Daniel presents ancient texts for modern times.
He’s the author of The Truth of Yoga, a comprehensive guide to the discipline’s history, texts, philosophies and practices. His approach combines scholarly knowledge with humour and insight, making yoga philosophy accessible and relevant to practitioners today.
Daniel teaches courses at SOAS (University of London), the Oxford Centre for Hindu Studies, on yoga teacher trainings and online. He also offers workshops and private tutoring.
Drawing on a master’s degree in yoga studies, and over 20 years of practical experience, he aims to help students explore their own path. He supplements his teaching with work as an editor.
Latest
COURSES
Join me online (Apr 29 – May 26) to get immersed in the Upanishads, exploring foundations of yoga philosophy as well as the earliest frameworks for practice. This engaging course relates timeless wisdom to modern priorities. Over four modules, we'll cover a selection of early Upanishads, tracing key themes in a series of videos. We’ll also look at links between the Vedas and Upanishads, as well as their influence on later traditions. Each module combines live discussion with pre-recorded lectures. You can also ask questions at any time via the course website.
Join me in the pre-Alpine hills for a four-day immersion in philosophy and practice (July 3-7, 2024). I’m excited to be teaching with Michela Montelbatti, who runs a beautiful retreat centre called Casa Corvo, near the border with Italy. We’re going to be exploring how to integrate traditional wisdom with modern priorities. Our practice will go beyond postures, including seated meditation and pranayama, and we'll investigate how yoga philosophy relates to our lives. Spaces are limited, so early booking is advised – contact me here for a discount code before October 31.
Why do so many of us feel we aren’t good enough? If comparisons make us unhappy, what might yoga texts say to console us? How can we find more contentment with things as they are? Join me in person in London for a three-part course that explores how to do this. We'll bring philosophy to life in accessible ways. Over three in-person meetings (Sep 15, Oct 13 and Nov 17), we'll reflect on what we mean by the self – and how it differs from a Self – as well as what stops us from feeling fulfilled. We'll also investigate practical ways to develop helpful qualities.
I recently launched a new site to share writing and interviews. It’s called Ancient Futures and it’s hosted on Substack, where you can subscribe to get updates by email, as well as share comments. I’ll be adding new material regularly, and my aim is to spark conversations inspiring new writing… For now, read on for an introductory post that describes some ideas I intend to explore. Explaining the title, it starts: “My aim is to explore how ancient wisdom – particularly from yoga and similar traditions – might offer us guidance for facing the future…”
OXFORD CENTRE FOR HINDU STUDIES
Daniel's next online courses at the OCHS start on April 21. They cover modern yoga history, yoga philosophy, the Yoga Sutras and the Vedas and Upanishads. Each lasts just under two months, with lectures, reading, discussion forums and an optional assignment.
The Truth of Yoga provides a clear and accessible overview of yoga’s evolution. The book’s concise and engaging chapters describe key themes that have influenced practices over the centuries. Accompanying online courses go a step further, diving deeply into yogic texts – such as the Yoga Sūtra and Bhagavad Gītā – to present what they teach in an interactive format. They‘re light-hearted and fun, and they offer a mixture of scholarly knowledge and traditional wisdom. You can find out more – and enrol today – at: http://truthofyoga.com
Free online talk with Q&A – recorded on Tuesday, September 19, at 7:00 PM (UK time). What links yoga with dharma? Are they sometimes at odds? The simplest translation of dharma is “doing the right thing”, which according to the dictionary covers anything from law to religion – along with ethical values and social roles. What are the implications for yoga practitioners? Do traditional ideas reflect modern priorities? How might each shape the other? Since dharma is not always prominent in globalised yoga, it helps to reflect on what’s lost in the process.
Archive
A sample of earlier work. Use the search box below to browse for more.
Why study yoga philosophy? What about history? As I argue in an article for Yoga Magazine (January 2024 edition), it's important to see how things change – and to acknowledge our own adaptations. To quote the article: "no ancient text teaches sequences of postures. Instead, they offer many different options, and few apply to modern life without a bit of reinterpreting. Teachers often do that without even realising, then source their new ideas to Patañjali – the influential author of the Yoga Sūtra – creating confusion..." Read on for tips on how to do things differently!
Why Study Old Texts?
A recording of a free online talk