Best Sanskrit Studies Podcasts (2024)

1
Bhāva: A Theory of Imagination 16:21

29d ago16:21

16:21

In this episode of the podcast, we share an excerpt from the 30-Day Sādhana on the topic of bhāva, a Sanskrit word which has a number of different meanings, including emotion, being, becoming, and denotes a state of things that we bring into being through practice. It grounds a theory of imagination that is both illuminating and empowering. It grou…

1
The Lineage of Immortals with Jason Birch 1:44:09

1M ago1:44:09

1:44:09

Jason Birch is a scholar of medieval haṭha yoga and a founding member of SOAS's Centre for Yoga Studies. His research includes locating and translating early yoga manuscripts, and preparing critical editions, such as of the Amaraugha. In this episode, Jason and Jacob discuss: what inspired Jason to pursue the study of Sanskrit texts the historical …

1
AIIS and Tech: Languages, Code, Design, and Careers with former AIIS language students 1:00:54

2M ago1:00:54

1:00:54

In this episode, we look to the world of tech and the bridges that AIIS students create between Indian and South Asian Studies and successful careers in technology fields of all kinds. The stereotypical careers that stem from the study of Indic languages and South Asian Studies may be in the humanities, but many AIIS language students have made the…

1
This Crack in Time with Shambhavi Sarasvati 1:15:00

3M ago1:15:00

1:15:00

Shambhavi Sarasvati is the spiritual director of Jaya Kula, a nonprofit community in Portland, Oregon. Her principle training is in the View and practices of Trika Shaivism—also called Kashmir Shaivism—and the Dzogchen tradition of Tibet. Shambhavi is known for her humor and for making complex teachings about the nature of the self and reality unde…

1
45. Lucy May Constantini | Kaḷarippayaṟṟ˘: Martial Art of Kerala 1:16:24

3M ago1:16:24

1:16:24

In this episode we speak with Lucy May Constantini about her fascinating research and practical experience studying the south-Indian martial art tradition of kaḷarippayaṟṟ˘. We discuss Lucy's background of training in Kerala, the history of kaḷari, the role of the gurukkaḷ ("lineage-holder"), the tradition's Śākta Tantra context in Kerala, medi…

1
44. Kate Hartmann | Pilgrimage and Buddhism 1:04:53

4M ago1:04:53

1:04:53

In this episode we welcome back Kate Hartmann, former director of Buddhist Studies Online, to discuss all things pilgrimage and Buddhism. We discuss how Kate first got into pilgrimage studies as a grad student at Harvard, whether pilgrimage is a universal concept across cultures, and question what separates a pilgrim from a tourist? We then turn to…

1
Ancient Greek Wisdom with Athena Potari 1:25:08

4M ago1:25:08

1:25:08

Athena Potari is a philosopher, spiritual teacher, and lineage holder of the Hellenic spiritual tradition. She is the founder of Athenoa – an Academy for Hellenic Wisdom in Greece, where Hellenism is approached as a living wisdom tradition whose core consists in the inextricable synthesis of scientific reason, self-inquiry and spirituality. Her wor…

1
The Wisdom of Zero with Jacob Kyle 1:01:13

5M ago1:01:13

1:01:13

In today's episode, Embodied Philosophy Founder Jacob Kyle is interviewed by Kelly Blaser for the 2024 Power of Meditation Summit. They discussed the role of the scholar-practitioner, the philosophical significance of "zero," the important synergy of knowledge and experience, "reappropriating God," and the necessary role of spirituality in the live…

1
Yoga Teacher Travails & Transformations with Leslie Kaminoff 1:54:08

5M ago1:54:08

1:54:08

Leslie Kaminoff is a yoga educator inspired by the tradition of T.K.V. Desikachar. He is an internationally recognized specialist with four decades’ experience in the fields of yoga and breath anatomy. He leads workshops for many of the leading yoga associations, schools and training programs in the world. Leslie’s book Yoga Anatomy, (co-authored w…

1
The Vibratory Power of Sanskrit with Lucy Crisfield 1:24:33

7M ago1:24:33

1:24:33

About the Guest Lucy Crisfield is a speaker at the World Yoga Festival, a plenary speaker at the British Wheel of Yoga Festival, and the founder of ‘Original Wisdom’, through which she shares the inner teachings of mantra and yoga philosophy with sound, meditation, and scholarly precision. Lucy has just finished writing a book with the same title a…

1
43. Christopher Jain Miller | Embodying Transnational Yoga 1:04:07

7M ago1:04:07

1:04:07

In this episode we speak with Christopher Miller about his recent monograph, Embodying Transnational Yoga: Eating, Singing, and Breathing in Transformation (Routledge 2023) and his upcoming online course at Yogic Studies. We begin by discussing his academic background and how he first got into critical Yoga and later Jain Studies, his experiences a…

1
Creating and collaborating through digital projects with the AIIS Digital Sonic and Visual Projects fellowships 1:04:06

7M ago1:04:06

1:04:06

In this episode, we explore what it’s like to create born digital projects in India with support from the two AIIS research centers: the Center for Art and Archeology (CA&A) and the Archives and Research Centers for Ethnomusicology (ARCE). Both units share an online archive and digital exhibit space, the Virtual Museum of Images and Sounds, that yo…

1
Subversive Sanskrit Studies with Bihani Sarkar 1:23:33

8M ago1:23:33

1:23:33

About the Guest Bihani Sarkar is a Calcutta-born, Oxford-educated, scholar of classical Sanskrit literature and pre-modern Indian history and religious traditions. Bihani is a historian of early Indian politics, religions, and literature (poetry and drama) between the 2nd and the 15th centuries CE. She is lecturer in Comparative Non-Western Thought…

1
On the Role of the Guru with Hari-kirtana das, Ken Rose, Trish Tillman & Stephanie Corigliano 1:51:46

8M ago1:51:46

1:51:46

About the Guests Hari-kirtana das is a yoga teacher, spiritual mentor, and author. He's been practicing devotional yoga and various other yogic disciplines for the better part of the last 50 years, has lived in yoga ashrams and intentional spiritual communities, and has a talent for making complex ideas about spiritual philosophy easy to understand…

1
42. Samuel M. Grimes | Newar Buddhism, Nepal, and Yoga 46:32

8M ago46:32

46:32

In this episode we speak with Samuel Grimes about his research and experience with the tradition of Newar Buddhism in Nepal. We discuss the unique history of Buddhism in Nepal, the decline of Buddhism in India, and what it means to be the only living "Sanskritic Buddhist" tradition in South Asia. We then discuss the meaning and role of yoga within …

1
The Luminous Self with Tracee Stanley 44:56

9M ago44:56

44:56

About the Guest Tracee Stanley is the author of the bestselling book Radiant Rest: Yoga Nidra for Deep Relaxation and Awakened Clarity and the founder of Empowered Life Circle, a sacred community and portal of practices, rituals, and Tantric teachings inspired by more than twenty-five years of studentship in SriVidya Tantra and the teachings of the…

1
Sitar, Dhrupad, and breathing into the space of South Asian classical music 54:58

9M ago54:58

54:58

In this episode, we highlight new forms of innovative research being done on South Asian classical music through the AIIS performing and creative arts fellowship. Sitarist and ethnomusicologist Brian Q. Silver interviews sitarist and AIIS fellow Paul Livingstone. Through their knowledgeable experiences as international performers and dedicated musi…

1
41. Keith Edward Cantú | The History of Theosophy and Yoga 1:02:38

10M ago1:02:38

1:02:38

In this episode we welcome back Keith Cantú for a wide ranging conversation on the history of the Theosophical Society and in particular its unique relationship with the modern history of yoga. We discuss the influence of figures like Helena Blavatsky and Henry Steel Olcott, as well as lesser-known South Asian Theosophists and Theosophy-adjacent au…

1
Body by Breath with Jill Miller 47:55

10M ago47:55

47:55

About the Guest Jill Miller, C-IAYT, ERYT, YA-CEP is a fascia and movement expert that forges links between the worlds of yoga, massage, athletics, and pain management. Her programs, Yoga Tune Up® and The Roll Model® are found at gyms, yoga studios, hospitals, athletic training facilities and corporations worldwide. She is the former anatomy column…

1
TRIBUTE [Best of]: Sally Kempton on the Divine Feminine, Deity Yoga and Spiritual Pragmatism 52:31

12M ago52:31

52:31

About the Guest Sally Kempton was a master of meditation, yoga philosophy, and practical tantric philosophy. Her retreats and workshops were known for creating breakthroughs, born of her ability to help people turn sublime truths into lived, and life-shifting, experience. Sally spent 20 years as a swami in a Vedic order and studied and taught spiri…

1
Options For Yoga Teachers Today with Ava Taylor 54:30

1y ago54:30

54:30

About the Guest Ava Taylor, Founder of YAMA Talent, is a tenacious entrepreneur & avid yogi. Committed to running an ethics-based business, her personal mission is to be a Catalyst for Better Living, bringing the tools of wellness to communities of all kinds. Ava has pioneered the development of the booking, management, & consulting business in the…

1
40. Caley Smith | The World of Vedic Sanskrit 1:15:20

1y ago1:15:20

1:15:20

In this episode we speak with Caley Smith about the ancient and fascinating world of Vedic Sanskrit. We discuss some theories and debates about the origins of Sanskrit, its relationship with other Indo-European languages, the nature and scope of the Vedas, Vedic notions of authorship, comparisons between Classical Sanskrit and Vedic, the importance…

1
Knowledge, Experience, and the Yoga Teacher with Daniel Simpson 56:11

1y ago56:11

56:11

About the Guest Daniel Simpson is the author of The Truth of Yoga, an accessible guide to yoga history and philosophy. His approach combines scholarly knowledge with humor and insight, informed by more than 20 years of practical experience. He holds a master's degree in yoga studies (from SOAS at the University of London) and teaches courses at the…

1
39. Lubomír Ondračka | Yogic and Tantric Bodies 1:03:27

1y ago1:03:27

1:03:27

In this episode we speak with Lubomír Ondračka about his research on conceptions of the body within yogic and tantric traditions. We first discuss his background in chemical engineering and studying Indology in the Czech Republic, and how his interest in alchemy led him to India and the study of the Nāth yogis. We discuss the various scholarly cate…

1
Best Of: Yoga for Recovery with Nikki Myers 54:45

1y ago54:45

54:45

About the Guest An accomplished speaker, teacher, and practitioner, Nikki Myers is an MBA, C-IAYT Yoga Therapist, Somatic Experiencing Practitioner, Addictions Recovery Specialist, and Certified Health Coach. Born from her personal struggle with addiction, Nikki is the founder of Y12SR, The Yoga of 12-Step Recovery. Based in its theme, “the issues …

1
Joe Loizzo on The New Mind-Body Research & the Yogic Science of Integration 1:18:47

1y ago1:18:47

1:18:47

This episode of Chitheads is a talk from Joe Loizzo republished from Embodied Philosophy’s Yoga Seminar. It's a taste of a deeper dive with Dr. Joe Loizzo in our upcoming 30-hr Certificate Program, “Buddhist Psychology in the Nalanda Tradition,” co-presented with the Nalanda Institute for Contemplative Science. To learn more or to take advantage of…

1
Ashtanga Yoga in Sutras and the Gītā: A Comparison with Edwin Bryant 1:39:21

1y ago1:39:21

1:39:21

This talk is being republished from the Radial Practice Conference in 2018. If you have a Gītā handy you might want to grab it while you listen. About the Guest Edwin Bryant received his Ph.D. in Indic Languages and Cultures from Columbia University. He taught Hinduism at Harvard University for three years and is presently the professor of Hinduism…

1
Is the West Ready for Tantra? with Andrew Holecek 1:06:04

1+ y ago1:06:04

1:06:04

In this episode, author and Embodied Philosophy faculty, Andrew Holecek, is in conversation with Stephanie Corigliano and Jacob Kyle, as they discuss Andrew’s article, “Is the West Ready for Tantra?” an article released in the latest issue of Tarka. Explore the latest Tarka issue here. About the Guest Andrew Holecek has completed the traditional th…

1
38. Carl Ernst | The History of Sufism and Yoga 1:23:10

1+ y ago1:23:10

1:23:10

In this episode we speak with Carl Ernst about his career of scholarship on Sufism—which he describes as the tradition of ethics and spirituality associated with Islam. In particular we discuss the unique history of Sufism's engagement with Hindu forms of yoga in northern India, which has been the subject of numerous important publications by Ernst…

1
Following the Non-Dual Path of the Divine Feminine with Sally Kempton 1:13:34

1+ y ago1:13:34

1:13:34

This episode of Chitheads is a talk from Sally Kempton republished from Embodied Philosophy’s 2017 Radical Body Conference. In this episode, Sally talks about Goddess practice as a spiritual technology and provides guided practices experiencing the divine feminine through the breath, through being seen by the divine, and through a formal meditation…

1
16. Amba Kulkarni | Sanskrit and Computers 1:12:43

1+ y ago1:12:43

1:12:43

My guest this month is Amba Kulkarni from the Department of Sanskrit at the University of Hyderabad, who has also been associated with IIT Kanpur and the National Sanskrit University. Professor Kulkarni is best known for her work linking traditional Indian linguistic theory (starting with Pāṇini and focussing on aspects such as Śabdabodha and Kārak…

1
Nikki Costello on the New Yoga Classroom 1:17:51

1+ y ago1:17:51

1:17:51

Nikki Costello is an educator with 30 years of teaching and training experience in the Yoga and Wellness industry. She works at the intersection of social justice and Yoga with a focus on facilitating new models of embodied leadership. Nikki is a Senior Iyengar Yoga Teacher (Level 3-CIYT) and a Certified Yoga Therapist (C-IAYT). In 2013-2014, she w…

1
Rabbi Rami Shapiro on Living the Golden Rule 1:06:31

1+ y ago1:06:31

1:06:31

Rabbi Rami Shapiro PH.D. is an award–winning author of over thirty-six books on religion and spirituality. Rami co-directs the One River Foundation (www.oneriverfoundation.org), is a Contributing Editor at Spirituality and Health magazine, and hosts the magazine’s podcast: Spirituality & Health with Rabbi Rami (spiritualityhealth.com). In this epis…

1
37. James Mallinson | Dattātreya's Discourse on Yoga 50:36

1+ y ago50:36

50:36

In this episode we welcome back Jim Mallinson for another update on his pioneering research into the earliest Sanskrit texts of Haṭha Yoga. We discuss the Light on Hatha Yoga Project (2021–2024) which will produce a critical edition of the Haṭhapradīpikā. We then dive into the Dattātreyayogaśāstra, the "Dattātreya's Discourse on Yoga," perhaps the …

1
15. Robert Zydenbos | The Life of Sanskrit Traditions 1:44:15

1+ y ago1:44:15

1:44:15

My guest this month is Robert Zydenbos, who is Professor of Modern Indology at the LMU Munich. (Full disclosure: we thus are colleagues!) His first point of contact with Indian languages and philosophies was through Collier's Encyclopaedia. It introduced him to such ideas as rebirth, a concept found in various traditions (see e.g. here, here or her…

1
60th Anniversary Series – Building Collaborations, Relationships, and Shared Homes in US-India Scholarship 46:27

1+ y ago46:27

46:27

This year we have been celebrating a history of scholarship in and through AIIS – exploring the narratives within the walls of the institute and the conversations that have happened thanks to the support of AIIS. In this episode, we turn from history to current research that highlights collaboration and co-creation, a foundational piece of what mak…

1
36. Philip Deslippe | Early American Yoga and the "Swami Circuit" 1:14:59

1+ y ago1:14:59

1:14:59

In this episode, we speak with return guest Philip Deslippe about his research on the history of Early American Yoga. Philip shares with us his archive of knowledge and stories from the "Swami Circuit"—the network of forgotten South Asian yoga teachers who travelled and taught various forms of yoga throughout the United States during the 19th and 2…

1
14. Saroja Bhate | Vyākaraṇa and Good Teachers 1:01:54

1+ y ago1:01:54

1:01:54

My guest this month is Professor Saroja Bhate, former Professor of Sanskrit and Head of the Department of Sanskrit and Prakrit Languages at Pune University, who has published prolifically on Vyākaraṇa. Her first contact with Sanskrit was through the recitation of stotras. She was educated at Pune University and at Ṭiḷaka Mahārāṣṭra Vidyāpīṭha, and …

1
60th Anniversary Series - Collaboration and the Nilgiris Field Learning Program 1:05:51

1+ y ago1:05:51

1:05:51

This year we have been celebrating a history of scholarship in and through AIIS - exploring the narratives within the walls of the institute and the conversations that have happened thanks to the support of AIIS. In this episode, we turn from history to current research that highlights collaboration and co-creation, a foundational piece of what mak…

1
13 Patrick McCartney | Sanskrit in the World 2:39:41

2y ago2:39:41

2:39:41

My guest this month is Patrick McCartney. His written work, on Sanskrit-speaking villages, Sanskrit in the Indian census, the popular use and the politics of Yoga (and many other topics), is very conveniently linked to here. His Yogascapes project has its own website. The Himāl article on Spoken Sanskrit he mentions is linked to here. His videos, i…

1
35. Arti Dhand | The Great Epic, Mahābhārata 1:13:39

2y ago1:13:39

1:13:39

In this episode, we speak with Dr. Arti Dhand about her research, teaching, and podcasting on India's great epic, the Mahābhārata. We discuss her background and training in Religious Studies, comparing the Mahābhārata with Game of Thrones, the nature of an "epic," the textual history of the Mahābhārata, its major themes and narrative, gender and th…

1
12. Andrew Ollett | Beyond Sanskrit 1:08:00

2y ago1:08:00

1:08:00

My guest this month is Mr Prakrit, Andrew Ollett, who teaches at the University of Chicago Perhaps his most well-known publication is the book 'Language of the Snakes', which you can download for free here. Among his teachers were Eleanor Dickey, Gary Tubb and Sheldon Pollock (whose book 'The Language of the Gods in the World of Men' Andrew mention…

1
Ketamine Therapy with Christi Myers 1:21:15

2y ago1:21:15

1:21:15

Christi Myers is the Founder and CEO of Flow Integrative, a ketamine psychotherapy practice that helps clients deal with mood disorders and substance abuse. Since its launch in late 2020, Flow Integrative has offered ketamine psychotherapy to over 100 patients and is currently a pilot clinic for the first psychedelic insurance company. Most insuran…

1
Learn to chant Bhagavad-Gita chapter 3 full 27:25

2y ago27:25

27:25

https://youtu.be/NK64EtwK_TM thanks to ssj productions for their great work.

1
60th Anniversary Series – Robert P. Goldman on AIIS, Sanskrit Pedagogy, and Emerging Trends in Sanskrit Research 55:34

2y ago55:34

55:34

In this episode of our 60th anniversary series, we have the unique honor of speaking to a scholar who has been part of the foundational landscape of Sanskrit scholarship and education in the United States, Robert Goldman, Professor of the Graduate School and Catherine and William L. Magistretti Distinguished Professor of Sanskrit Emeritus at the Un…

1
34. Dagmar Wujastyk | Entangled Histories of Yoga, Āyurveda and Alchemy 1:03:21

2y ago1:03:21

1:03:21

In this episode, we speak with Dr. Dagmar Wujastyk about her journey to Indology and the study of Sanskrit and Āyurveda, and her early travels in India studying and observing Āyurvedic physicians and centers. We discuss the research and findings from her recent ERC project Ayuryog, some of the alchemical mysteries of mercury and gold, and conclude …

1
60th Anniversary Series – A. N. Singh and Rakesh Ranjan on the history of the AIIS Hindi program and Hindi pedagogy 48:34

2y ago48:34

48:34

In this episode of our 60th anniversary series, Dr. A. N. Singh, AIIS Hindi program head, interviews Dr. Rakesh Ranjan, Senior Lecturer and Language Coordinator at Columbia University and former AIIS Hindi Language Program Director and current AIIS Language Committee member. In their interview, they discuss the early days of the Hindi language prog…

1
Yoga World Past, Present & Future with Nikki Vilella 1:37:02

2y ago1:37:02

1:37:02

Nikki Vilella started teaching at Kula Yoga Project in New York City in 2005 and opened Kula Williamsburg (alongside Schuyler Grant) in 2010. She has written for Yoga Journal and was named one of America's top 100 Most Influential Yoga Teachers by sonima.com. As a teacher, she strives to include the perfect alchemy of precise physical instruction, …

1
33. Stuart Sarbacker | Aṣṭāṅgayoga: Eight Limbs of Yoga 1:15:17

2y ago1:15:17

1:15:17

In this episode, we welcome back Dr. Stuart Ray Sarbacker for a wide-ranging discussing about his upcoming course, YS 121 | 8 Limbs of Yoga: History, Theory, and Practice of Aṣṭāṅgayoga. We discuss the nature of Patañjali's "classical" model, some of its possible sources and influences, comparisons with Buddhist meditation and paths, Aṣṭāṅga beyond…

1
11. Wendy Doniger | Translating India 1:12:07

2y ago1:12:07

1:12:07

My guest this month is Wendy Doniger. Read more about her and her many wonderful books here and here. She was educated at Radcliffe, the only part of Harvard then to admit women, and at Oxford. She has taught at SOAS, but has spent most of her career at the University of Chicago's Divinity School, on the Committee on Social Thought, and in South As…

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