Penn State Symposium on Yoga, Ethics, and Neoliberalism - Day Two - PANEL 3
"Yoga as Training to be a Citizen of the World"
Many scholars today view yoga as a selfish practice of retreat from the world—we practice on our mats in order to ignore the suffering around us. And yet many practitioners of yoga would argue the opposite, that their practice prepares them to confront the challenges of contemporary life. In this panel, we discuss whether or not yoga can act as training to be a citizen of the world, and if so, how.
Panelists: Anya Foxen, Ph.D., Assistant Professor of Philosophy, Religious Studies, and Women’s and Gender Studies, California Polytechnic State University, SLO - http://anyafoxen.com/
Andrea Jain, Ph.D., Associate Professor of Religious Studies, Indiana University-Purdue University, Indianapolis - https://www.andreajain.com/
Christa Kuberry, Ph.D., Vice President for Standards, Yoga Alliance - https://www.yogaalliance.org/About_Yoga/Article_Archive/Christa_Schwind_Yogic_Discourse
Patrick McCartney, Ph.D., JSPS Post-Doctoral Fellow at the Graduate School of Global Environmental Studies, Kyoto University, Japan - https://yogascapesinjapan.com
Moderator: Jeremy David Engels, Ph.D., Associate Professor of Communication Arts & Sciences, Affiliate Faculty Member of the Rock Ethics Institute, Penn State University - https://www.jdengels.com/
This event is sponsored by the Rock Ethics Institute, Penn State University Libraries, and the Center for Spiritual and Ethical Development. This symposium is a project of the Religion, Spirituality, and Public Life Initiative of the Rock Ethics Institute, convened by Jeremy David Engels.
If you are in State College, you might like to visit Yoga Lab: http://www.statecollegeyogalab.com/
----------------------------------- Patrick's Affiliations: JSPS Fellow - Graduate School of Global Environmental Studies, Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan Research Associate - Nanzan University Anthropological Institute, Nagoya, Japan Research Affiliate - Organization for Identity and Cultural Development, Kyoto, Japan Visiting Fellow - South and South-east Asian Studies Department & Member - South Asia Research Institute, School of Culture, History and Language, Australian National University, Canberra, Australia
You can find more information about the Yogascapes in Japan project: yogascapesinjapan.com Follow us on social media accounts: https://twitter.com/yogascapesinjap https://www.instagram.com/yogascapesinjapan http://www.facebook.com/yogascapesinjapan
Produced by: @tattooedyogini_ and @psdmccartney
Music by Scott Holmes: http://freemusicarchive.org/music/Scott_Holmes/
Penn State College of Liberal Arts https://rockethics.psu.edu/everyday-ethics/penn-state-symposium-on-yoga-ethics-and-neoliberalism-april-26-day-2
Penn State Symposium on Yoga, Ethics, and Neoliberalism - Day Two - PANEL 1
Old Beginnings: On the Past, Present, and Future of Yoga
The word “yoga” has over ninety different meanings in Sanskrit, not to mention its myriad meanings in English and other languages. Its history comprises many millennia. To study yoga is to be confronted with difficult questions of definition and history. In this panel, we take up the following questions: What is yoga, and how can/should we define it? How should scholars and practitioners approach yoga’s long and complicated past? How should we deal with questions of Orientalism and cultural appropriation? And questions of race, gender, sexuality, and class?
Panelists: Anya Foxen, Ph.D., Assistant Professor of Philosophy, Religious Studies, and Women’s and Gender Studies, California Polytechnic State University, SLO - http://anyafoxen.com/
Andrea Jain, Ph.D., Associate Professor of Religious Studies, Indiana University-Purdue University, Indianapolis - https://www.andreajain.com/
Christa Kuberry, Ph.D., Vice President for Standards, Yoga Alliance - https://www.yogaalliance.org/About_Yoga/Article_Archive/Christa_Schwind_Yogic_Discourse
Patrick McCartney, Ph.D., JSPS Post-Doctoral Fellow at the Graduate School of Global Environmental Studies, Kyoto University, Japan - https://yogascapesinjapan.com
Moderator: Jeremy David Engels, Ph.D., Associate Professor of Communication Arts & Sciences, Affiliate Faculty Member of the Rock Ethics Institute, Penn State University - https://www.jdengels.com/
This event is sponsored by the Rock Ethics Institute, Penn State University Libraries, and the Center for Spiritual and Ethical Development. This symposium is a project of the Religion, Spirituality, and Public Life Initiative of the Rock Ethics Institute, convened by Jeremy David Engels.
If you are in State College, you might like to visit Yoga Lab: http://www.statecollegeyogalab.com/
----------------------------------- Patrick's Affiliations: JSPS Fellow - Graduate School of Global Environmental Studies, Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan Research Associate - Nanzan University Anthropological Institute, Nagoya, Japan Research Affiliate - Organization for Identity and Cultural Development, Kyoto, Japan Visiting Fellow - South and South-east Asian Studies Department & Member - South Asia Research Institute, School of Culture, History and Language, Australian National University, Canberra, Australia
You can find more information about the Yogascapes in Japan project: yogascapesinjapan.com Follow us on social media accounts: https://twitter.com/yogascapesinjap https://www.instagram.com/yogascapesinjapan http://www.facebook.com/yogascapesinjapan
Produced by: @tattooedyogini_ and @psdmccartney
Music by Scott Holmes: http://freemusicarchive.org/music/Scott_Holmes/
Penn State College of Liberal Arts https://rockethics.psu.edu/everyday-ethics/penn-state-symposium-on-yoga-ethics-and-neoliberalism-april-26-day-2
RSGSS Special presentation by Dr Patrick McCartney
This presentation, titled: Yoga Fundamentalism: Decolonising Yogaland, missiological allyship, and pan-global Hindu supremacy occurred at the Religious Studies Graduate Student Society Symposium during April 2019 at the University of Alberta, Canada.
In this episode, Dr Patrick McCartney asks: what implicit ethno-nationalist-laden victuals exist within the global consumption-scape of Yogaland? The floating signifiers of 'yoga' and 'Vedic,' particularly, enable seemingly incommensurable social worlds to form unlikely alliances through independently assigning meaning to these empty signs. This paper outlines the mechanics of this process through articulating the various affective rhetorical appeals that couple with the universalising principle; which consists of: a neo-romantic ethic, a nostalgic cosmopolitan mood, and a neo-pagan/deep eco-theology. This acts as a solvent rendering the semantic and political boundaries, porous. What, then, are the unintended consequences of this commensalism? By articulating how self-proclaimed decolonisers of yoga buffer criticism of Hindu nationalism camouflaged by political correctness, we gain clarity in understanding how the decolonisation process exculpates 'yoga fundamentalists' of their perceived privilege, guilt, and appropriation; however, it often results in being groomed to help normalise the political theology of Hindutva.
Affiliations: JSPS Fellow - Graduate School of Global Environmental Studies, Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan Research Associate - Nanzan University Anthropological Institute, Nagoya, Japan Research Affiliate - Organization for Identity and Cultural Development, Kyoto, Japan Visiting Fellow - South and South-east Asian Studies Department & Member - South Asia Research Institute, School of Culture, History and Language, Australian National University, Canberra, Australia
You can find more information about the Yogascapes in Japan project: yogascapesinjapan.com Follow us on social media accounts: https://twitter.com/yogascapesinjap https://www.instagram.com/yogascapesinjapan http://www.facebook.com/yogascapesinjapan
Produced by: @tattooedyogini_ and https://twitter.com/psdmccartney
Music by Scott Holmes: http://freemusicarchive.org/music/Scott_Holmes/
University of Alberta - Faculty of Arts https://www.ualberta.ca/arts/events/ois/50n1ud0d508i2jc76dasn572sr
Here's a short clip of Valeria Lauricella getting sak yant by Master Sangsophea. The store is located at Angkor Night Market in Siem Reap, Cambodia.
If you would like more information about sak yant or would like to contact Master Sangsophea, here's his facebook page https://www.facebook.com/sopheatattoo/
Siem Reap, Cambodia
Two weeks in Siem Reap, Cambodia was not long enough. In between attending the Cala Conference and field work, we managed to visit the Angkor Archeological Park, Tonle Sap and Krong Siem Reap.
Spirit Yoga studio
Last week, we ventured down to Spirit Yoga Studio, which is located near Temma Station in Osaka. We spoke with Haidar Ali, who is the founder and director of Spirit Yoga Studio and Spirit Yoga International School. We also spoke with Yumika Sakura, who is recent graduate from a 200YTT at Spirit Yoga International School, and Akihiko Sakane, who is the website manager. There is great passion amongst the team. While we didn't have time to join a class, we were welcomed back, and are keen to experience the warm, welcoming sense of union and community they offer, for ourselves. The glass off tea on arrival is a great way to set the mood, and begin to leave the stress of the street outside.
odissi - classical indian Dance
Today, we ventured to Studio Bindu, in the east of Kyoto, to watch Kamala Klebanova perform Odissi, a classical Indian dance which originated in Odisha (East India).
Autumn colours and humans
We were fortunate enough to experience the end of autumn in Japan. The colours of the maple trees were vibrant yellow, orange and red. Add to your bucket list, visit Japan during autumn! 🍁
ozharvest: nourishing our country
This is a 3-min short film we entered in the World Nomads' film competition. We didn't win :-( ... but it was fun making it. It is about the kindness of the volunteers at OzHarvest, which is a 'food rescue' organisation.