Hari-kirtana is an author, mentor, and yoga teacher who shares his knowledge and experience of how the yoga wisdom tradition can guide us toward meaningful and transformative spiritual experiences.
An overlooked fact
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Hi Reader, It’s an overlooked fact: God shows up in the teachings of yoga more often than any other topic. Want proof: count the number of sūtras in Patañjali's Yoga-sūtra that are about Īśvara, the Sanskrit philosophical term that, in this context, refers to the “Supreme Controller.” Or you can take my word for it: Patañjali spills more ink on Īśvara than on any other topic. And the Bhagavad-gītā? The Gītā’s overarching theme is dharma, but the primary subject is Krishna, the speaker of the Gītā, who repeatedly makes it clear that his authority as Yogeśvara (Yoga + Īśvara: the Lord of yoga) is derived from his position as the personal form of Ultimate Reality. What about the Upaniṣads, Purāṇas, and epics of Vedic wisdom literature? Examples abound, such as “Among all of the eternal conscious beings there is one eternal conscious being who maintains all of the others.” – Kaṭha Upaniṣad 2.2.13 This is one of the most challenging things about yoga philosophy: it’s profoundly theological, rigorously scientific, and deeply philosophical, all at the same time. We usually think of faith in a conception of divinity as religion, faith in evidence born of empirical observation as science, and faith in the power of reason as philosophy, each being its own separate category of experience. But yoga combines all three, presenting itself as a subjective science of self-realization that’s based on a comprehensive synthesis of theology and philosophy. And that’s not all: yoga also presents us with both a non-sectarian conception of divinity—Īśvara in the Yoga-sutras—and a culturally specific representation of divinity in the literature of Vedic yoga tradition, such as Krishna in the Bhagavad-gītā. This makes yoga’s relationship with religion complicated for modern yogis who think of their practice in spiritual but not religious terms. And it’s especially challenging for yoga teachers who have a responsibility to honor yoga’s cultural heritage as a living spiritual tradition rather than present it as just an academic sidebar. How do the theistic aspects of the yoga tradition fit with the universal appeal of modern yoga as a spiritual path? You’ll find the answer to this question and many more in my next live online workshop: Navigating the Intersection of Yoga and Religion Live on Zoom Sunday, December 14th @ 12:00 pm - 1:30 pm EST This workshop will be recorded – replay available anytime Tuition: $27
This workshop dives into the nuanced connection between yoga as a universal pathway of spiritual realization and religion as an expression of faith. It offers a comprehensive exploration of how the yoga tradition intersects with concepts of divinity, faith, and philosophy. You’ll learn:
You’ll come away from this workshop with valuable insights into the relationship of faith and knowledge in yoga philosophy and tools for respectfully representing the yoga tradition in classes, workshops, and trainings. Join us for this enlightening session to uncover the spiritual dimensions of yoga and find new ways to integrate and communicate these principles in modern life. Whether you’re a practitioner, teacher, or seeker, this workshop will empower you with insights to deepen your connection to yoga’s rich spiritual heritage. Wishing you all good fortune, - Hari-k |
Hari-kirtana das
Hari-kirtana is an author, mentor, and yoga teacher who shares his knowledge and experience of how the yoga wisdom tradition can guide us toward meaningful and transformative spiritual experiences.
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