Ep 185 Shyam Ranganathan - Cultural Filtering and Colonialism in Yoga

 


 www.yogaphilosophy.com | @yogaphilosophy_com | amazon
books


Dr. Shyam Ranganathan discusses explores the themes of yoga,
anti-colonial philosophy, and action-focused guide to practice.
He highlights the concept of the Linguistic Account of Thought
(LAT) and how it has led to cultural filtering and colonialism.
He also explains the difference between understanding and belief,
emphasizing that action is about choice, not belief. Dr.
Ranganathan challenges the Western appropriation of yoga and the
secularization of Indian philosophy, advocating for a more
nuanced and responsible approach to understanding other cultures.


 Support Keen on Yoga


Buy us a coffee: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/infoRf


PayPal: https://paypal.me/adamandtheresa


Subscribe, like and share our videos, it helps us a lot 


Connect


Website: www.keenonyoga.com


Instagram:  @keen_on_yoga | @adam_keen_ashtanga


Work Enquiries: info@keenonyoga.com


 


Key Points


·      The Linguistic Account of Thought
(LAT) has led to cultural filtering and colonialism, as it
restricts understanding to what is culturally familiar.


·      Understanding and belief are
distinct concepts, with understanding being an engaged event and
belief being a passive state of existence.


·      It is possible to look at another
culture without imposing one's own interpretive box, but it
requires adopting a different method and being open to learning.


·      Action is about choice, not
belief, and belief can hinder understanding and autonomy.


·      The Western appropriation of yoga
and the secularization of Indian philosophy perpetuate white
supremacy and overlook the rich philosophical traditions of South
Asia.


·      There are four basic ethical
theories, including virtue ethics, and sovereignty and autonomy
are important in yoga practice. Yoga encompasses different
ethical theories, including consequentialism, deontology, and
bhakti yoga.


·      Consequentialism in yoga focuses
on reducing suffering as the ultimate goal.


·      Deontology in yoga emphasizes
mastering certain actions and fulfilling one's special
obligations.


·      Bhakti yoga starts with devotion
to the ideal of the right and leads to personal autonomy.


·      Yoga is a practice of devotion to
Ishvara and helps individuals overcome trauma and internalized
experiences.