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This presentation dives into some of the lesser-known historical and philosophical dimensions of yoga that rarely make it into standard teacher trainings. Attendees will explore intriguing historical phenomena, from the rise of yogic warrior ascetics to the nuanced origins of modern postural yoga as well as other understudied contemporary yoga practices. The talk will also examine diverse interpretations of foundational texts like the Bhagavad Gītā and Yoga Sūtra, highlighting the colonial processes that helped elevate them to central authority in modern practice, while analyzing the direct ways yoga continues to intersect with political and social movements.
To democratize access to the academic field of Yoga Studies, Arihanta Institute has partnered with Claremont School of Theology which offers fully online Masters and PhD programs in Religion with a concentration in Yoga Studies. These graduate programs empower students to immerse themselves in yoga history, philosophy, and cultural analysis, alongside formal training in Sanskrit and other South Asian languages. Designed for flexible, online learning, the curriculum allows dedicated practitioners to transform their passion into rigorous scholarship in order to become practitioner-scholars.
If you are ready to elevate your knowledge or professional teaching career through the graduate study of yoga, reach out to study@arihantainstitute.org to learn more about degree options and curriculum details. Be sure to mention your American Yoga Council membership to establish your eligibility for graduate student scholarships.
"Bringing Your Yoga Mat to Graduate School, Transforming from Practitioner to Practitioner-Scholar"
September 21–25 • 9-10 AM PT | 12–1 PM ET • Live Online • FREE
Celebrate National Yoga Month with the American Yoga Council Yoga Teacher Summit, five days of free live education open to the entire yoga community. Whether you are teaching your first class, building a yoga business, leading a studio, training future teachers, or looking to deepen your own study, the summit brings together educators and leaders from across the field of yoga.
As part of this year’s summit, Christopher Jain Miller, PhD, Professor of Jain and Yoga Studies and Vice President of Academic Affairs at Arihanta Institute, will present: “Bringing Your Yoga Mat to Graduate School: Transforming from Practitioner to Practitioner-Scholar.”
→ Sign-up for this free event at AmericanYogaCouncil.com
About the Presentation
Have you ever wondered what lies beneath the surface of modern yoga practice? Beyond posture and contemporary wellness culture sits a rich, complex history filled with surprising turns, political intersections, and evolving philosophical traditions. In this presentation hosted in partnership with the American Yoga Council, we invite yoga practitioners, teachers, and curious students to explore why the academic study of yoga is more relevant today than ever.
This presentation dives into some of the lesser-known historical and philosophical dimensions of yoga that rarely make it into standard teacher trainings. Attendees will explore intriguing historical phenomena, from the rise of yogic warrior ascetics to the nuanced origins of modern postural yoga as well as other understudied contemporary yoga practices. The talk will also examine diverse interpretations of foundational texts like the Bhagavad Gītā and Yoga Sūtra, highlighting the colonial processes that helped elevate them to central authority in modern practice, while analyzing the direct ways yoga continues to intersect with political and social movements.
To democratize access to the academic field of Yoga Studies, Arihanta Institute has partnered with Claremont School of Theology which offers fully online Masters and PhD programs in Religion with a concentration in Yoga Studies. These graduate programs empower students to immerse themselves in yoga history, philosophy, and cultural analysis, alongside formal training in Sanskrit and other South Asian languages. Designed for flexible, online learning, the curriculum allows dedicated practitioners to transform their passion into rigorous scholarship in order to become practitioner-scholars.
If you are ready to elevate your knowledge or professional teaching career through the graduate study of yoga, reach out to study@arihantainstitute.org to learn more about degree options and curriculum details. Be sure to mention your American Yoga Council membership to establish your eligibility for graduate student scholarships.
About Christopher Jain Miller, PhD
Christopher Jain Miller, the co-founder and Vice President of Academic Affairs at Arihanta Institute, completed his PhD in the Study of Religion at the University of California, Davis. Having taught at the undergraduate and graduate levels as well as a publicly engaged scholar since 2014, he is currently Professor of Jain and Yoga Studies at Arihanta Institute, Professor of Engaged Jain Studies at Claremont School of Theology, and Visiting Researcher at the University of Zürich’s Asien-Orient-Institut. Christopher's primary fields of research interest are Yoga Studies and Engaged Jain Studies, and he currently serves as the co-chair of the Yoga in Theory and Practice Unit at the American Academy of Religion, is a founding member of the Yoga Studies Research Network, and serves on the steering committees for the Dharma Academy of North America (DANAM) and the Yoga Darśana Yoga Sādhana conference. In addition to being an associate editor for the Journal of Dharma Studies, Christopher has published a number of academic articles and is the author of Embodying Transnational Yoga: Eating, Singing, and Breathing in Transformation (Routledge 2024) and the co-editor of Engaged Jainism: Critical and Constructive Studies of Jain Social Engagement (SUNY 2026) as well as Beacons of Dharma: Spiritual Exemplars for the Modern Age (Lexington 2020). He has been the recipient of several research grants, including but not limited to those awarded by the Uberoi Foundation, the Andrew. W. Mellon Foundation, and the McGowan Fund. Christopher has engaged in a number of advisory, educational, and leadership roles for museums, the global Jain community, and with yoga communities worldwide. Outside of his academic work, Christopher is a certified public accountant in the states of California and Hawaii.