Paper short abstract:

This paper considers the body of the yogi, his physical practice and how yoga is taught. To follow, it analyses who is a yogi raj, a haṭha yogi and a yogi in the ascetic context to deal then with the idea of Yoga and self. Eventually, a confrontation with modern yoga practitioners is made.

Paper long abstract:

While the globalisation of yoga has led several studies to look at its various manifestations and developments, few have addressed their attention towards the practice of traditional ascetics in India. In this paper - based on ethnographic research among Hindu ascetic practitioners of yoga in India- I will deal with the body of the yogi and his/her physical practice of yoga. Initially, I will identify who is generally the yoga practitioner among ascetics and how yoga is taught among them. Then, I will describe the conditions in which yogāsana are practiced and why, to give also examples of further uses of the body describing some austerities (tapasyā). In this way, according to the practices performed, I will identify who is a yogi raj, a haṭha yogi and a yogi in the Hindu ascetic context. This will lead us to deal with the idea of Yoga and self, understood as the inner self or the ātman, a reality that goes behind the identification with phenomena, and has the same nature of God (the Parmātman).

These issues will be used to create a confrontation with modern yoga practitioners and practices with the aims to fill the gap between various modern studies and representations of yoga and the inner representation of yoga by Hindu ascetics.