SOAS and British Wheel of Yoga Host Summit on Yoga's 'Energy Body'

SOAS Centre of Yoga Studies and the British Wheel of Yoga (BWY) are co-hosting a one-day summit titled "The Energy Body: Yoga between Evidence and Experience" on October 31st.

The event, held at SOAS University of London and streamed online, will bring together internationally renowned yoga scholars, historians, and practitioners. They will examine subtle body systems described across yoga traditions, including chakras, prāṇa (life force), and kuṇḍalinī (dormant spiritual energy).

The summit aims to explore how engaging with these subtler dimensions can deepen the experience of yoga today, even as modern practice often centers on physical postures. Keynote speaker Professor Shaman Hatley from Boston University will trace the historical origins of the chakra system and its tension with medical understanding.

Panel discussions will also delve into the awakening of dormant energy in the body and its roots in traditions of the feminine divine. Other sessions will explore how breath cultivation practices can open states of bliss, and how breath, sound, and movement are being reimagined through philosophy and deep listening.

Attendees will have opportunities to experience these concepts directly through practices like chakra meditation and energy healing. Organizers highlight the event's role in fostering a dialogue between scholarship and practice, offering a safe and informed space for yoga teachers and students to explore deeper dimensions of yoga.