Avsnitt
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When John Donne wrote “no man is an island”, his alternative was to be “involved in mankind”. Francesca Ferrando has broader ideas. As a philosopher and “leading voice in the field of posthuman studies”, Francesca's aim is to get us to think in terms of life.
The Art of Being Posthuman – Francesca's new book – is a string of meditations about how to do this. Our conversation considers connections with Indian traditions, and in the process discusses (among other topics):
* Why life is diverse, non-hierarchical and interdependent
* Why humanity is more about relationships than individuals
* Why people can’t say what they want, or how much is enough
* How it helps to embrace the maxim: “my life is my work of art”
* Whether life is a game, and if so how to play it successfully
To explore some of the overlaps between "posthuman" thinking and yogic traditions, join me for a course at truthofyoga.com. An Upaniṣads immersion starts on April 29.
And if you'd like to support the podcast, please consider subscribing or buy me a coffee... All donations are greatly appreciated!
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A different sort of podcast this week – the recording of a panel at the Oxford Literary Festival. The topic is "Religion and Animal Welfare", based on a book by the former chief executive in Compassion in World Farming, Joyce D’Silva.
I shared some yogic perspectives on non-harming, speaking between Amir Khan – a wildlife advocate, broadcaster and Muslim – and the former archbishop of Canterbury, Lord Carey of Clifton.
I’ve since become a signatory of the CIWF Vision for Fair Food and Farming, which I recommend reading. We also talked about the Charter for Compassion – see here for more details.
To explore how yogic traditions relate to modern life, and alleviate suffering, join me for a course at truthofyoga.com. And if you'd like to support the podcast, please consider subscribing or buy me a coffee... All donations are greatly appreciated!
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Saknas det avsnitt?
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Yoga philosophy deals with three kinds of pain. These relate to ourselves, to how we interact with others, and to powerful forces beyond our control. This podcast engages with all of them, and highlights communal approaches to healing.
Matthew Green works as an editor for DeSmog, an investigative website. He also writes Resonant World, a newsletter about collective trauma, and Toxic Workplace Survival Guy, which offers advice on how to navigate challenging office environments.
We talk about his transition from working in war zones to seeing how the world is a toxic environment, shaped by traumatised people and inhuman pressures. We also discuss a few remedies – including meditation and psychedelics, and other modalities used to treat trauma.
To explore how yogic traditions relate to modern life, and alleviate suffering, join me for a course at truthofyoga.com. And if you'd like to support the podcast, please consider subscribing or buy me a coffee... All donations are greatly appreciated!
This is a public episode. If you’d like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit ancientfutures.substack.com/subscribe -
What’s love got to do with a world in crisis? Everything, says Oren Jay Sofer in his new book, Your Heart Was Made for This. No matter how overwhelming things might seem, we can cultivate capacities that help us to respond with sensitivity and strength.
Oren teaches Buddhist meditation, mindfulness and communication (the subject of his last book, Say What You Mean – which I found very helpful when running a men's group). We touch on all these topics in a wide-ranging chat about ways to awaken in everyday life, while also working to transform the world.
Your Heart Was Made for This weaves personal stories with activist history to talk about techniques for relating more skilfully to one another, and to ourselves. In the process, it highlights 26 qualities from the Buddha’s teachings, including practical guidance on how to develop them, and reflections on their links to social change.
To explore some of the overlaps between Buddhism and yogic traditions, join me for a course at truthofyoga.com. And if you'd like to support the podcast, please consider subscribing or buy me a coffee... All donations are greatly appreciated!
This is a public episode. If you’d like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit ancientfutures.substack.com/subscribe -
Why do so many of us feel so exhausted these days? What can we do to avoid burning out, or to help us recover? Anna Schaffner is a scholar-turned-coach, whose new book is Exhausted: An A-Z for the Weary. It offers timeless inspiration, noting “we still have much to learn from the ancients, and from other cultures.” We talk about crossovers with yoga philosophy and Buddhist ideas, and in the process consider (among other topics):
* Why there’s so much social pressure to work too hard
* What drives perfectionism, and why it’s not always “bad”
* How keeping busy helps people to bury unwanted feelings
* Ways to focus on what we control and accept what we can’t
* The transformative power of enjoying a hobby, just for fun
If you enjoy the conversation, and want to fuel more, please consider subscribing or buy me a coffee... All donations are greatly appreciated!
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What does it mean to make yoga accessible? Jivana Heyman first used the term when he started to train disabled teachers. But its significance is broader, pointing students towards something subtler – their own true nature beyond mind and body.
As Jivana explains in his latest book, The Teacher’s Guide to Accessible Yoga, that’s a goal more aligned with traditional texts than performing contortions. But does it set the bar high to reveal the true self? And if it’s found in all beings, does it also teach us universal values? Along the way, our conversation explores (among other topics):
* The importance of ethics and peer support networks
* If “yoga has always been political”, as a headline once said
* Potential limits to arguing “if it’s not accessible, it’s not yoga”
* Whether “cultural appropriation” is a helpful framework
* The pros and cons of self-publishing for yoga authors
If you enjoy the conversation, and want to fuel more, please consider subscribing or buy me a coffee... All donations are greatly appreciated, as I explained in a recent article!
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What can we learn from an ancient text about war and peace, among the many other topics in the Mahābhārata? Or as a new adaptation puts it: “In times of division, how do we find wholeness? Are we destined to repeat the mistakes of our ancestors? And how can we build a new world when we have nearly destroyed this one?”
The production’s co-author, Miriam Fernandes, also stars as a storyteller – a key role in the Mahābhārata’s own story. It’s been told and retold in many different forms over the centuries, and part of its appeal is that it leaves us with questions, inspiring us to think for ourselves what to do with its message.
Among other topics, our conversation explores:
* Why dharma – or doing the right thing – is “a slippery fish”
* What this says about contemporary problems such as ecocide
* How to end cycles of revenge in which both sides feel righteous
* The extent to which fate and free will define human activity
* Who gets edited out, and which themes are prioritised
Links to resources discussed in the podcast are posted here. Meanwhile, stay tuned for a retreat based on the Mahābhārata – more news soon at danielsimpson.info.
If you enjoy the conversation, and want to fuel more, please consider subscribing or buy me a coffee... All donations are greatly appreciated!
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This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit ancientfutures.substack.com
How do we relate to the problem of suffering? Does the body rule the mind or does the mind rule the body (to quote Still Ill by The Smiths)? Are there ways to get more comfortably entangled, or is the answer to renounce all attachments?
Ranju Roy and Dave Charlton have been practising yoga since the 1980s, and teaching together for 20 years. They’re also co-authors of a book titled Embodying the Yoga Sūtra, sharing practical insights on yoga philosophy. Our conversation explores what they’ve learned about life in the process.
One recurring theme is how things are connected, and yet not necessarily “all one”. As Ranju and Dave put it in their book: “two things remain two things. They are united only in the sense of being linked and it is in their interaction and relationship that there is yoga, not in them merging together inseparably.”
If you enjoy the conversation, and want to fuel more, please consider subscribing or buy me a coffee... All donations are greatly appreciated!
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What are the benefits of studying yoga academically? Is critical thinking a practical obstacle? Are the two ways of seeing complementary? Expanding on a recent essay, I talk about these questions – among many others – with Graham Burns.
Graham has been teaching yoga for more than 20 years. He holds a PhD from SOAS, University of London, and wrote his thesis on the Vedic Upaniṣads. He also taught on the M.A. in Traditions of Yoga and Meditation, to which I contribute.
As I explain in the introduction, I never imagined that I’d find myself doing that when Graham and I spoke at the start of this year. Back then, I didn’t have a proper podcast, so I’m sharing it now for those who missed it. Among other topics, we discuss what we’ve learned from intellectual engagement with yoga, as well as from practice – and how to strike a balance between both perspectives.
If you enjoy the conversation, and would like to fuel more, please consider subscribing or buy me a coffee... All donations are greatly appreciated!
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What might yoga look like if it we weren't making shapes? As Mary Richards explains in Teach People, Not Poses, the purpose of practice is self-inquiry, so one way to start is by getting more familiar with physical form, instead of contorting to follow instructions.
Mary’s approach is down-to-earth, yet shaped by decades of study. A self-described “anatomy nerd”, she’s also guided by philosophy, having first encountered yoga via the Bhagavad Gītā as a teenager. Among other topics, our conversation explores:
* The extent to which everyone’s body is different
* How a fixation on postural alignment causes injury
* Why many modern classes teach unhelpful methods
* Which specific āsanas might be worth abandoning
* Whether one-to-one teaching makes most sense
* How physical practice unwinds mental issues
* What it means to be the “Sith Lord of Yoga”
Mary’s book is published by Shambhala, and she’s offering a webinar via Yogacampus (on January 26) that shares some techniques for getting grounded in gravity...
I like how Mary call herself a facilitator. I’m doing more facilitation too – in the form of a men’s group that starts on Sunday, and a philosophy immersion in February.
If you enjoy the conversation, and would like to fuel more, please consider subscribing or buy me a coffee... All donations are greatly appreciated!
This is a public episode. If you’d like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit ancientfutures.substack.com/subscribe -
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Yogic traditions often highlight non-harming (ahiṃsā), but to what extent is harm an inevitable part of worldly life? Is it more realistic to try to reduce it, or is anything short of removing it part of the problem? There are few easy answers…
Christopher Miller is a scholar and practitioner. He’s co-founder of the Arihanta Institute, which offers courses on Jain studies, and he’s the author of a book entitled Embodying Transnational Yoga: Eating, Singing, and Breathing in Transformation, which investigates practices other than postures.
Among other topics, our conversation explores:
* How Jains perfect the precept of non-harming, and influence yoga
* If it’s better to promote being vegan, or to eat fewer animal products
* Where harmoniums come from, and if the ukulele can raise kuṇḍalinī
* Whether teaching prāṇāyāma in polluted environments is unhelpful
* Ways in which critical thinking can complement yoga practice
Chris is on Instagram @theyogaprofessor, and he’s based in Switzerland, where I’ll be teaching a retreat in July.
If you enjoy the conversation, and would like to fuel more, please consider subscribing or buy me a coffee... All donations are greatly appreciated!
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What might yoga philosophy look like if it was shaped by contemporary science? How compatible are cognitive therapies with traditional ideas about alleviating suffering?
Isabel Dziobek is a professor of psychology at the Humboldt University of Berlin, and she’s also a yoga teacher. As we discuss, there are no easy answers to these sorts of questions. Yogic teachings define the self differently to modern researchers, while attributing suffering to karmic effects that drive cycles of birth.
The original aim of renouncing the world isn’t most people’s goal when they go to a yoga class, so teachers often reframe texts such as the Yoga Sūtra to make them align with today’s priorities. Many fill in the gaps with New Age thinking. How might it work to start afresh, including ideas from psychology and neuroscience?
Our conversation looks at ways to train teachers that highlight compassion. Although we draw a few tentative conclusions, we’re both keen to explore this further, so please comment below to share your thoughts! And if you’d like to study texts and traditions in more depth, you can join me for a course at truthofyoga.com.
If you enjoy the conversation, and would like to fuel more, please consider subscribing or buy me a coffee... All donations are greatly appreciated!
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What’s the purpose of yoga and where does it lead? 🤔
In his forthcoming book, Ranju Roy compares the process of practice to going on a pilgrimage. The journey spirals inwards and outwards, from deep contemplation to communal gatherings, and goals are less important than walking the path.
The book includes Ranju’s own sūtras – i.e. pithy expressions of practical pointers – interspersed with stories from decades of experience as a teacher and practitioner. Our conversation dives deep into both. Along the way, we hear about:
* A minibus tour of Cotswolds tearooms with B.K.S. Iyengar
* The pitfalls of “preparing to meditate” without ever doing so
* Why Sāṃkhya provides a useful map to contemporary territory
* What distinguishes Life from life – and whether that’s divine
* How individual experience relates to something universal
Ranju’s book is available in hardback – including your name if you order a copy by October 31. This exclusive edition, signed by the author and featuring his paintings, will help to cover production costs for a paperback version next year.
In other impending deadlines, early bird rates for next year’s Swiss retreat expire on October 31. And from November 5, I’m running a men’s group called Power to Relate.
If you enjoy the conversation, and would like to fuel more, please consider subscribing or buy me a coffee... All donations are greatly appreciated!
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What does it mean to live a yogic life in the twenty-first century? Alex Medin runs Nøsen, a Norwegian retreat centre, which hosts an annual yoga festival, and is part of a programme that rehabilitates former prisoners and drug addicts.
Alex doesn’t do things by halves. He’s studied yoga and Sanskrit academically, as well as exploring physical practice to advanced levels. He’s also lived in India for extended periods, where he was certified to teach Ashtanga by K. Pattabhi Jois. And before he found yoga, Alex was a boxer and breakdancer, who earlier dabbled in crime.
Our conversation explores these topics, including asking awkward questions about the extent to which yoga can change us – and the values we need to prioritise if that’s to happen. It’s therefore a chat about worldly approaches, from ethical conduct to deeper relationships, with the development of love as the ultimate goal.
I’ll also cover these themes with a men’s group in November (called Power to Relate), and I’ll be teaching in Nøsen next year – stay tuned for news via danielsimpson.info.
If you enjoy the conversation, and would like to fuel more, please consider subscribing or buy me a coffee... All donations are greatly appreciated!
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What helps people to cope with traumatic events that can sometimes accompany altered states? Jules Evans researches this question for the Challenging Psychedelic Experiences Project. He’s also the author of books about Stoic philosophy, ecstatic transcendence and strategies for navigating “spiritual emergency”.
That term covers all sorts of crises, not just those arising from psychedelics. People get into difficulties while meditating and practising yoga. In this wide-ranging chat, we explore:
* How a bad trip on acid led to years of anxiety that made Jules feel broken
* Why cognitive behavioural therapy led him to write about Stoic philosophy
* What inspired him to try Ayahuasca despite his earlier traumatic experience
* Why he no longer takes psychedelics and focuses instead on helping others
* What causes spiritual emergencies and why it’s helpful to talk about them
* How understanding the balance of risks and rewards makes people safer
You can find out more about Jules’s work here, or subscribe to his Substack, Ecstatic Integration, for regular updates on his project’s research. He also covers broader topics – including the links between Aldous Huxley, spiritual eugenics and Silicon Valley…
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Ade Belcham used to think it was obvious that yoga was good for him – until he got a hip replacement in his early 50s. That made him ask some searching questions, which he explored in a recent article for Spectrum, the British Wheel of Yoga magazine.
For the previous two decades, Ade was a devoted Ashtanga practitioner, studying regularly in Hawaii with Nancy Gilgoff. And although he’s reappraised some of what he was doing, he’s not out to bash yoga or Ashtanga. Instead, he’s been exploring the patterns – both physical and mental – that shaped his approach and led to injury.
As we discuss, there are broader implications to people’s motivations for practising yoga. Ade identifies five – connection with others, exercise, well-being, identity and transformation – and reflects that “injuries helped me see that I was mixing up yoga as exercise with yoga for identity building”.
This raises questions about how yoga gets conflated with postures, which the podcast explores. We also talk about a general resistance to critical thinking in yoga circles, as well as what it means to be authentic – and why asking “why” is a helpful tool, which can keep people grounded in what really matters.
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Peter Sterios, who founded the yoga mat company Manduka, keeps learning the lesson of how to let go. He’s had to do that repeatedly – from selling his business to picking up the pieces when his teacher dismissed him. After 20 years of studying with Shandor Remete, the charismatic creator of Shadow Yoga, he was brusquely instructed to go it alone.
Though this rupture was tough, it helped Peter move on, refining a subtler approach to the body that had helped him to heal after breaking his back. He sums up what he’s learned in a book, titled Gravity and Grace – a conscious echo of the work of Simone Weil, whom he quotes at the start: “Grace fills empty spaces, but it can only enter where there is a void to receive it, and it is grace itself which makes this void.”
Along the way, we explore how detachment relates to the business of running a company, and if yogic ideas about non-acquisitiveness are at odds with being an entrepreneur. Having said that, if you enjoy the conversation, and would like to fuel more, please consider subscribing or buy me a coffee... All donations are greatly appreciated!
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What helps someone heal from traumatic experiences? How important is community support? Why might it be unhelpful to say “it wasn’t your fault”? Can a “bruise on the soul” be more difficult to treat than a physical wound?
Dean Yates is the author of Line in the Sand, a courageous account of “a life-changing journey through a body and a mind after trauma”, to quote the subtitle. Like me, he’s a former Reuters journalist, and he was the bureau chief in Baghdad in 2007, when an American gunship killed two of his staff – Namir Noor-Eldeen and Saeed Chmagh.
Footage showing what happened, and how the military lied about it, was published by Wikileaks in 2010. This compounded Dean’s “moral injury”, as he would later learn to call it. He felt guilt and shame for not protecting his colleagues, and for not speaking out in support of Wikileaks founder Julian Assange. He also felt betrayed by Reuters, which tried to force him out when he got overwhelmed by trauma.
As Dean explains, to turn things around, he had to learn how to feel – a challenge for a journalist who’d previously prided himself on not being emotional and thriving under pressure. Embodied techniques, including yoga, were helpful, but the key was to find a new purpose in helping others by sharing his story. He’s now a passionate advocate on mental health issues, press freedom and government accountability.
If you enjoy the conversation, and would like to fuel more, please consider subscribing, or buy me a coffee. All donations are greatly appreciated!
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How far can yoga heal “a deeply troubled society”? When Carol Horton published these words in 2012, she was optimistic, becoming immersed in “yoga service”. But her experiences have left her more sceptical.
As we explore in this wide-ranging chat, yoga can still be a helpful resource, but the extent to which it changes us depends on intentions – including an interest in seeing past blind spots. It’s also shaped by cultural context, so broader social and political trends sometimes get in the way of perceiving clearly.
Carol is the author of two Substack newsletters – one about politics, which looks at the problem of authoritarian “post-liberal progressivism”, and the other about yoga and related practices, sharing “inspiration for resilience, growth and renewal.”
If you’d like to discuss how yoga relates to worldly life, I’m running a retreat at the end of the month that explores this in depth – you can find out more here. And for online courses, visit truthofyoga.com.
If you enjoy the conversation, and would like to fuel more, please consider subscribing or buy me a coffee. All donations are greatly appreciated!
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This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit ancientfutures.substack.com
It’s now six months since I launched Ancient Futures. Back then, I didn’t have a podcast, so the first conversation with Richard Rosen wound up on YouTube. I'm therefore sharing it again for those who missed it – it's in any case well worth revisiting.
We discuss his new book, Yoga by the Numbers, and explore their significance – from zero to 108. We also have a great chat about the meaning of yoga in contemporary terms, as well as how its teachings relate to our lives – including facing the prospect of death.
In other news, Richard used to contribute to Yoga Journal, about which I wrote last week – so be sure to subscribe on Substack for regular articles as well as podcast episodes.
Ancient Futures is free, but takes time to produce – donations are greatly appreciated! You can make one here as a subscriber, or buy me a coffee to fuel conversations.
- Visa fler
