469: Exploring the Hathapradipika with Dr. Jim Mallinson
Age Less / Live More
Lucas Rockwood
4.8 • 1.1K Ratings
🗓️ 23 June 2021
⏱️ 42 minutes
🧾️ Download transcript
Summary
Exploring the Hathapradipika
Dr. Jim Mallinson
--------------
Most yoga teachers cite the Yoga Sutras as the original source of modern practices, but the Hathapradipika is a much more relevant text that is rarely read or referenced. Written by Svatmarama in the 1400s, this is one of the first writings that codified the practices of Hatha Yoga: yoga poses, breathing exercises, kriyas, and mudras. For anyone interested in the roots of modern practice, this is a fascinating historical exploration. Dr. James Mallinson leads the discussion.
Listen and learn:
- How the practices of hatha yoga differ from the philosophical tradition of yoga that predates it
- How yogis used poses, breath, cleansing exercises, and mudra
- Yoga then vs. now
- Nonsectarian practices used in sectarian context
Links & Resources:
Jim's Online Course
Roots of Yoga Book
ABOUT OUR GUEST
James Mallinson is a Senior Lecturer in Sanskrit and Classical and Indian Studies at SOAS, University of London. He has published eight books, all of which are editions and translations of Sanskrit yoga texts, epic tales and poetry. His recent work has used philological study of Sanskrit texts, ethnography and art history to explore the history of yoga and yogis. He also wrote a book in collaboration with Dr Mark Singleton called, Roots of Yoga.
Nutritional Tip of the Week:
- Black Pepper
Got Questions?
- Submit your question: yogabody.com/asklucas/
Like the Show?
- Leave us a Review on iTunes
Transcript
Click on a timestamp to play from that location
| 0:00.0 | If you were to ask most yoga teachers about where yoga comes from, many of them will |
| 0:08.5 | reference the yoga sutras of Patanjali which were written before the common era and are |
| 0:15.4 | very very challenging sutras or short one liners and there's no reference of headstand or |
| 0:21.8 | forward bend or flexibility or even any kind of detailed way to practice yoga and breathing |
| 0:29.1 | practices are mentioned in passing as steps along an eight-limbed path and so it's kind of an |
| 0:36.5 | unlikely reference for modern yoga but it's referenced all the time the much more likely reference |
| 0:41.3 | is a text called the hatha predipika often referred to as the hatha yoga predipika by someone |
| 0:47.7 | named Svatma Rama which is a lot more contemporary 1400s about 600 years ago let's say and in this |
| 0:55.6 | strange yoga book there are quite a few things that mirror modern practices yoga poses |
| 1:02.9 | mudras there are cleansing exercises krias and it looks and feels a lot more like a modern yoga class |
| 1:10.8 | than any other text you will find in history yet most people have never really heard about it they've |
| 1:15.4 | never really looked at it so let's get into it on this week's podcast if you're new here it's the |
| 1:19.5 | Lucas Rockwood show i'm a yoga teacher i'm a yoga trainer a serial entrepreneur the father of |
| 1:25.2 | three kids but first and foremost i'm a student and i like to learn things so i go out into the world |
| 1:29.9 | of well in this case yoga but health wellness medical doctors authors experts try to bring their best |
| 1:35.0 | work here to you on the show so we can all live more inspired lives let's see how it goes if you |
| 1:40.4 | have questions for the show you can always message me on instagram my dms are open it's at |
| 1:44.9 | lucas rockwood if you'd like to be on my weekly mailing list yoga body dot com forward slash |
| 1:51.1 | sign me up lastly if you'd like to support the show the best way to do that is just scroll down on |
| 1:57.0 | whatever app you're listening on and leave a rating and review thanks for listening enjoy |
| 2:04.2 | so welcome everyone lucas here today's show is called exploring the hatha predipika i'm here with |
| 2:09.2 | doctor jim melonson it jim melonson is a senior lecturer in sanskrit and classical and |
... |
Please login to see the full transcript.
Disclaimer: The podcast and artwork embedded on this page are from Lucas Rockwood, and are the property of its owner and not affiliated with or endorsed by Tapesearch.
Generated transcripts are the property of Lucas Rockwood and are distributed freely under the Fair Use doctrine. Transcripts generated by Tapesearch are not guaranteed to be accurate.
Copyright © Tapesearch 2026.