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Dear Susanto, Last Saturday, August 22nd, the 10-day festival of Gaṇeśa Chaturthī commenced. Celebrated by Hindus all over the world, this festival, also known by the name of Vināyaka Chaturthī, celebrates the elephant-headed deity recognized the world over as synonymous with the wisdom of India. Gaṇeśa is popularly considered the deity of sciences, knowledge, and wisdom, and invoking him at the beginning of any endeavor is widely practiced as a gesture to secure his boons and blessings. As the “lord of obstacles” (vighneśvara), Gaṇeśa is that divine quality that removes obstacles on one’s path to wisdom. This past weekend, as the Gaṇeśa Chaturthī was beginning, the 2020 graduating class of the Yoga Philosophy year-long program practiced recitation of the gaṇapaty-atharva-śīrṣa-upaniṣad, one of the most famous Gaṇeśa texts that recognizes Gaṇeśa not simply through his common epithet as the “remover of obstacles” but as the ultimate reality itself. Gaṇeśa in this text is the face of that absolute consciousness that is called Śiva in Śaivism or Brahman in Vedānta. Gaṇeśa is, in a word, everything, and through this famous text Hindus and yogis honor him as that intelligence that supports and pervades every aspect of life. As our graduating classes (of both the Yoga Philosophy and MindBody Therapy programs) move forward to integrate the teachings, research, and practices that they have studied over this past year into their personal and professional lives, the faculty and staff at Embodied Philosophy want to publicly acknowledge their efforts and express our deep gratitude for the commitment and devotion these students have shown to their studies and to their own personal educational processes. These days, we seem to encounter one obstacle after another. Gaṇeśa Chaturthī arrives to punctuate a year overwhelmed by discord, disease, and the dissemination of misinformation. It seems all the more auspicious and timely, then, to graduate a group of students who are addressing these obstacles – who are skillful, passionate and determined to contribute their wisdom, healing, therapeutic interventions and refined forms of knowledge to a world in which such things are precious and rare.  Congratulations, certificate student graduates of 2020! In wisdom, Jacob Kyle Director of Embodied Philosophy NEW PODCAST EPISODE | CHITHEADS Lisa Danylchuk on Yoga for Trauma Recovery (#117) Lisa Danylchuk is a licensed psychotherapist and yoga teacher trainer whose specialty is bringing yoga into trauma treatment. A graduate of UCLA and Harvard University, Lisa is the founder of the Center for Yoga and Trauma Recovery and creator of the Yoga for Trauma Online Training Program. She has authored three books, serves on the UN Task Force for the International Society for the Study of Trauma and Dissociation, and is also a contributing editor for Best Practices for Yoga for Veterans, published by the Yoga Service Council. UPCOMING FREE EVENTS Q&A SESSION | YOGA PHILOSOPHY Meet the Yoga Philosophy Faculty with Jacob Kyle, Stephanie Corigliano, and Yoga Philosophy Faculty Members Wednesday, September 9 @ 2 pm ET As yoga becomes increasingly popular in our globalized world, the need to immerse ourselves in the foundational teachings of yoga becomes fundamental to protecting the integrity of its most transformative practices. Our “Yoga Philosophy: Texts, Traditions & Practices” Online Training and Certification is an innovative program that is the first of its kind. True to Embodied Philosophy’s commitment to the synergy of knowledge and experience, we have curated a program that brings together a faculty of scholar-practitioners from both devotional and academic contexts. In this Q&A session, you will: Learn more about the specifics of the year-long Yoga Philosophy Certification Program   Connect with the program faculty and hear more about their realm of expertise and fields of study   Get a chance to ask our Program Directors and program faculty any lingering questions you have about the course material and program requirements Q&A SESSION | MINDBODY THERAPY Meet the MindBody Therapy Faculty with Dr. Scott Lyons, Dr. Maureen Gallagher, Dr. Albert Wong, and Dr. Rae Johnson Wednesday, September 9 @ 5 pm ET There is an increasing interest and demand for practitioners applying mindfulness and integrative therapy.  The profound changes that clients experience from MindBody therapy coupled with a supportive and humanistic approach makes it a highly sought after modality for addressing trauma and post-traumatic stress disorders, as well as in depression, anxiety, and attachment disorders. This innovative certification program is designed to introduce health professionals to a range of holistic, contemplative, cross-cultural, and spiritual healing practices. This highly experiential program encourages learning through virtual community-development.   In this Q&A session, you will:  Learn more about the specifics of the year-long MindBody Therapy Certification Program   Connect with the program faculty and hear more about their realm of expertise and fields of study   Get a chance to ask our Program Director and some of the program faculty any lingering questions you have about the certification requirements and process NOW ENROLLING FOR 2020 - 2021! Yoga Philosophy Certificate Program Build a transformative knowledge of the yoga philosophical tradition that will enrich your practice, deepen your understanding, and expand your teaching skills.  Sign up by August 31st and get $100 OFF your program tuition. Click below for details. LEARN MORE or ENROLL NOW MindBody Therapy Certificate Program Engage evidence-based MindBody techniques, holistic assessment, depth work, trauma therapy, somatic, and relational dialogue skills, parts work, and contemplative practices. Sign up by August 31st and get $100 OFF your program tuition. Click below for details. LEARN MORE or ENROLL NOW NEW COURSES | MORE INFO COMING SOON! Yoga Therapy Research with Christopher Walling - Sept./Oct. 2020   The Yoga Sutras of Patanjali with Edwin Bryant - Oct. 2020   Understanding the Tibetan Book of the Dead with Andrew Holecek - Nov. 2020   Non-Dual Therapy with Georgi Y. Johnson - Nov./Dec. 2020   Shamans & Siddhas with Isa Gucciardi - Dec. 2020  PRE-ORDER NOW | TARKA ISSUE #3 On Ecology The word nature refers to the world around us, as well as to our deepest sense of self.  Yet, how nature is defined and understood popularly today is rooted in mechanistic and materialistic assumptions about reality. Perhaps most commonly, it is considered an object other than us that must be either harnessed or protected. What are the alternatives to this view of nature offered by the world’s contemplative traditions? Do these alternatives aid us in more directly connecting to our environment and each other? Some of the world's preeminent scholars answer these questions and many others in our upcoming issue of Tarka, On Ecology. Pre-order your copy today or grab a print/digital subscription!

CALL FOR PAPERS On Queer Dharma | Tarka Issue #5 In recent decades, the word “queer” has transformed from being largely a derogatory slur about gay people to a radically affirmative symbol of non-binary culture. Cis-heteronormativity in all of life’s dimensions is being subjugated by an increasing celebration of the many expressions of gender, sexuality, and what it means to be embodied.  Nevertheless, inclusiveness across dimensions of race, class, and gender continues to be an important area of focus for the projects of queer liberation, and this is no less true in contemplative traditions and new spiritual movements. Recently, queer spiritual leaders and their allies have been forging new intersections of ancient teachings with contemporary theories and in turn, paving the way for more inclusive spiritual communities.   What is queerness from the perspective of spiritual practice? Conversely, what unique expressions of spiritual life arise out of the various intersections of queer identity? If queerness as a fluid and open concept informs and yet transcends political, cultural, and social specificities, then what conceptions of the more-than-human divine might the adventure of queerness be uniquely positioned to illuminate?  This issue of Tarka will investigate these new avenues of inquiry and will seek to highlight and center those teachings from different contemplative traditions that are conducive to recognizing the queerness of dharma and the dharma of queerness. Topics explored, but not limited to: Buddhism & Queerness Contemporary Hinduism & Queerness Śaiva-Tantra & Queerness Vaishnavism & Queerness The Queerness of Deity Iconography Queer Theory & Contemplative Practice Early attempts at expressing a non-binary worldview and ethos New spiritual movements and queerness Translations and interpretations of ancient texts  Articles that meet the following criteria are especially welcome: Longer articles (3,000 - 5000 words) Short articles that address key topics/terms by responding to the question, "What is....?" (900 - 1200 words) Articles that detail a practice or a key element of practice (500 - 2,000 words +/-) Book reviews Abstract or intention to write due September 15. Papers due November 15. Please submit your abstract or intention to stephanie@embodiedphilosophy.com.