By JACQUELINE HARGREAVES
Over the summer of 2015, I had an opportunity to sit down with Dr. Elizabeth de Michelis and discuss the emerging field of academic study on Modern Yoga.
Our discussion led to the creation of the diagram, Typology of Modern Yoga, which is based on the classification model first developed by Dr de Michelis in her important book, A History of Modern Yoga. This diagram aims to be a helpful tool for understanding the ever-evolving types of Yoga practised today and it explains the original coining of the term Modern Postural Yoga (MPY), which has become widely used within the Yoga community.
Her book paved the way for further academic study into Modern Yoga with some Universities now offering graduate level programmes, such as:
Master of Arts in Traditions of Yoga and Meditation at the School of Oriental and African Studies (SOAS), University of London, UK.
Master Programme in Yoga Studies at Ca’ Foscari University, Venice, Italy (in Italian).
Master of Arts in Yoga Studies at Loyola Marymount University, Los Angeles, California, USA.