The Evolution of Modern Yoga
Oct 2026 · Sold by Simon and Schuster
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312
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About this ebook
How much has yoga changed over the past 2,000 years? Daniel Simpson provides an engaging and authoritative overview of shifts in priorities that shaped new techniques, making yoga more appealing to contemporary practitioners.
Before the modern era, most yogis were men who renounced worldly life. Non-seated postures—first mentioned in texts about a thousand years ago—served as warm-ups for subtler techniques, and the ultimate goal was to sit like a stone. The average modern yoga class, by contrast, is predominantly female and centred on postural sequences for health and well-being. How did an ancient approach to renouncing the world become a branch of the globalised wellness industry?
In The Evolution of Modern Yoga, scholar-practitioner Daniel Simpson offers a lucid and accessible guide to how the aims and methods of yoga have transformed over the centuries. Drawing on the latest research in the rapidly-growing field of yoga studies, Simpson examines key trends, influential teachers who shaped the development of contemporary forms, issues of authenticity, concerns about cultural appropriation, and questions of ownership.
Bringing clarity to a complex history, The Evolution of Modern Yoga presents a compelling account of how the most prevalent forms of yoga taught around the world today relate to earlier traditions, in an engaging style that will be equally appealing to dedicated students of yoga and curious readers.
Before the modern era, most yogis were men who renounced worldly life. Non-seated postures—first mentioned in texts about a thousand years ago—served as warm-ups for subtler techniques, and the ultimate goal was to sit like a stone. The average modern yoga class, by contrast, is predominantly female and centred on postural sequences for health and well-being. How did an ancient approach to renouncing the world become a branch of the globalised wellness industry?
In The Evolution of Modern Yoga, scholar-practitioner Daniel Simpson offers a lucid and accessible guide to how the aims and methods of yoga have transformed over the centuries. Drawing on the latest research in the rapidly-growing field of yoga studies, Simpson examines key trends, influential teachers who shaped the development of contemporary forms, issues of authenticity, concerns about cultural appropriation, and questions of ownership.
Bringing clarity to a complex history, The Evolution of Modern Yoga presents a compelling account of how the most prevalent forms of yoga taught around the world today relate to earlier traditions, in an engaging style that will be equally appealing to dedicated students of yoga and curious readers.
How much has yoga changed over the past 2,000 years? Daniel Simpson provides an engaging and authoritative overview of shifts in priorities that shaped new techniques, making yoga more appealing to contemporary practitioners.
Before the modern era, most yogis were men who renounced worldly life....
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About the author
Daniel Simpson teaches courses on yoga history and philosophy at the Oxford Centre for Hindu Studies. He is a graduate of Cambridge University, and earned an M.A. in yoga studies from SOAS (University of London), where he has also taught. In a previous career, he was a foreign correspondent, working for Reuters and The New York Times. Daniel is also the author of The Truth of Yoga (North Point Press, 2021) and host of the Ancient Futures podcast.
The Oxford Centre for Hindu Studies is an academy for the study of Hindu cultures, societies, philosophies, religions, and languages. The Oxford Centre for Hindu Studies Mandala Publishing Series offers authoritative yet accessible introductions to a wide range of subjects in Hindu Studies. Each book in the series aims to present its subject matter in a form that is engaging and readily comprehensible to persons of all backgrounds – academic or otherwise – without compromising scholarly rigour. The series thus bridges the divide between academic and popular writing by preserving and utilising the best elements of both. General Editor: Lucian Wong Editorial Board: John Brockington, Avni Chag, James Madaio, and Valters Negribs For information on Continuing Education Courses at the Oxford Centre for Hindu Studies, visit www.ochsonline.org
The Oxford Centre for Hindu Studies is an academy for the study of Hindu cultures, societies, philosophies, religions, and languages. The Oxford Centre for Hindu Studies Mandala Publishing Series offers authoritative yet accessible introductions to a wide range of subjects in Hindu Studies. Each book in the series aims to present its subject matter in a form that is engaging and readily comprehensible to persons of all backgrounds – academic or otherwise – without compromising scholarly rigour. The series thus bridges the divide between academic and popular writing by preserving and utilising the best elements of both. General Editor: Lucian Wong Editorial Board: John Brockington, Avni Chag, James Madaio, and Valters Negribs For information on Continuing Education Courses at the Oxford Centre for Hindu Studies, visit www.ochsonline.org
Daniel Simpson teaches courses on yoga history and philosophy at the Oxford Centre for Hindu Studies. He is a graduate of Cambridge University, and earned an M.A. in yoga studies from SOAS (University of London), where he has also taught. In a previous career, he was a foreign correspondent, work...
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