THRS 3342 - Yoga: History and Practice

5 credit hours
Walk down any urban street in the U.S. and chances are, you will pass by at least one yoga studio-yoga has become one of the most popular forms of exercise and, at the same time, continues to serve as a spiritual practice. Like many religious practitioners, yoga devotees congregate at secular yoga studios, gyms, and even in the privacy of their own homes and most have some basic understanding of what yoga is all about, but how many understand the over 2000 year-old Indian religious roots and philosophical systems from which yoga emerged? How do contemporary practices of yoga such as Iyengar, Bikram, and Vinyasa, relate to these Indian roots and why should it matter? In this course, we will trace the history of yoga from ancient texts like the Yoga Sutra to modern practices developed by innovators like Bikram, Iyengar, and newer movements such Trauma-Sensitive Yoga and Trauma Informed Yoga for survivors of sexual assault. We will also examine the forms yoga has taken in the contemporary U.S. and the multiple critiques its popularity has inspired such as decolonized yoga, critiques of white supremacy and yoga, intersectional approaches to yoga, and the anti-Indian and anti-Hindu rhetoric associated with yoga. WR

Prerequisite Course(s): UCOR 2100