My guest in this episode is Gabriel Halpern, who is an Iyengar yoga teacher based out of Chicago.  I first met Gabriel a few years ago, when I took his workshops at Kula Yoga Project in Williamsburg, NYC. Gabriel's therapeutic approach to asana was intelligent and illuminating, but what I found most inspiring were his elegant and thoughtful dharma talks, which drew heavily from mythology and philosophy. I immediately admired Gabriel as the kind of teacher that I myself would like to be someday. 

 

My guest in this episode is Gabriel Halpern, who is an Iyengar yoga teacher based out of Chicago. &nbsp;I first met Gabriel a few years ago, when I took his workshops at Kula Yoga Project in Williamsburg, NYC. Gabriel's therapeutic approach to asana was intelligent and illuminating, but what I found most inspiring were his elegant and thoughtful dharma talks, which drew heavily from mythology and philosophy. I immediately admired Gabriel as the kind of teacher that I myself would like to be someday.&nbsp;
&nbsp;

Chitheads is a smorgasbord of contemplative education. Each episode is like a mini masterclass, exploring the diverse landscapes of spiritual practice, philosophy, and the transformative power of embodied knowledge. Each episode is crafted with the curious and open heart in mind, aiming to illuminate the path of self-inquiry and empowerment for yoga teachers, scholar-practitioners, meditators and other spiritual seekers and contemplative folks from around the world.

From the profound teachings of Yoga and Buddhism to the sometimes complex theories of contemplative psychology and the vibrant tapestry of indigenous wisdom, our guests share insights that awaken, challenge, and inspire.

With every episode, we dive into discussions that matter, exploring questions that guide us closer to our true selves and to a deeper understanding of the world around us. Our mission is to create a space where wisdom (and not fame, power, or money) is the center of gravity and what we are most concerned about cultivating in this lifetime. 

Join us on Chitheads as we explore the liminal spaces of consciousness, embrace the complexities of the human experience without dogma or self-righteousness, and discover the beauty again and again of the interconnectedness of all things.

Subscribe to Chitheads on YouTube and your favorite podcast platform, and please consider leaving us a positive review on one iTunes, or your favorite podcast player. Come dive into these in-depth conversations that illuminate our path of contemplative discovery. If you’ve felt like you’re the only one full of chit – full of consciousness or awareness ˀ– welcome home. This community of listeners, seekers, and scholar-practitioners is for you.

Chitheads is a smorgasbord of contemplative education. Each episode is like a mini masterclass, exploring the diverse landscapes of spiritual practice, philosophy, and the transformative power of embodied knowledge. Each episode is crafted with the curious and open heart in mind, aiming to illuminate the path of self-inquiry and empowerment for yoga teachers, scholar-practitioners, meditators and other spiritual seekers and contemplative folks from around the world.
From the profound teachings of Yoga and Buddhism to the sometimes complex theories of contemplative psychology and the vibrant tapestry of indigenous wisdom, our guests share insights that awaken, challenge, and inspire.
With every episode, we dive into discussions that matter, exploring questions that guide us closer to our true selves and to a deeper understanding of the world around us. Our mission is to create a space where wisdom (and not fame, power, or money) is the center of gravity and what we are most concerned about cultivating in this lifetime. 
Join us on Chitheads as we explore the liminal spaces of consciousness, embrace the complexities of the human experience without dogma or self-righteousness, and discover the beauty again and again of the interconnectedness of all things.
Subscribe to Chitheads on YouTube and your favorite podcast platform, and please consider leaving us a positive review on one iTunes, or your favorite podcast player. Come dive into these in-depth conversations that illuminate our path of contemplative discovery. If you’ve felt like you’re the only one full of chit – full of consciousness or awareness ˀ– welcome home. This community of listeners, seekers, and scholar-practitioners is for you.

Interviews with leaders, elders and teachers from the yoga and wider wisdom community on eastern philosophies, consciousness studies, social justice, and the human spiritual condition.

CHITHEADS with Jacob Kyle (Embodied Philosophy)

Gabriel Halpern on Iyengar, being a Ritual Elder and the Initiatory Transitions of Life (#3)

In this episode of the podcast, we share an excerpt from the 30-Day Sādhana on the topic of bhāva, a Sanskrit word which has a number of different meanings, including emotion, being, becoming, and denotes a state of things that we bring into being through practice. It grounds a theory of imagination that is both illuminating and empowering. It grounds our understanding of how and why visualization practices are effective. It is a central theoretical concept that we're exploring as we investigate the yoga text, the Matsyendrasaṃhitā, throughout the 30 days of the challenge.

If you're interested in the 30-Day Sādhana, you can find more information here: https://enroll.embodiedphilosophy.com/chakra-sadhana

In this episode of the podcast, we share an excerpt from the 30-Day Sādhana on the topic of bhāva, a Sanskrit word which has a number of different meanings, including emotion, being, becoming, and denotes a state of things that we bring into being through practice. It grounds a theory of imagination that is both illuminating and empowering. It grounds our understanding of how and why visualization practices are effective. It is a central theoretical concept that we're exploring as we investigate the yoga text, the Matsyendrasaṃhitā, throughout the 30 days of the challenge.
If you're interested in the 30-Day Sādhana, you can find more information here: https://enroll.embodiedphilosophy.com/chakra-sadhana

Bhāva: A Theory of Imagination

Jason Birch is a scholar of medieval haṭha yoga and a founding member of SOAS's Centre for Yoga Studies. His research includes locating and translating early yoga manuscripts, and preparing critical editions, such as of the Amaraugha.

In this episode, Jason and Jacob discuss:
what inspired Jason to pursue the study of Sanskrit texts
the historical importance of the Amaraugha, a 12th century text attributed to Gorakṣanātha
the account of 4 yogas discussed in the text
what mantra, laya, haṭha and rāja yoga practices looked like for the yoga tradition associated with the Amaraugha
the relationship between Buddhist and Śaiva yogas
what this corpus of haṭha yoga texts might mean for modern practitioners
how the forthcoming translations of haṭha yoga texts could enrich the landscape of yoga study

Jason Birch is a scholar of medieval haṭha yoga and a founding member of SOAS's Centre for Yoga Studies. His research includes locating and translating early yoga manuscripts, and preparing critical editions, such as of the Amaraugha.
In this episode, Jason and Jacob discuss:
<ul>
<li>what inspired Jason to pursue the study of Sanskrit texts</li>
<li>the historical importance of the Amaraugha, a 12th century text attributed to Gorakṣanātha</li>
<li>the account of 4 yogas discussed in the text</li>
<li>what mantra, laya, haṭha and rāja yoga practices looked like for the yoga tradition associated with the Amaraugha</li>
<li>the relationship between Buddhist and Śaiva yogas</li>
<li>what this corpus of haṭha yoga texts might mean for modern practitioners</li>
<li>how the forthcoming translations of haṭha yoga texts could enrich the landscape of yoga study</li>
</ul>

The Lineage of Immortals with Jason Birch

Shambhavi Sarasvati is the spiritual director of Jaya Kula, a nonprofit community in Portland, Oregon. Her principle training is in the View and practices of Trika Shaivism—also called Kashmir Shaivism—and the Dzogchen tradition of Tibet. 

Shambhavi is known for her humor and for making complex teachings about the nature of the self and reality understandable, practical, and always relevant to our lived experience. Her teachings are grounded in forty years of study, daily practice, and personal retreats.

Shambhavi holds an M.F.A. in Creative Writing from Mills College and a Ph.D. in Modern Thought and Literature from Stanford University. She is the author of six books about spiritual life and practice.

In this episode, Shambhavi and Jacob discuss:
how the war on Gaza amounts to a crack in time that is fundamentally reorienting us in this moment
our relationship with the "other"
how the nature of reality is a dynamic play of "wisdom-virtue"
what the Mahabharata has to teach us about the war in Gaza
how we each can connect to our own unique impulse to be of service in this moment
the obstacles people encounter that keep them from speaking up, and how to move through those obstacles
how to embody the "wisdom of the heart"

Shambhavi has created a reading list as a resource for those interested in deepening their understanding around the historical and political circumstances between Isreal and Palestine. You can find that reading list here:https://jayakula.craft.me/palestine-learning

Shambhavi and the Jaya Kula community gather for satsang and kirtan every Sunday at 3:30pm Pacific. Satsang is live in Portland Oregon and live-streamed. Visit jayakula.org for more information.

Shambhavi Sarasvati is the spiritual director of Jaya Kula, a nonprofit community in Portland, Oregon. Her principle training is in the View and practices of Trika Shaivism—also called Kashmir Shaivism—and the Dzogchen tradition of Tibet. 
Shambhavi is known for her humor and for making complex teachings about the nature of the self and reality understandable, practical, and always relevant to our lived experience. Her teachings are grounded in forty years of study, daily practice, and personal retreats.
Shambhavi holds an M.F.A. in Creative Writing from Mills College and a Ph.D. in Modern Thought and Literature from Stanford University. She is the author of six books about spiritual life and practice.
In this episode, Shambhavi and Jacob discuss:
<ul>
<li>how the war on Gaza amounts to a crack in time that is fundamentally reorienting us in this moment</li>
<li>our relationship with the "other"</li>
<li>how the nature of reality is a dynamic play of "wisdom-virtue"</li>
<li>what the Mahabharata has to teach us about the war in Gaza</li>
<li>how we each can connect to our own unique impulse to be of service in this moment</li>
<li>the obstacles people encounter that keep them from speaking up, and how to move through those obstacles</li>
<li>how to embody the "wisdom of the heart"</li>
</ul>
Shambhavi has created a reading list as a resource for those interested in deepening their understanding around the historical and political circumstances between Isreal and Palestine. You can find that reading list here: <a href="https://jayakula.craft.me/palestine-learning" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://jayakula.craft.me/palestine-learning&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1713904580030000&amp;usg=AOvVaw25LQC_arcCshoGkLDaPWcO">https://jayakula.craft.me/palestine-learning</a>
Shambhavi and the Jaya Kula community gather for satsang and kirtan every Sunday at 3:30pm Pacific. Satsang is live in Portland Oregon and live-streamed. Visit <a href="http://jayakula.org/" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=http://jayakula.org&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1713904580024000&amp;usg=AOvVaw00gDhZGQ9Z43NXeP2fSiAK">jayakula.org</a> for more information.

Gabriel Halpern on Iyengar, being a Ritual Elder and the Initiatory Transitions of Life (#3)

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CHITHEADS with Jacob Kyle (Embodied Philosophy)

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