think we know? Are our opinions our own, or are they conditioned by external influences? What helps to balance opposing views? How important are such questions to yoga – both philosophically and practically?

This podcast explores some of the voices in my head. It was inspired by a recent conversation about the Yoga Sūtra on my year-long course, The Path of Knowledge. There are also ingredients from Gavin Flood, a colleague at the Oxford Centre for Hindu Studies, plus an essay on tensions between scholars and practitioners.

That article cites writing by C. W. Huntington, Jr. – particularly Māyā, a novel he describes as “a first person narrative rooted in the literary tradition of Henry Miller, Thomas Merton, Jack Kerouac, and Carlos Castaneda”, and his last book, What I Don’t Know About Death. It also draws on Robert M. Pirsig’s Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance (about which more here, in a BBC broadcast).

🗣️ P.S. the discussion I mention in the podcast introduction is available here.

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If mindfulness has drawbacks, what’s the alternative? 🤔

Ron Purser is perhaps best known as the author of McMindfulness, critiquing the movement as “capitalist spirituality”. His latest book Mind Space is radical in other ways. It considers how to meditate without being a meditator – inspired by the writings of Tarthang Tulku, a Tibetan Buddhist lama.

As Ron sees it, one problem with mindfulness is its view of the self as an “inner manager”. Striving to control things narrows the focus to coping with stress, which can overlook its causes. By contrast, Mind Space dismantles the manager to see past self-centredness. We discuss how that works, and revisit questions Ron raised in McMindfulness, particularly regarding the influence of Jon Kabat–Zinn.

Ron is a professor of management at San Francisco State University. He teaches courses at Dharma College, hosts The Mindful Cranks podcast and contributes to various media. Recent highlights include an interview with the New Yorker and a takedown of life coaching for Current Affairs magazine.

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Although Buddhism is widely considered a peaceful tradition, some of its monks incite hatred and slaughter. Sonia Faleiro explores this trend in her latest book The Robe and the Sword: How Buddhist Extremism is Shaping Modern Asia.

Drawing on reporting from Sri Lanka, Myanmar and Thailand, she unflinchingly shows how extremists target minorities, highlights alliances between ethnic nationalists who demonise Muslims, and reflects on resistance to militant Buddhism.

Together, we look at the roots of these disturbing developments, from traumatic impacts of British colonialism to political rivalries and economic grievances. In the process, we talk about the legacy of Aung San Suu Kyi, monastic misconduct in Thailand and self-immolation, among many other topics.

Sonia is also the author of The Good Girls – documenting the killing of two Indian teenagers – and Beautiful Thing, about Bombay’s dance bars. She has co-edited a collection of testimonies from Gaza and is the founder of South Asia Speaks, a mentorship programme for emerging writers.

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How do I interpret my rollercoaster ride on the yogic path? 🎢

This is a different sort of podcast to the usual interview – my guest today is my younger self. Responding to a listener’s question, I reflect on how to deal with the challenging “ups and downs of the yogic journey”.

To help with that, I turn to the writings of Hermann Hesse – particularly his novel Siddhartha, which features a character whose strong-willed independent streak reminds me of mine…

When Siddhartha complains to his companion Govinda that they’ll never get enlightened by ascetic austerities, he’s urged to rethink. “We have learned a lot,” Govinda reminds him. “We are not going around in circles, we are moving up, the circle is a spiral, we have already ascended many a level.”

Siddhartha disagrees and departs – a recurring pattern. Having done something similar myself a few too many times for comfort, I share what I’ve learned about commitment and detachment – and the need to strike a balance.

In the process, I mention an interview I did a little while ago, a Siddhartha book club, and a recent podcast episode inviting listeners to ask me anything.

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Can wisdom be taught? What if it were more about questions than finding "the answer"? How might reading be a meditative practice? Can writing from earlier centuries provide inspiration without mediation by academic experts?

Valentin Gerlier is a scholar, musician and author, who is also the founder of the School of Sophia – a new hybrid educational platform that explores these sorts of subjects. “Inspired by the ancient Wisdom Schools”, its seminars are grounded in collective inquiry, with experiential insights as part of the process.

Our conversation considers how wisdom relates to worldly action. The school’s curriculum asks about power: “Can it flourish for the good, or is it something to surrender?” Could a deeper intelligence help? In addition to discussing that, we explore some of the influences on Valentin’s work, including:

* Mysticism, Joseph Milne and the Temenos Academy

* Krishnamurti, Theosophy and Brockwood Park School

* Satish Kumar, Schumacher College and Small is Beautiful

The texts for this term are The Tempest by William Shakespeare and Simone Weil’s Gravity and Grace. A recorded introductory meeting will be archived here. Weekly sessions are on Mondays from February 2, with in-person gatherings to follow.

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What exactly is Tantra, and how do modern teachings relate to traditions? Which other ideas inform intimacy workshops? Why is there often an emphasis on secrecy and power, and how is this exploited to enable abuse?

Tova Olsson is a scholar of religion, as well as a teacher of yoga and Tantra. Our conversation explores these questions, along with many others – particularly the prevalence of what Tova calls “erotic spirituality”, and the extent to which Indian sources inform its practices. We also consider why tantric empowerment involves crossing boundaries, and whether non-duality dissolves accountability.

In the process, we talk about scandals in multiple schools – from MISA and its offshoots (discussed in this Observer article and BBC podcast) to Siddha Yoga (the focus of a 1994 New Yorker exposé) and The New Tantra (whose founder features in this clip from Swedish public television).

Tova’s academic work is available here – including articles on MISA and a Siddha Yoga teacher. She is the author of a book about yoga and Tantra, and teaches online courses at Saraswati Studies, which is also her handle on Instagram.

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What would you like me to talk about in 2026? 🗣️

As another year draws to a close, I’m reflecting on new types of podcasts. Today marks my 75th episode and while I plan to continue with the interview format, I’m also working on other ideas – including answering questions about any topic.

So if there’s anything you want me to clarify, or to investigate, or if you have a dilemma you’d like to resolve from a yogic perspective, please get in touch – all suggestions and questions are welcome. Here are some from when I ran a “yoga problem page” a couple of years back:

* How (Not) to Fight Injustice

* Psychedelics, Yoga and Consciousness

* The Yoga of Discord

* Is the Truth of Yoga Communicable?

* Solitude, Solace and Community

There’s no need to replicate those, or to focus on yoga – I’m genuinely open to anything, though I won’t blag an answer if I’m clueless. But I will do my best to ground whatever I say in yogic teachings – as well as exploring what might need rethinking to make them apply to contemporary challenges.

I’ve shared some other examples in today’s podcast – responding to questions from Gabriel Maldonado, who hosts Living Yoga, and Peter Sterios and Crystal Ariel on My Inner Teacher (click the links for full versions of both conversations).

For now, I’d like to wish you a happy and healthy new year! 🥳

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What does it mean to choose wisely? Which kinds of values support this? To what extent are they related to ethics? How similar are Indian traditions to modern ideas about what to prioritise? Might teachings need reframing to speak to us clearly?

Simon Haas presents ancient wisdom for everyday life. He is the author of The Book of Dharma – subtitled “Making Enlightened Choices” – and Yoga and the Dark Night of the Soul, which draws on ideas from the Bhagavad Gītā. He’s also spoken on these topics at the United Nations, and offers a wide range of workshops and seminars.

Together, we discuss what he calls the Dharma Code, a framework of principles informing wise conduct. These overlap with ethical precepts, and help people fulfil their potential. We nonetheless reflect on drawbacks to expecting any system to have all the answers, since it's helpful to find one’s own way.

Although Simon is adept at making subjects accessible, he is also a scholar with an Oxford PhD – you can find out more about his research here.

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What exactly is Kuṇḍalinī? It depends... What began as an energetic metaphor has morphed into a framework for transcending trauma, and much else besides. Does a snake-like entity really ascend? What sparks the experience? If it happens by chance, how should someone respond? There are few simple answers.

Sravana Borkataky-Varma and Anya Foxen are co-authors of The Serpent’s Tale, subtitled “Kuṇḍalinī, Yoga and the History of an Experience.” Both are scholars as well as practitioners – of Tantra (Sravana) and yoga (Anya) – and their research combines historical analysis with people’s experiences.

Together, we explore why it can be hard to differentiate the physical from the psychological and the spiritual. We also ask if there are limits to what Kuṇḍalinī stands for and reflect on the challenges involved in defining them. In the process, we consider why reports of Kuṇḍalinī awakenings are increasingly common.

Although The Serpent’s Tale is an academic book, it’s an engaging guide to some fascinating characters – along with cultural overlaps between East and West that explain the evolution of Kuṇḍalinī narratives over the centuries. As we discuss, the most famous of these is the story of Gopi Krishna.

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What if change had more to do with relationships than miracle solutions? Which priorities help them work better? How does one take meaningful action without having the power to determine its outcomes? Who ought to act if not us?

In this podcast, I talk about these questions – along with many others – with Jessica Böhme, PhD. Jes is the founder and director of the Institute for Practical ekoPhilosophy, “a post-disciplinary research and education institute dedicated to cultivating wisdom as a way of life for personal and planetary transformation.”

She also writes wild:philosophy, a weekly Substack newsletter that offers “no easy answers, only better questions”, and runs a monthly PhilosophyGym, where people can “stretch their thinking” and “stay supple with uncertainty”. We consider how these qualities cultivate agency, and how that translates to effective activism.

Jes describes her priorities as “personal development in service of the whole”, and encourages people to think about life as a laboratory. Some of her experiments are listed here, including wearing one outfit for over a year. The point is not to find a magic answer, she says, but to be open to exploration.

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What distinguishes contemporary breath-control from earlier prāṇāyāma? 💨

To what extent have external influences shaped Indian practices? How have things changed since the mid-nineteenth century? How might that relate to broader trends in yoga history?

Lena Kraler is the author of Yoga Breath: Prāṇa and Prāṇāyāma in Early Modern Yoga. Her research explores the reinterpretation of breath-based techniques in light of ideas from Western occultism, fitness and science, as well as Hindu reform movements and nationalist responses to colonial rule.

Our conversation explores how these currents inspired new approaches – from the origins of “deep” and “rhythmic” breathing to reinvented metaphors for teachings that date back to the early Upaniṣads and beyond. As a result, we chart the many continuities that coexist with change.

Before her PhD work on prāṇāyāma, Lena’s focus was dance and music, which she now teaches – alongside religion – to early years educators. You can find out more about her research here. She also mentioned Karl Baier (who posts work here), and Anya Foxen (whom I interviewed here).

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What distinguishes fiction from facts? John le Carré is renowned for Cold War spy thrillers, yet over half his books were published after 1990 and they tackled modern issues that he had to research. A new exhibition in Oxford documents his methods, and spotlights the networks of experts who helped him.

An accompanying book – titled Tradecraft: Writers on John le Carré – explores their experiences. Reflecting on her trip with the author to Congo, Michela Wrong sheds light on the collaborative process, while demystifying complex subjects such as the malevolent role of Rwanda in fomenting conflict.

Michela is an Africa specialist, whose books tell engaging stories for the general reader. However, as we discuss, the most compelling non-fiction rarely matches the reach of a bestselling novel. We nonetheless reflect on the importance of reporting, and the damaging impact of scaling it back on our shared understanding.

I’ve long been a fan of how le Carré – a.k.a. David Cornwell – laced his plots with psychological drama and moral ambiguity as people struggle to do the right thing. This has a few parallels with epic yoga narratives. Our conversation mostly covers worldly matters, but we also talk about the workings of human delusions.

Finally, for non-UK listeners, here’s some context on Mr Bates vs the Post Office.

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What was the impact of the Osho / Rajneesh cult on the families of members? Why might some people struggle to heal old wounds? To what extent is abuse of children still unacknowledged? How can telling one’s story facilitate recovery?

Lily Dunn is an author, teacher and mentor of literary memoir. She explores its potential in her new book, Into Being, which cites many writers including herself – Lily’s last book, Sins of My Father, describes her enchantment with an absent parent, who joined the Rajneeshees and later drank himself to death.

Examining this tangled relationship revealed her father’s narcissistic avoidance of responsibility. This was common in communes, with painful effects on the children raised there – sex with minors was widespread, as Lily noted in an article that brought her into contact with survivors of abuse.

One was Maroesja Perizonius, a Dutch director with whom Lily worked to develop a film titled Children of the Cult – available here if you’re in the UK, with a trailer here. Their stories were ignored by the Netflix series, Wild Wild Country, which focused instead on other cult transgressions, such as bioterrorism.

Our conversation explores all these topics, along with some practical guidance on writing, and the value of external help – from editors, mentors and therapists – in reducing the risk of self-deception. In the process, we consider what distinguishes creative non-fiction from making things up.

🧘‍♂️ For a modern take on yogic traditions, join me for a course at truthofyoga.com

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What might scholars learn from yoga practitioners, as well as vice versa? To what extent do their worldviews differ? Are their methods of inquiry compatible? Since many academics also practise yoga, as well as educating teachers via courses and trainings, can these roles be compartmentalised?

Theo Wildcroft and Barbora Sojkova are the co-editors of a new book titled Yoga Studies in Five Minutes, presenting short summaries of scholarly knowledge from a burgeoning field. Each of its chapters – written by specialists – answers frequently asked questions, such as “what is samādhi?” and “is yoga a religion?”

Our conversation explores how the book came together, asks if it caters both to academic readers and curious practitioners, and considers why context and critical thinking are important. We also talk about some common misconceptions, while reflecting on limits to what can be known – or at least articulated.

If you’re in the UK, there’s an in-person book launch on November 5 at the Oxford Centre for Hindu Studies. Theo and Barbora are also preparing a round-table about scholarship and practice for the Yoga Darśana Yoga Sādhana conference in Paris next May. In the meantime, recordings of this year’s event are available here.

🙋‍♂️ To explore yogic wisdom from multiple angles, join me for The Path of Knowledge.

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What might we learn from the marginalised stories of women in yogic traditions? 🧘‍♀️

Although female practitioners are prevalent today, ancient texts mostly talk about men. However, broadening the focus beyond ascetic yogis, we find empowered women – as well as awkward truths about social restrictions.

Anjali Rao is the author of Yoga as Embodied Resistance: A Feminist Lens on Caste, Gender, and Sacred Resilience in Yoga History. Our conversation explores hidden links between gender and caste, and the impact of colonialism on social hierarchies. We also discuss inspiring stories of radical females whom Anjali highlights.

Her overall aim is to encourage practitioners to think about ways to expand their perspectives, presenting yoga as an activist path to collective liberation. Her book is published on October 14, and available for pre-order now. She’s also hosting a reading group to talk about ways of dismantling oppression and developing agency.

👀 To integrate multiple perspectives on yoga, join me for The Path of Knowledge.

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What does it mean to be well in yogic terms? How far does this involve integration with natural surroundings? 🌳

Many early teachings prioritise the opposite, promoting withdrawal and inward focus, while the goal in the best-known text – Patañjali’s Yoga Sūtra – is to disengage completely from material things.

This podcast includes a talk I presented this summer at a British Wheel of Yoga event, whose themes were harmony, nature, community and wellbeing (slides available here). I was asked to present some historical context, which sparked conversations about how to reframe things for modern practitioners.

That’s basically the focus of my year-long course, The Path of Knowledge, which starts soon. We explore how yoga evolved from its earliest history to contemporary developments, and reflect on what keeps teachings relevant as well as connected to earlier traditions, while also developing critical thinking skills. Our international group meets on alternate Sundays – find out more and join us here.

🎓 For more courses on yogic wisdom – as well as free talks – visit truthofyoga.com.

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What can we learn from a medieval hermit about how to live? A surprising amount perhaps. Julian of Norwich is the author of the oldest surviving book by a woman in English – her Revelations of Divine Love provides a fascinating guide to what it means to be well despite experiencing suffering.

Hannah Lucas is a scholar of Julian’s work, among other medieval contemplative literature. She explores the entanglement of illness and insight in her recent book Impossible Recovery: Julian of Norwich and the Phenomenology of Well-Being, including what Julian meant by saying “all shall be well” and “we are all one in love”.

Our conversation considers some parallels between Christian mystics and Indian traditions – particularly yoga, which Hannah also teaches. One dimension of this involves facing the world as it is instead of wishing it were otherwise, which has broad implications for everyday life, as we discuss.

See here for an introductory blog about Hannah’s book. She is the Newby Trust Research Fellow in English at Newnham College, University of Cambridge. From October, she will be an Alexander von Humboldt Research Fellow based at the Max Planck Institute for the History of Science and the Technical University Berlin.

🙋‍♂️ To explore the evolution of yogic traditions, join me for The Path of Knowledge.

🧘‍♀️ I’m also running a retreat that draws on highlights from the course (Sep 25-28).

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To what extent has yoga been influenced by socio-political forces, or competition for resources between different groups? Does understanding historical context help to make sense of teachings? What might we learn from the past that’s still relevant today?

Richard Davis is an emeritus professor of religion at Bard College in New York. His latest book, Religions of Early India: A Cultural History, explores the fluidity of ancient traditions, including interactions between Brahmanical renouncers, Buddhists and Jains. He’s also the author of The Bhagavad Gita: A Biography, a fascinating story of how the text has been interpreted over the centuries.

Having taught undergraduates for 35 years, Richard writes accessibly about the big picture, so our conversation surfs across several millennia. We focus in particular on tensions between renunciation and social engagement, as well as a history of cultural exchange. Among other questions, we consider:

* Where ideas about karma and rebirth originated

* What inspired sacred images and religious devotion

* Whether the earliest traditions were goddess-focused

* Whose voices texts leave out, and how to hear them

* Why Siddhartha by Hermann Hesse is insightful

Selections from Richard’s work are posted here. For a list of publications, see here.

🤿 For a year-long immersion in yogic wisdom, join me on The Path of Knowledge.

🧘‍♀️ I’m also running a retreat that incorporates highlights from the course (Sep 25-28).

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What does it mean to have mental plasticity? ♳

Unless the mind is to some extent controlled, it controls our experience. This axiom of yoga philosophy has helpful applications in everyday life – from avoiding being triggered by politics to making wise choices.

Jessica Frazier is a lecturer at Oxford University, and also a fellow of the Oxford Centre for Hindu Studies. She recently organised a conference that discussed the radical nature of Indian ideas about self-transformation. This podcast includes her presentation on yoga, along with a chat about what we can learn from cross-cultural thinking – particularly about phenomenology (a term we unpack).

You can stream more presentations from the conference here, or join the OCHS Virtual Classroom, where subscribers get access to talks on a regular basis. There’s also a range of online courses on yogic traditions and related subjects (some of which I tutor) – a new intake begins on July 27.

🙋‍♂️ For a broad exploration of yogic traditions, join me for The Path of Knowledge.

🧘‍♀️ I’m also running a retreat that draws on highlights from the course (Sep 25-28).

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What might the world look like if heroin was provided on prescription at local pharmacies? 💉

This is not a thought experiment. It used to be the basis of a policy that experts call the “British System” – in the early 1960s in London, the biggest dealer of drugs was Boots the Chemists.

JS Rafaeli is the author of Drug Wars, which documents this history and the crackdown that buried it. His collaborator – Neil Woods – is a retired undercover detective whose experience convinced him the “war on drugs” just made things worse (a story detailed in their first book, Good Cop, Bad War).

In this wide-ranging chat, JS explains how criminalisation has corrupted policing, caused violence to spiral and turned addicts into pyramid salesmen who try to hook others to pay for their fix. Meanwhile, evidence takes a back seat to political agendas, producing policies focused on punishment not public health.

Our conversation considers how to make things safer for everyone concerned, while acknowledging the obstacles to implementing change. In the process, we talk about work to promote wiser policies by organisations such as Transform, and the Law Enforcement Action Partnership in the U.S. and the UK.

🙋‍♂️ To explore the yogic precept of non-harming, join me on The Path of Knowledge.

🧘‍♀️ I’m also running a retreat that incorporates highlights from the course (Sep 25-28).

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To what extent is knowledge an obstacle? Is ignorance bliss? 🤔

Although it can be helpful to admit to not knowing, it rarely feels comfortable. I’ve been reflecting on that recently while working on some writing about yoga and politics, and it’s also a theme on my year-long course, The Path of Knowledge.

This podcast discusses distinctions between what sounds true and what’s verifiable, as well as yogic tensions in seeking the truth by transcending the known. It also talks about the limits of scholarly knowledge and practical insight, while considering ways of balancing both of these perspectives.

Since we really don’t know how much we don’t know about the history of yoga, that can add to discomfort when looking for clarity about what’s authentic, or traditional – or any other word that tries to get grounded in something more certain. However, that can be the start of resolving confusion for oneself.

🙋‍♂️ The recording incorporates clips from a talk that had slides (which are available here) and it includes Q&A about The Path of Knowledge. A new intake starts in September – you can find out more and join us here.

🧘‍♀️ I’m also running a retreat based on some of the highlights from the course – more details here. If you have any questions, send me an email.

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Were the all-embracing visions of William Blake shaped by Indian philosophy? 🪷

A new book by Mark Vernon explores what inspired Blake alongside his influence. Although he died 200 years ago, he was a prophet for our times, perceiving the spirit of some of the issues we're still grappling with – from rapid technological change to mass discontent and estrangement from nature.

Blake is probably best known as an artist and writer, but he was also a mystic and an intellectual critic. Disillusioned by creeping materialism, he sought to awaken an expansive perspective in which everything is holy – which sounds like ideas in the Bhagavad Gītā.

Our conversation explores these parallels, as well as Blake’s Christian roots, and how there’s often more to famous quotes – from “the doors of perception” to “dark Satanic Mills” – than first meets the eye. Above all, we reflect on the transformative power to imagine and how it might transport us into eternity.

Like Blake, Mark has wide-ranging interests, working as a writer, broadcaster and therapist. His books cover ancient philosophy, spiritual intelligence, Dante’s Divine Comedy and many other topics. You can find out more about him here.

🎓 Join me on The Path of Knowledge for a year-long guide to yogic wisdom.

🧘‍♂️ I also have a Swiss retreat in September, exploring a mix of discussion and practice.

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What does it mean to inhabit a world that’s alive with deities, which might be less like gods than enlightened aspects of the mind? How could that influence how we relate to ourselves, to each other and to our surroundings?

Yeshe Palmo has practised tantric Buddhism for roughly four decades, inspired by an empowerment from the Dalai Lama in 1985. Her teacher was Thrangu Rinpoche and in recent years she’s worked with Mingyur Rinpoche's Awareness Yoga – on which more here, along with a video of Yeshe in action.

Our conversation explores her experience from multiple angles, including what inspired her to become a Buddhist nun. We also talk about her M.A. research on how postural yoga can help Western Buddhists before long retreats, and reflect on whether monasteries are necessary to pass on traditions.

Above all, we consider what it means to have a sacred view, and how deities and nature spirits might be helpful in practice – despite potential objections from the rational mind. This episode expands on some themes from the last one (which is archived here), but there’s no need to hear them in order.

🤿 For a year-long immersion in yogic traditions, join me for The Path of Knowledge.

🧘‍♂️ I also have a Swiss retreat in September, exploring a mix of discussion and practice.

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What inspired the creation of Indian sacred images? They played no part in early Vedic rituals, in which priests made offerings into a fire, asking gods for reciprocal blessings. Others did something similar with embodiments of nature, whose spirits – called yakṣas and yakṣīs – were sculpted in earthenware and stone.

A new exhibition at the British Museum charts links between these figures and depictions of deities and enlightened teachers revered by Hindus, Buddhists and Jains. It also highlights overlaps between the three traditions, and how their art sometimes changed as they spread beyond India.

Sushma Jansari is the museum’s Tabor Foundation Curator of South Asia. She is also the author – with Sureshkumar Muthukumaran – of an accompanying book about the exhibition’s contents. Our conversation discusses its highlights, noting the relevance of ancient Indian art to contemporary practice, plus the impact of colonialism on theories of where objects come from and why they were collected.

The exhibition runs in London from May 22 to October 19. An introductory blog by Sushma is available here, and she is due to give an online presentation on June 5.

🌳 To explore yoga's roots in ancient India, join me online for The Path of Knowledge.

🧘‍♂️ I also have a Swiss retreat in September, exploring a mix of discussion and practice.

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Do yogic practices and psychoactive substances lead somewhere similar? Stuart Sarbacker is a scholar and practitioner of yoga based in Oregon, where adult use of psilocybin – the active ingredient in psychedelic mushrooms – was recently legalised (though some places opt out).

As well as studying and teaching yoga, Stuart has also trained to facilitate sessions with psilocybin. His work looks at the overlaps between ancient history and modern engagement with psychedelics, both therapeutically and for life-enhancing purposes. Among other questions, we consider:

* How influential is yoga in psychedelic research?

* What exactly was soma and what was its function?

* Could psychoactive plants have inspired early yogis?

* To what extent might drugs mimic meditative insights?

* How transformative are mystical experiences of any kind?

Stuart is the author of several books, including an overview of yoga history titled Tracing the Path of Yoga (on which more here). He shares academic his writing here – on topics as varied as near-death experiences, sun salutations and meditative clarity. For another conversation between us, see last week’s post.

🤩 To expand your perspective on yoga, join me online for The Path of Knowledge.

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Life can be both physically and mentally fragile – as Michael Holden explores with candid humour. His most recent book, The Reluctant Carer, describes moving in with his ailing parents, and trying to look after them while navigating multiple personal setbacks.

One of these – not featured in the book – involved being handcuffed and taken to hospital from a meditation retreat. He subsequently wrote about that for Esquire, discussing the potential risks of contemplative practice, and a fine line between psychosis and self-transcendence.

Our conversation reflects on identity from multiple perspectives – spiritually, culturally and psychologically. We also talk about learning from liminal states, however they’re triggered. And we consider what it means to have a therapeutic dialogue, which at times we embody – you’re welcome to eavesdrop.

The Reluctant Carer began as an anonymous Guardian article, and Michael later outed himself as the author in the same publication. Find out more about his other work here, or subscribe to him on Substack for regular updates.

🧘‍♂️ To explore yogic wisdom in depth, join me online for The Path of Knowledge.

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What makes it holy to get really stoned? This is an unavoidable question in India, where smoking cannabis is banned but done by dreadlocked devotees. Meanwhile, weed smoothies are frequently drunk at religious festivals.

The writer Karan Madhok investigates this paradox – along with many others – in his new book Ananda, subtitled “An Exploration of Cannabis in India”. It also covers lots of other subjects, including cultural history, indigenous medicine, politicised religion, the pleasures of travel and the charms of Varanasi.

As we discuss, references to cannabis date back to the Vedas, though the custom of smoking it is relatively recent. Like criminalisation, that came from outsiders – and ironically countries that promoted prohibition, such as the United States, have since been at the forefront of legalisation.

Things are now changing in India with commercialised hemp and Ayurvedic remedies, but recreational use is illegal. Our conversation considers the benefits as well as the drawbacks of cannabis consumption, and asks if the bliss to which Ananda refers might be found more sustainably by other means.

👣 For other dimensions of yogic traditions, join me on the Path of Knowledge.

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What if the most important yogic posture was curiosity? That’s how Paul Bramadat, a scholar and practitioner, approaches research on a personal passion. He describes his new book Yogalands as “a skeptical but devoted insider’s perspective” on postural yoga and its place in the world.

As we discuss, this involves nuanced thinking on its practical benefits, the role of religion, the significance of politics and ways to engage with contemporary debates about guru abuses and cross-cultural borrowing. The book emerged from interviews with teachers, reflecting diverse views on how “yoga is this, but also that”.

Our conversation explores, among other topics:

* What it might mean to teach “yoga for adults”

* Tensions between yogic and academic worldviews

* Why healing from trauma is such a common paradigm

* Whether practitioners retreat into “anti-worlds”

* If yoga is political, which values define it

Paul works as a professor at the University of Victoria, where he is director of the Centre for Studies in Religion and Society. He also teaches Ashtanga yoga.

🎓 Join me for a year-long course combining scholarly knowledge and practical insight.

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Are there limits to what can be said in factual prose? Might poets sometimes do a better job of conveying deeper meaning and emotional truth? Lindsey Hilsum has reported on conflicts for more than 30 years. Her latest book, I Brought the War with Me, juxtaposes poetry with frontline experiences.

Our conversation explores her reflections on a wide range of topics, including:

* Why poetry speaks more timelessly than journalism

* How difficult situations can bring out the best in people

* Some potential limitations of reporting, as well as its value

* The distinction between being an eyewitness and an activist

* Whether locals or outsiders tell more trustworthy stories

Lindsey works as International Editor for Channel 4 News, and also contributes to newspapers and literary journals. Her previous book – about the war correspondent Marie Colvin – won the 2019 James Tait Black Prize for biography. For those outside the UK, this article explains the podcast's reference to Gary Lineker…

🎓 Study with me – a weekend immersion (March 1-2, 2025) and a year-long exploration of yogic traditions (from September, 2025).

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How closely connected are yoga and politics? Many people today try to keep them apart, but an ancient tradition sees yoga as politics. Although its theories might be distinct from yogic philosophies and mind-body disciplines, they’re nonetheless part of a broader understanding of what yoga means.

A new book called The Yoga of Power, by Sunila Kalé and Christian Lee Novetzke, unpacks the implications. Initially inspired by events such as a U.S. court case about whether yoga in schools was religious and the Hindu nationalist promotion of “yoga day”, their work studies texts from the Ṛg Veda onwards, showing how yoga describes the exertion of control. Together, we discuss (among other topics):

* The use of yoga-kṣema to refer to people’s welfare

* What links good governance to personal self-discipline

* How yogic ideas inspired anti-colonial resistance politics

* Why texts tell haṭha yogis to find well-governed lands

* Whether sun salutations are yogic or martial arts

We also talk about this film from 1928, in which the Raja of Aundh promotes sun salutations (as discussed in this article). You can find out more about Sunila’s work here, and Christian’s here – both are professors at the University of Washington.

🤿 To dive deep into yoga history, join me for the year-long Path of Knowledge...

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How do people cope with uncertainty? What differentiates ways of predicting the future from scientific study of patterns – be that in epidemiology or forecasting weather? Might techniques of divination reveal as much about the past and the present as what happens next?

Michelle Pfeffer (formerly Aroney) is a historian at Magdalen College, Oxford, and co-curator – with David Zeitlyn – of an exhibition at the Bodleian Library titled “Oracles, Omens and Answers”. As we discuss, there are fascinating links between modern sciences and older approaches – particularly astrology. Yet we also examine what distinguishes their methods, and how different cultures do similar things.

The exhibition focuses more on social function than predictive accuracy – though it does say all systems have limits. You can find out more in an accompanying book that covers two dozen disciplines – or see recent articles by the co-authors here and here. Michelle also posts on X, and the Bodleian Library shares pictures on Instagram.

🔭 To explore yogic views on clairvoyance – and much else besides – join me for a weekend immersion (March 1-2, 2025)

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How can we address global problems – such as catastrophic climate change – when individual actions make very little difference? What’s the right thing to do when there aren’t easy answers? Is it wrong to do nothing? Is everything relative, or are there better ways to think about solutions?

As Travis Rieder writes in Catastrophe Ethics, we need our own frameworks for making decisions. Two common pitfalls get in the way. One highlights universal rules and the other rejects them. To avoid being distracted by either, we need to think for ourselves about right and wrong, inspired by ideas drawn from moral philosophy.

Our conversation explores how this works to make life meaningful. In the process, we talk about illusions of purity, the need to find reasons to justify actions and the value of “doing our part” – however limited it may be – to minimise harm. We also reflect on life’s inevitable compromises, the complicated ethics of creating new people, and why personal integrity means being transparent not wearing a hair-shirt.

Travis works as a professor at the Johns Hopkins Berman Institute of Bioethics. He’s also the author of In Pain: A Bioethicist’s Personal Struggle with Opioids, which expands on a TED talk about his experience.

🎓 Join me in London – or online – for a weekend immersion in yoga philosophy (March 1-2, 2025)

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What does it mean to be human, and how can one access one’s innermost self? Robert Rowland Smith writes popular books about practical philosophy, including a memoir that discusses what he’s learned from his relationships – as well as a career as an Oxford don, a strategic adviser and a personal coach, among other things…

Our conversation explores the extent to which people can change, and how to get attuned to an inner alarm that reveals when it’s necessary. We also talk about intuitive ways of knowing, the role of fate and how inherited patterns shape our lives. Along the way, we consider the importance of facing mortality, why it might be scary to experience awakening and how to find purpose by asking good questions.

If you’d like to learn more about Robert’s approach – including family constellations – he’s running an online “retreat” from January 5 (available on-demand at other times). He’s also co-host of regular philosophy slams, where he and Mark Vernon respond to audience prompts with impromptu ideas.

🧘‍♂️ Join me in London or online for a weekend immersion in yoga philosophy (March 1-2, 2025)

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"What are we doing wrong that requires us all to be so resilient so often?” That’s the basic question that frames a new book by Elliot Cohen. The Psychology of Slow Living investigates ways to avoid being frazzled by a culture of urgency fuelled by quests for instant gratification via digital technology and overconsumption.

Drawing on ideas from Buddhist, Hindu, Daoist and Jewish traditions – as well as social psychology – the book explores how to slow down from a range of perspectives. It warns against seeking quick fixes, but highlights the value of meditative practice, communion with nature and social rituals, from tea ceremonies to the Sabbath.

We also talk about the mental effects of surroundings – from the impact of urban environments to natural examples of living with balance. In the process, Elliot cites teachings on the “usefulness of uselessness”, promoting some renouncing without dropping out. You can find out more about his research here.

📅 Join me in March to explore authenticity in yoga (in London or online).

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N.B. for more on this topic, see this article.

What if the text known as the Yoga Sūtra never existed – at least not to start with? Philipp Maas is a scholar of Patañjali’s yoga, whose work suggests its teachings were originally transmitted as part of a larger philosophical text with explanations.

We discuss how this accompanying commentary (bhāṣya) interprets the sūtras, and reflect on the broader significance of studying history for modern practitioners. We also consider the distance in time and space between yogic texts and their uses today. Among other topics, our conversation explores:

* The evidence for Philipp’s conclusions on Patañjali

* What studying another culture reveals about our own

* Whether scholars of yoga ought to practise its methods

* The risks of colonising history for political purposes

* Recent critical comments by Shyam Ranganathan

You can find out more about Philipp’s research at academia.edu, where his work is downloadable (free registration needed). This recent overview is a helpful place to start. It covers much of what we discuss, including several layers of commentary.

🎓 For accessible insights on yoga, join me for a course at truthofyoga.com.

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What do Heinrich Himmler and Mohandas Gandhi have in common? Both were inspired by the Bhagavad Gītā. As Dorothy Figueira explains, what they found in it were mental projections. So Gandhi saw promotion of non-violence, while Himmler thought it justified killing for an avatar of God called Adolf Hitler.

These interpretations – among many others – are the subject of Dorothy’s recent book, The Afterlives of the Bhagavad Gītā. As a scholar of religion and comparative literature, she shows how modern translations are often more revealing of their authors’ ideas than the texts they engage with.

With the Gītā, there are so many readings that it’s difficult to summarise where they diverge. Our conversation discusses the “decadence”, as Dorothy terms it, of Western seekers such as Allen Ginsberg. She contrasts this with meticulous colonial scholars and use of the Gītā by Indian nationalists. Detached from commentaries, it proved politically malleable, serving to justify many positions.

Some of the most shocking continue to resonate. The Nazi Gītā is resurgent online, via the writings of a European woman known as “Savitri Devi”. Although Dorothy laments these distortions, her general advice is to accept the existence of multiple readings, and to explore them open-mindedly to counteract dogma. She works as a professor at the University of Georgia.

🎓 For accessible overviews of yoga’s evolution, join me for a course at truthofyoga.com.

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A shift in focus for the podcast this week to discuss a new book by Richard Seymour. Subtitled “The Downfall of Liberal Civilization”, Disaster Nationalism investigates “a struggle for our collective soul”, along with the psychology of far-right movements.

As Richard warns, these can take many forms – including the perversion of liberal and leftist agendas into authoritarianism. “There is a fascist temptation for everyone,” he writes: “we all have our jackboots.” Rather than focusing on charismatic leaders, as if defeating them might solve the problem, he highlights the trends and tendencies that they exploit, and in the process suggests how to counter them.

Richard used to blog as “lenin”, so we start by discussing his political perspective, then explore other topics from living with purpose to the limits of materialism. He’s the author of multiple books, and a co-founder of Salvage, “a bi-annual journal of revolutionary arts and letters”, which “recognises that the catastrophe is already upon us and that the decisive struggle is over what to do with the remains.”

🙏 To support Ancient Futures, please consider subscribing or buy me a coffee... All donations are greatly appreciated!

🧘‍♂️ N.B. the Truth of Yoga course starts this week and there's still time to join us.