The Uplifted Yoga Podcast

In Part II of our conversation with yogi and sanskrit scholar, Christopher Tompkins, he expands on his amazing findings that include an important missing link between the modern popular postures and ancient tantric traditions! Were early yogi masters who brought yoga to the west teaching everything they knew or was something intentionally left out? Where does this leave the modern practice, so popular today? Where do we go next? Join us for the conclusion of our conversation about the true origins of modern yoga. -- 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? We explore these and other questions in this two part series (Episode 56 and Episode 57). 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 www.shaivayoga.com www.yogavidhi.org Host: Ashton Szabo www.anatomyofliving.com Sound Engineer: Zach Cooper Producer: Benn Mendelson www.sivanaspirit.com

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 www.shaivayoga.com www.yogavidhi.org Host: Ashton Szabo www.anatomyofliving.com Sound Engineer: Zach Cooper Producer: Benn Mendelson www.sivanaspirit.com  

In this episode, we dive into a story of Hanuman that warns us not to get too comfortable on the spiritual journey. Even after Hanuman realizes his divine nature, there is still work to be done and obstacles to overcome. With strength, wit, and a commitment to explore the depths of the subconscious, Hanuman shows us how to overcome the challenges of the spiritual path. The story serves as a reminder to stay vigilant in your quest, no matter how far you've come. Host: Ashton Szabo www.anatomyofliving.com Sound Engineer: Zach Cooper Producer: Benn Mendelson www.sivanaspirit.com  

What do yoga and martial arts have in common? How about yoga and sport? In this episode, we talk with Dr. Jerry Lynch, who has been using mindfulness techniques with world class coaches and athletes for decades. He shares with us how mindfulness techniques can be applied to any life experience and can fundamentally change the way we engage the world. What is mindfulness? How does one practice it? We'll explore these questions and more! Sports psychologist Dr. Jerry Lynch is the author of eleven books and founder/director of Way of Champions, a performance consulting group gear towards "mastering the inner game" for athletic excellence. He has over 35 years of experience as a sports psychologist, coach, athlete, and teacher. He draws from his experience working with Olympic, NBA, and NCAA champions to help transform the lives of athletes, parents, coaches, and every day people. Special Guest: Dr. Jerry Lynch www.wayofchampions.com Host: Ashton Szabo www.anatomyofliving.com Sound Engineer: Zach Cooper Producer: Benn Mendelson www.sivanaspirit.com  

Join us for a thrilling three part conversation with author, scholar and yogi, Douglas Brooks, who is currently Professor of Religion at the University of Rochester, NY. His work with yoga communities has impacted countless numbers of yogis and yoginis all over the world, and particularly here in the United States. In Part III, we conclude our conversation about what it means to be a western yogi in the world today. We ask vital questions about living in the world and how to accept and say "yes" to the experiences of life. How do we say yes to the challenging moments, as well as the easy ones?  How can we as a community drive forward together to create a more harmonious planet? We dive into these topics and more in our final episode of this talk with Professor Douglas Brooks. Living In The World As A Modern Yogi [Part III] - Conversation with Douglas Brooks [Episode 53] Special Guest: Douglas Brooks www.rajanaka.com Host: Ashton Szabo www.anatomyofliving.com Sound Engineer: Zach Cooper Producer: Benn Mendelson www.sivanaspirit.com

Join us for a thrilling three part conversation with author, scholar and yogi, Douglas Brooks, who is currently Professor of Religion at the University of Rochester, NY. His work with yoga communities has impacted countless numbers of yogis and yoginis all over the world, and particularly here in the United States. In Part II, we continue our conversation about what it means to be a western yogi in the world today. We ask how to honor the traditions of past while still recognizing the needs and particular aspects of modern life. How do we integrate these ancient practices and the experiences we have into our daily lives? We explore this and much more in this engaging episode with the always insightful Douglas Brooks. Living In The World As A Modern Yogi [Part II] - Conversation with Douglas Brooks [Episode 52] Special Guest: Douglas Brooks www.rajanaka.com Host: Ashton Szabo www.anatomyofliving.com Sound Engineer: Zach Cooper Producer: Benn Mendelson www.sivanaspirit.com

Join us for a thrilling three part conversation with author, scholar and yogi, Douglas Brooks, who is currently Professor of Religion at the University of Rochester, NY. His work with yoga communities has impacted countless numbers of yogis and yoginis all over the world, and particularly here in the United States. In Part I, we begin our conversation about what it means to be a western yogi in the world today.  What are we missing, given the context of yoga's origins? What opportunities do we have for greater integration and understanding? Are there other streams of ideas within yoga that we typically don't know of in the west? In addition to exploring these ideas and more; Douglas shares some of hist first experiences with his teacher in India and how it set the stage for his life now. Living In The World As A Modern Yogi [Part I] - Conversation with Douglas Brooks [Episode 51] Special Guest: Douglas Brooks www.rajanaka.com Host: Ashton Szabo www.anatomyofliving.com Sound Engineer: Zach Cooper Producer: Benn Mendelson www.sivanaspirit.com  

What does the latest scientific research say about reality and consciousness? As it turns out, scientists are starting to sound a lot more like the ancient yogis when they answer. In this episode, one of the worlds most well read and widely known astronomers, Bob Berman, joins us to chat about reality, time, consciousness, life and death. What sometimes sounds eerily like a real life Matrix, Berman explains ideas of reality supported by some of the most recent scientific findings and leads us down a fantastic rabbit hole into understanding the nature of reality. Special Guest: Bob Berman www.skymanbob.com Host: Ashton Szabo www.anatomyofliving.com Sound Engineer: Zach Cooper Producer: Benn Mendelson www.sivanaspirit.com  

The story of Narasimha and the Demon King, that many associate with the holiday of Holi, is typically understood as a story that demonstrates the fierce grace of the Hindu god, Vishnu. It's also an opportunity to explore the importance of staying connected to something larger than one-self. Offering an alternative to attempts at subduing or controlling life, the story encourages us to deepen the connection to our highest self to help navigate the difficulties of life.   Host: Ashton Szabo www.anatomyofliving.com Sound Engineer: Zach Cooper Produced By: Benn Mendelson www.sivanaspirit.com  

In this episode we explore ideas of service and the "why" behind our every day actions, as well as discuss success, struggle, what can hold us back in life, and much more. Our guest is Jake Ducey, who at only 24 years old, is a two-time published author with Penguin/Random-House), a leading speaker for his generation having been featured in TEDx Youth, and has already inspired countless thousands of young people to seek meaningful career success and to make a difference in the world. He joins us to share some of the unique insights and perspectives he's learned from his journey and countless connections with people from all over the world. Special Guest: Jake Ducey www.jaceducey.com Host: Ashton Szabo www.anatomyofliving.com Sound Engineer: Zach Cooper Producer: Benn Mendelson www.sivanaspirit.com