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Podcast: New Books in Indian Religions
Episode: Simon Atkinson, "Krishnamacharya on Kundalini: The Origins and Coherence of His Position" (Equinox Publishing, 2022)
Description: Krishnamacharya on Kundalini: The Origins and Coherence of His Position (Equinox Publishing, 2022) explores a distinctive teaching of 'the father of modern yoga', T. Krishnamacharya. Whereas most yoga traditions teach that kuášá¸alinÄŤ is a serpentine energy that rises, Krishnamacharya defined it differently. To him, kuášá¸alinÄŤ is a serpentine blockage which prevents prÄáša (breath or life-force) from rising and which represents avidyÄ (spiritual ignorance). Simon Atkinson draws from over 20 years of study and practice under teachers following Krishnamacharya. He combines analysis of quotations from yoga workshops with a detailed study of traditional Sanskrit texts. Atkinson challenges claims that Krishnamacharya's...