Johan Nilsson
Researcher
Kunglig förening : Den teosofiska raja yoga-pedagogiken och det tidiga 1900-talets yogareception
Author
Summary, in English
Research on the early 20th century European and American reception of yoga have revealed the significance of esoteric movements like the Theosophical Societyin creating the modern, global phenomenon of yoga. Alongside interpretations ofyoga as primarily a form of meditation which were common in the literature and,sometimes practice, of movements like Theosophy or Thelema there exist anotherphenomenon labeled yoga that have received less attention. A system of pedagogy called raja yoga was for several decades among the foremost preoccupations ofone of the main global Theosophical movements, the Universal Brotherhood. Under its leader Katherine Tingley, the Universal Brotherhood strove to develop andpopularize raja yoga as the solution to the social and spiritual problems of humanity. Focusing on Swedish raja yoga literature of the Universal Brotherhood, thisarticle will explore how Swedish writers imagined and argued for this system ofeducation and spiritual development. Furthermore, the article will investigate some of the complicated connections between this form of pedagogy and the broadertrends of the early 20th century European reception of yoga.
Department/s
- History of Religions and Religious Behavioural Science
Publishing year
2021
Language
Swedish
Pages
25-40
Publication/Series
AURA - Tidsskrift for akademiske studier av nyreligiøsitet
Volume
12
Document type
Journal article
Topic
- History of Religions
Keywords
- yoga
- Raja yoga
- pedagogik
- Katherine Tingley
- Universella Broderskapet
- teosofi
- religionshistoria
Status
Published
ISBN/ISSN/Other
- ISSN: 2703-8122