Strauss: Chapter 4 Moving Out: Yoga for a Transnational Community of Practice Moving Out: Yoga for a Transnational Community of Practice

After fieldwork in Rishikesh, Strauss pursued multi-local ethnographic research in Germany, Switzerland and the US for another 15 months. After fieldwork in Rishikesh, Strauss pursued multi-local ethnographic research in Germany, Switzerland and the US for another 15 months.

Multi-local ethnography: A movement out from the single site local situations of conventional ethnographic designs to examine the circulation of cultural meanings, objects and identities in diffuse time-space (Marcus) A movement out from the single site local situations of conventional ethnographic designs to examine the circulation of cultural meanings, objects and identities in diffuse time-space (Marcus)

Multi-local ethnography: With line between the local and the global increasingly blurred: With line between the local and the global increasingly blurred: A solution for the study of transnational circulation of meanings and practices. A solution for the study of transnational circulation of meanings and practices.

Follow the Practice: Strauss’s method is to follow yoga as practice across the globe, in an effort to understand its transnational context. Strauss’s method is to follow yoga as practice across the globe, in an effort to understand its transnational context. Practice is conveyed by people, books, pamphlets, videos and TV. Practice is conveyed by people, books, pamphlets, videos and TV.

Understanding how yoga practices fit into the lives of people in different places allows us to blur the boundaries between places and see similarities and differences that cross-cut cultures. Understanding how yoga practices fit into the lives of people in different places allows us to blur the boundaries between places and see similarities and differences that cross-cut cultures.

This kind of multi-local ethnography helps avoid binding particular cultural forms to particular peoples and places This kind of multi-local ethnography helps avoid binding particular cultural forms to particular peoples and places Read page 93 Read page 93

Strauss studied shared communities of practice across the globe which followed or attempted to follow Sivananda’s instructions for spiritual success. Strauss studied shared communities of practice across the globe which followed or attempted to follow Sivananda’s instructions for spiritual success. Read page 90. Read page 90.

Yoga is an ideology, a practice, a lifestyle, a metaphor, a commodity, and Yoga is an ideology, a practice, a lifestyle, a metaphor, a commodity, and “a generator of Turnerian emotive communitas which has come to substitute for the sort of physically grounded commual co-presence now available only sporadically, filling in the interstices of modern cosmopolitan lives” (p. 96) “a generator of Turnerian emotive communitas which has come to substitute for the sort of physically grounded commual co-presence now available only sporadically, filling in the interstices of modern cosmopolitan lives” (p. 96)

Communitas A generalized social bond. Society in communitas is an unstructured group of relatively undifferentiated individuals, a communion of equal individuals who submit together to the general authority of the ritual elders. A generalized social bond. Society in communitas is an unstructured group of relatively undifferentiated individuals, a communion of equal individuals who submit together to the general authority of the ritual elders.

Communitas A sense of oneness without regard for socially imposed structural difference. A sense of oneness without regard for socially imposed structural difference.

This sense of communitas is possible as a transnational experience because of the impact of Sivananda’s “export gurus”: This sense of communitas is possible as a transnational experience because of the impact of Sivananda’s “export gurus”: Satchidananda and Vishnudevananda Satchidananda and Vishnudevananda

These gurus first worked or founded branches of the DLS across the world, but later went on to develop their own trademarks: These gurus first worked or founded branches of the DLS across the world, but later went on to develop their own trademarks: Satchidananda = Integral Yoga Satchidananda = Integral Yoga Vishnudevananda = Sivananda Yoga Vedanta Centers Vishnudevananda = Sivananda Yoga Vedanta Centers

These are variations on a theme, based on Sivananda’s model, and recognized as such by practitioners who attend hatha yoga classes at these centers. These are variations on a theme, based on Sivananda’s model, and recognized as such by practitioners who attend hatha yoga classes at these centers.

Vishnudevananda Promoted yoga as an answer to all human problems and suffering, and as a practice that does not conflict with other religions. Promoted yoga as an answer to all human problems and suffering, and as a practice that does not conflict with other religions. This perspective offered a “scientific” answer to human problems. This perspective offered a “scientific” answer to human problems. This guru developed a very large following, with at least 26 different centers in 13 countries. This guru developed a very large following, with at least 26 different centers in 13 countries.

Vishnudevananda Some practitioners grew disillusioned with the extreme market orientation of his organization. Some practitioners grew disillusioned with the extreme market orientation of his organization.

The Politics of Yoga Spirituality is sometimes used by specific groups and individuals to advance and to mask their own personal interests. Spirituality is sometimes used by specific groups and individuals to advance and to mask their own personal interests. Read page 100. Read page 100.

Omkarananda An example of the conflicts around power in the yoga world. An example of the conflicts around power in the yoga world. Accused of criminal activities in Switzerland and sent to jail. Accused of criminal activities in Switzerland and sent to jail. Today, his organization is very powerful and has many followers who believe his message is worth promoting, regardless off accusations against him. Today, his organization is very powerful and has many followers who believe his message is worth promoting, regardless off accusations against him.

On your own, reflect on understandings of Yoga as an “Aryan” practice (pages )