The true origins of the modern practice of Hatha Yoga, practiced by so many in the world today, is hotly disputed by many scholars. Some people believe most of the postures practiced today were invented by a great yogi and sage, Tirumalai Krishnamacharya, in the early 20th century. Others say the postures are much older, but how much older? If the postures did exist hundreds or thousands of years ago, were they practiced the same way? Are we missing anything in our modern practice?
In Part I of our conversation with yogi and sanskrit scholar, Christopher Tompkins, he tells us the story of how he came into yoga and what him led him to these mysterious ancient sanskrit texts. He goes on to explain the discoveries he has made and speaks of the true origins of modern postural yoga. Has he found a missing key to unlock the postures so commonly practiced in the world today? Join us in this exciting conversation about the roots and origins of modern yoga!
Christopher P. Tompkins, MTS, MA is a Yoga practitioner and Sanskrit scholar specializing in the tradition of Tantric Shaivism. He has three degrees in Religion and Sanskrit, including Masters Degrees from Harvard and UC Berkeley. His research focuses on the ritualized practices of Hatha Yoga as originally presented in the earliest surviving Tantras. He founded the Kashmir Shaivism Preservation Project, which seeks to preserve and share the literal legacy of Kashmir Shaivism. To date, he's acquired over 24,000 pages of manuscripts spanning the vast range of Philosophy, Ritual and Yoga representing the medieval Tantric tradition, most of which have never been seen in the West. Christopher lectures around the world in universities and Yoga centers on the history, philosophy and practices of Indian Yoga.
Special Guest: Christopher Tompkins
Host: Ashton Szabo
Sound Engineer: Zach Cooper
Producer: Benn Mendelson