Yoga Arose Amid Societal Turbulence: What It Can Teach Us Today

Around 2500 years ago, people living in societal stress and governmental disarray developed some of the foundational assumptions that underlie yoga practice. This workshop will explain how those precepts can assist us today in determining how to respond to the challenges of our time and place.

Our discussion will be informed and inspired by Timothy Snyder’s short book On Tyranny, which provides a clear and concise perspective on how to recognize threats to democracy, and skillful ways the average citizen may respond to those threats. While not required, it is highly recommended to read or review this short text prior to attending. 

During our time together, we will discuss each of Snyder’s main points thematically and identify corresponding yoga concepts and practices to support appropriate civic engagement and action.

This is a free community event. As an option, we will include in our discussion ideas the group to donate to organizations working to uphold freedom and democracy. 

In order to nurture a container of safe and free expression, this event will be in-person only. Future conversations of a similar nature may be held online for those who cannot attend this time. 

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Annie Moyer is a Master of Divinity in Buddhist Chaplaincy and a longtime student and teacher of yoga philosophy and practice, specializing in the intersection of ancient yogic principles in a modern context. 

Bill McAllister is a Ph.D. historian with over 30 years’ experience studying, teaching, writing, and informing policymakers about political/governmental/economic/societal issues. He will draw from factual historical examples to illustrate how representative forms of government have emerged, developed, thrived, declined, and died over the last 500 years.