Jason Birch

Jason Birch completed a Doctorate of Philosophy in Oriental Studies (Sanskrit) at Oxford University under the Supervision of Professor Alexis Sanderson (2013). He has been dedicated to the study of Sanskrit and the practice of yoga since 1996. As a scholar of yoga, his special interest is in the medieval yoga traditions of India, particularly those known as Ha_ha and the R_jayoga.↵JasonÕs thesis is a critical edition and annotated translation of a Sanskrit yoga text called the Amanaska, which is the earliest extant work on R_jayoga. It teaches the attainment of a profound meditative state called Sam_dhi and its methods and terminology are largely derived from Tantric _aivism.↵Copies of seventy manuscripts of theAmanaskaÊwere acquired from more than twenty five libraries in India and Nepal. The critical edition was established on stemmatic analysis of the manuscripts, a case-by-case examination of the variant readings and the use of parallel passages derived from an extensive survey of mediaeval yoga texts. This philological work became the basis for a reconstruction of mediaeval yoga's broader history from the twelfth to fifteenth century, which constitutes the main part of the monographic introduction to the edition.↵In addition to documenting the mediaeval history of R_jayoga for the first time, Jason's doctoral research had significant implications on the history of modern yoga. In tracing R_jayoga's roots to Tantric _aivism, his research revealed that the relationship between R_jayoga and the Yogas_tras was a late nineteenth-century development. In his article forÊIJHSÊ(2013), this finding served as the basis for a broader discussion on how yoga lineages use tradition to sanction innovation, resulting in many competing interpretations of exemplars such as R_jayoga.↵Owing to the interdependence of Ha_ha and R_jayoga traditions, Jason's doctoral research identified the earliest definition of Ha_hayoga in a commentary on a Buddhist Tantra. His discussion of this and a new interpretation of the meaning of the term 'ha_ha' in Ha_hayoga was published in a paper byÊJOASÊ(2011). Since the late nineteenth century, Indologists have understood Ha_hayoga as a yoga performed by ÔforcefulÕ exertion, whereas the textual evidence suggests that it was a type of yoga which ÔforcedÕ (ha_ha) certain results.↵During his doctoral fieldwork in India, he discovered the earliest textual source for a list of more than eight four yoga postures. This is the subject for a forthcoming publication in which new manuscript evidence proves that some traditions of Ha_hayoga incorporated the practice of many dynamic postures before the British took control of India.↵Jason's articles have been quoted in recent publications on yoga, such as James Mallinson's academic journal articles on Ha_hayoga, Mark Singleton'sÊGurus of Modern Yoga, Beatrix Hauser'sÊYoga Traveling: Bodily Practice in Transcultural PerspectiveÊand David White'sÊThe Yoga Sutra of Patanjali: A Biography.↵From September 2015, Jason has undertaken a post-doctoral research position at SOAS of London University working with James Mallinson (the principal investigator) and Mark Singleton on a 5 year research project funded by the European Research Council.ÊThis projectÊaims to critically edit and translate ten Ha_hayoga texts and reappraise the history of Ha_hayoga in light of these unpublished texts.↵Jason has been invited to lecture about the history, theory and practice of Yoga on various Master of Arts programmes and Yoga Teacher Training courses in London, Los Angeles, Sydney, Singapore, Japan and Bali.↵↵↵Jacqueline Hargreaves, BE (Hons), E-RYT, has been dedicated to the practice of Yoga and Meditation since 1998. Her dedication is founded on the belief that a simple low-impact lifestyle, a regular routine of Yoga and a natural diet are the foundations for a harmonious and enlightened way of living.↵In her teaching, she emphasises the meditative and therapeutic application of the practice to enhance its healing effects. Her classes aim to cultivate awareness and the ability to listen intently to the feelings within. She promotes introspection and uses various Yoga and Meditation techniques to skilfully manage stress and anxiety, refine intuitive awareness, improve posture and vitality. She enjoys assisting others to find a true sense of tranquility and to embrace the most prized benefits of health.↵Jacqueline read for a Bachelor of Engineering (with Honours) at the University of NSW and worked for 8 years as an IT Consultant in Australia, Canada, USA, China and India. Following a period of intensive solitary retreat in 1998, she reduced her possessions, developed a daily practice of meditation, and gave away her career as an Engineer to find the answer to her sincere question about the meaning of life.↵Inspired by the historical teachings of Patajali, Krishnamurti, Gandhi, and Dogen-san, she developed a special interest is in the Medieval Yoga traditions of India and Japanese Zen meditation. In 2001, she lived in a remote part of Japan for twelve months to live closer to nature and study Zen meditation. Since that time, she has focused her study on Hatha Yoga, Yin Yoga, Yoga Therapy and other specialist trainings in Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction and Cognitive Therapy. In 2005, she completed Yoga Teacher Training (Levels I/II) at Samadhi Yoga, completed further training in Yin/Yang Yoga with Sarah Powers in 2006 (San Jose), Advanced Yoga Teacher Training (Level III) with Inspya in 2007 (Byron Bay) and various other specialist trainings in Yoga and Yoga Therapy.↵From 2008 to 2012, she lived in Oxford and taught open classes to the graduate students of Oxford University (Balliol and Merton Colleges) and visited Singapore and Japan as a guest teacher. Jacqueline co-taught on the Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction Program (MBSR) directed by Kate Carne in Oxford and acted as a Fund Raiser for the Oxford Centre for Buddhist Studies. In 2013, Jacqueline completed the Mindfulness Based Cognitive Therapy (MBCT) Teacher Training with the Oxford Mindfulness Centre (in Singapore).↵Most recently, she has taken on the role of Course Director for the 500 hour Yoga Teacher Training Programme at COMO Shambhala, Singapore. She now lives in Singapore were she teaches Yoga Workshops, Teacher Trainings and open classes in Hatha Yoga, Yin Yoga and Meditation.