Yoga, Disability, and Animism, with Theo Wildcroft
Aug 11, 2024
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Theodora Wildcroft, a researcher and long-time yoga teacher, explores the transformative power of yoga, especially for diverse bodies and minds. She discusses her ethnographic work linking yoga with animism and paganism, while emphasizing liberatory practices for neurodivergent individuals. The conversation delves into issues like cultural appropriation, the impact of colonialism, and the evolution of yoga in modern contexts. Theo's insights highlight the importance of personal narratives and communal experiences in reshaping yoga's future.
Dr. Theodora Wildcroft's research illustrates the evolution of post-lineage yoga, emphasizing inclusivity, adaptability, and personal expression beyond traditional practices.
The conversation highlights the necessity of adapting yoga practices to accommodate individual disabilities and diverse experiences of embodiment, fostering empowerment and agency.
Addressing the impact of colonialism on yoga's commercialization, the discussion underscores the need for ethical scrutiny regarding cultural appropriation and historical privileges.
Deep dives
The Intersection of Yoga and Cultural Practices
Ethnographic research on yoga in the UK highlights its connections with animism, paganism, and somatic practices. Theodora Wildcroft's insights into post-lineage yoga show how practitioners are shifting away from traditional lineage-based structures towards more inclusive and adaptable practices. This shift emphasizes individual experiences and the integration of diverse cultural backgrounds, allowing contemporary yoga to flourish in new contexts. The discussion underscores the importance of understanding local adaptations and how these practices resonate within the fabric of British culture.
Post-Lineage Yoga: Redefining Practice
Post-lineage yoga emerges as a nuanced concept where the relationship between teachers and their teachings evolves beyond traditional structures. Wildcroft argues that this framework fosters a critical examination of the historical roots of yoga, including issues of cultural appropriation and commercialization. Rather than discarding lineage altogether, practitioners are encouraged to question established norms and create their personalized yoga paths. This approach enables a more democratic exploration of yoga practice, celebrating individual expression and the diverse needs of modern practitioners.
The Relationship Between Disability and Yoga
The conversation delves into the interplay between disability and yoga, particularly how the practice must adapt to meet individual needs. Wildcroft’s experiences underscore the significance of acknowledging the realities of bodily limitations and differences while promoting a sense of empowerment and agency within practitioners. By embracing different experiences of embodiment, yoga can serve both as a source of joy and a reminder of the diversity of human existence. This perspective shifts the focus from an idealized notion of health and wellness to a more realistic and inclusive understanding of thriving.
Cultural Influences on Contemporary Yoga
The impact of colonialism on yoga’s evolution raises important questions around cultural appropriation and exploitation. Wildcroft highlights that engaging with these issues requires an understanding of the generational legacies of privilege stemming from colonial histories. It’s emphasized that the conversation should focus on exploitation rather than mere appropriation, scrutinizing who benefits from yoga’s commercialization. This perspective allows for deeper consideration of the ethical implications of modern yoga practices and their ties to historical inequities.
Embodiment and the Role of Community
The podcast emphasizes the role of community and collective practices in shaping the experience of yoga. Wildcroft reflects on her ethnographic experiences, illustrating how shared environments—such as festivals—facilitate unique encounters with yoga that transcend traditional studio practices. Engaging in yoga within communal spaces fosters adaptability and encourages a deeper connection with the environment. This collective approach promotes a multifaceted understanding of embodied practices, allowing participants to navigate their journeys together and celebrate the diversity of experiences.
In this episode, Dr Pierce Salguero sits down with Dr Theodora Wildcroft, a researcher, anthropologist, and long-time teacher of what she calls “post-lineage yoga.” We discuss Theo's ethnographic research on yoga in the UK, focusing on its connections with animism, paganism, and other somatic practices. We also dive into Theo’s personal approach to yoga as a liberatory practice that allows diverse bodies and minds to thrive. Along the way, we touch on disability, neuro-divergence, cultural appropriation, and the inescapable influence of colonialism for contemporary yogis.
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Pierce Salguerois a transdisciplinary scholar of health humanities who is fascinated by historical and contemporary intersections between Buddhism, medicine, and crosscultural exchange. He has a Ph.D. in History of Medicine from the Johns Hopkins School of Medicine (2010), and teaches Asian history, medicine, and religion at Penn State University’s Abington College, located near Philadelphia. www.piercesalguero.com.
