Worldlier Methods
"Yoga needs defining in context, and contexts change, no matter how timelessly people describe them..."
— Daniel Simpson, The Truth of Yoga (2021)
Unlike other early yogic texts, which promote renunciation, the Bhagavad Gītā focuses on action. Its innovative synthesis of teachings makes yoga compatible with everyday life and is arguably more relevant to modern practitioners than the world-renouncing message of the Yoga Sūtra of Patañjali.
In addition to promoting engagement with worldly affairs, the Gītā weaves together the philosophy of earlier Upaniṣads with devotional worship of a personal deity. This leads to the idea that all things are divine, sowing seeds of inspiration for later developments, from tantric traditions to physical yoga.
The accessible talk was first presented live, and the recording includes Q&A. You can ask questions in comment threads under the video – where they'll be answered as soon as possible – or book a one-to-one live conversation to discuss any topic in more depth. Suggestions for reading and further study are also provided.
Content
Introductory Video
About the Speaker
Daniel Simpson is the author of The Truth of Yoga: A Comprehensive Guide to Yoga's History, Texts, Philosophy, and Practices, which was published in 2021 by North Point Press (an imprint of Farrar, Straus and Giroux).
He teaches courses on yoga history and philosophy at the Oxford Centre for Hindu Studies and SOAS, University of London. He also contributes to yoga teacher trainings, and offers online talks and international workshops.
Daniel is a graduate of Cambridge University and earned his M.A. in Traditions of Yoga and Meditation from SOAS. In a previous career, he was a foreign correspondent, working for Reuters and the New York Times.
danielsimpson.info