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Jason Birch – Āsanas of the Yogacintāmaṇi
Dr. Jason Birch with Adam Keen, of Keen on Yoga, delve into the historical and philosophical significance of the Yogacintāmaṇi, Jason's latest book. They explore the evolution of Haṭha Yoga, the role of key historical figures, and the influence of Persian texts on yoga practices. The discussion also touches on the politics surrounding yoga and how historical narratives can be shaped by contemporary interests. Available on YouTube.
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Jason Birch – Āsanas of the Yogacintāmaṇiā and and James Mallinson – The Dattātreyayogaśāstra
SOAS Centre of Yoga Studies and the École Française dʼExtrême-Orient (EFEO) in Pondichéry, India were delighted to co-host this double book launch, Jason Birch (University of Oxford), who is the author of Āsanas of the Yogacintāmaṇi: The Largest Premodern Compilation on Postural Practice and James Mallinson (Boden Professor of Sanskrit at University of Oxford), author of The Dattātreyayogaśāstra, in discussion with respondent, Shaman Hatley (Professor of Asian Studies and Department Chair at University of Massachusetts Boston). This is available to watch on SOAS CYS YouTube channel.
New light on the Haṭhapradīpikā
In this podcast, Dr. Jason Birch, Senior Research Fellow on the 'Light on Hatha Yoga' Project discusses the historical importance of the Haṭhapradīpikā and the challenges of editing it with Adam Keen of Keen on Yoga. This is a two part series on YouTube.
SOAS Understanding Yoga Studies: An Introduction to Philology
Philology is the study of the history of language, in particular the historical study of literary and canonical texts. It is a central methodology in the field of Yoga Studies because textual evidence, in the form of ancient manuscripts, is the key primary source material preserving the historical details of Indic traditions, beliefs and practices. Listen to an interview with Dr Jason Birch, Senior Research Fellow on the 'Light on Hatha Yoga' Project who discusses the discipline of philology, just what it takes to produce a critical edition, worm eaten manuscripts and his latest textual discovery a 14th century compendia entitled the Yogārṇava, 'The Ocean of Yoga.'
Jacqueline Hargreaves - The Luminescent and Embodied Philology
In this podcast, scholar-practitioner Jacqueline Hargreaves speaks with host Seth Powell about her work with the Hatha Yoga Project, her unlikely background as an engineer that first brought her to India, and her life as a nomadic yoga researcher with her partner Jason Birch. Jacqueline shares some wonderful stories about her work including a rare audience with Mysore's Royal Family and the discovery of a lost manuscript thousands of miles from India in a very unlikely place.
Hatha Yoga Project Finalé
This panel, hosted by SOAS Centre of Yoga Studies, was the finalé of the five year ERC funded Hatha Yoga Project. Chaired by Dr Suzanne Newcombe, Open University and Inform, team members Dr James Mallinson, Dr Jason Birch, Dr Daniela Bevilacqua, and Dr Mark Singleton discuss their findings in turn. We hear a summary from each speaker of their research as well as the impact assessment by Jacqueline Hargreaves of The Luminescent, who collaborated to produce the "Embodied Liberation" exhibition at the Brunei Gallery, before opening up to questions.
Silenced Voices
This panel, hosted by Brighton Yoga Foundation, is an unprecedented event that spotlights the voices of writer and activist Karen Rain and yoga teacher Jubilee Cooke, PhD, as they speak about how Pattabhi Jois sexually assaulted them and numerous other students, and how many in the Ashtanga Yoga community enabled the abuse and profited from silencing victims. Researcher and yoga teacher Theo Wildcroft, human rights activist and psychotherapist Josna Pankhania, and scholar Jacqueline Hargreaves also contributed to the dialogue.
Untangling Traditions: Yoga, Ayurveda and Alchemy
These video conversations between Jacqueline Hargreaves and the AyurYog project team, aim to introduce some of the project's research findings, outputs, and showcase collaborations with other research projects, scholars, and practitioners. The research reveals how past encounters and cross-fertilizations have informed and shaped these bodies of knowledge over time.
Manuscript Hunting and the History of Medieval Yogas
In this podcast, Dr. Jason Birch speaks with host Seth Powell about his early training in yoga and Indology, the late 90's and early 2000s yoga scene in Rishikesh, Sanskrit manuscript hunting in India, and more.
What is Yoga?
Scholar Symposium with panelists Jason Birch, James Mallinson, Suzanne Newcombe, Richard Rosen, and Mark Singleton.
What is Haṭhayoga?
The Hatha Yoga Project present their evolving understandings of the term haṭhayoga. On the surface, this appears to be a fairly straight forward and simple topic to discuss, because haṭhayoga is a familiar phrase which is commonly used to categorize many of the popular forms of transnational yoga practised around the world. However, when scrutinised historically through the lens of philology and when the ethnographical data from contemporary ascetic practitioners is considered, its varied meanings and the subtle nuances of understanding quickly form a very complex debate.
Revisiting Yoga Philosophy
A discussion between Dr. Jason Birch and host Adrian Baker, which was recorded during a brief visit to Japan, 2018. The discussion covers topics such as: the āsana practice in the eighteenth-century Haṭhābhyāsapaddhati and its link to Kṛṣṇamācārya; Is modern yoga modern?; The Buddhist and Śaiva influence on early Haṭhayoga; the emergence of Haṭha and Rājayoga from older Tantric and ascetic traditions, and much more.
Cultural Appropriation in Yoga
This Teachers' Symposium offered a lively discussion on the difficult to navigate topic of Cultural Appropriation in Yoga. The panelists include: Sally Kempton, Max Strom, Dr. Jason Birch, Satish K Sharma, and Stacie CC Graham.
Sanskrit Texts on Yoga
This workshop was organised by James Mallinson and Jason Birch of the Hatha Yoga Project, particularly on the reading of Sanskrit manuscripts on Yoga. It features Prof. Alexis Sanderson and other luminaries in the field of Yoga, Śaivism, and Sanskrit Philology. This is a very rich offering with a film taster, photos, audio recordings, handouts.... in fact, too much to highlight. The full programme of presentations are available online.
Yogabīja: A Robust Defence of Yoga
Dr. Jason Birch reads his critical edition of the Yogabīja with the Sanskrit Reading Room at SOAS University of London.
Zen 2.0: Feel your body. Know your mind.
Zen 2.0 is a mindfulness conference held annually in Kamakura, Japan, which aims to address progressive themes. Amongst many esteemed monastics, scholars and practitioners, Jacqueline Hargreaves contributed to Zen 2.0 in 2018 on the theme of 'Feel your body. Know your Mind.' This brief video captures very well the authentic joy that arose at the Second Annual Global Mindfulness Forum, 2018.
Recipes for Immortality: The Intoxicating Alchemy of Inner and South Asia
This two-day workshop was convened by the AyurYog Project to explore the historically linked South and Inner Asian practices of rasāyana, kāyakalpa and bcud len. These are practices, treatment techniques and formulations aimed at a variety of goals that range from prolonging life, restoring youthfulness, and promoting physical health, to accessing special powers, achieving enlightenment, and attaining immortality.
All presentations are available on the AyurYog YouTube channel.
Yoga: Austerity, Passion and Peace
In 2016, the British Museum hosted an interdisciplinary panel of experts examined yoga from ancient Indic times to the present, with reference to the modern quest for authentic spiritual communion with the divine, both from an Indian perspective and a global one.
Chaired by independent scholar and founding director of Calm Energy Yoga, Hilary Lewis Ruttley, panellists included Dr. Jason Birch of The Hatha Yoga Project, novelist, journalist and award-winning BBC broadcaster Jameela Siddiqi, and Sunil Khilnani, Avantha Professor and Director, King’s India Institute.
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