Ancient Futures

What if everything we think is a dream? Would nothing be real? Or might it reveal how to live in infinity, untroubled by suffering? 🤯 Tamara Cohen wrote her PhD about the Yogavāsiṣṭha – a text whose original name was the Mokṣopāya , or “means to liberation”. Structured as a dialogue between the sage Vasiṣṭha and the young prince Rāma, it explains how to set oneself free from conceptual delusions....

What might we learn about mental resilience from ancient Greek mythology? 💭 Sam Akbar is a clinical psychologist and Oxford-trained classicist. Her new book is The Odyssey Mindset , which explores timeless guidance from Homer’s epic on finding purpose and strength in the face of life’s challenges. Sam’s speciality is trauma. She’s worked with refugees who’ve fled torture, war and sexual violence,...

What if yoga meant technology, jihad or sex with multiple partners? 😳 That’s just a sample of the thought-provoking papers presented in Paris at the Yoga Darśana Yoga Sādhana conference last week. This podcast shares a few reflections on what was discussed, plus my own presentation on misleading books that manipulate readers to generate sales (slides available here ). Expanding on a range of con...

How might we be inspired by a worldwide community of Yiddish-speaking Jews, whose cultural identity was broadly internationalist? David Mazower is the author of Yiddish: A Global Culture , which accompanies an exhibit he curated at the Yiddish Book Center in Amherst, Massachusetts. Our conversation explores the heritage and influence of Yiddish – the everyday language of East European Jews, which...

What defines the right thing to do, and how helpful is yoga in doing it? 🤔 Yogic traditions present different frameworks for ethical conduct, with varying degrees of engagement in worldly affairs. If their aim is to promote liberation, can they also support human rights? Might ideas about the highest good, or a self in all beings, provide orientation? If so, which philosophy seems the best fit? B...

How reliable are articles on yoga by contributors to Wikipedia? 🤷‍♂️ More than they used to be, thanks to the input of Ian Alexander , who’s personally edited between a third and half of them. Many meet the criteria for what the free encyclopaedia calls a “ good article ” – combining clear and neutral writing with verifiable sourcing and broad coverage. For the 25 years since Wikipedia launched ,...

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit ancientfutures.substack.com What does it mean to be human in the age of AI? 🤖 How old is the fear of machines taking over? What might we learn about how to respond from previous examples? Is technology dehumanising or can it also be liberating? How could philosophy expand our understanding of its potential? Dan Turello is a cultural hi...

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit ancientfutures.substack.com How do we know what we think we know? Are our opinions our own, or are they conditioned by external influences? What helps to balance opposing views? How important are such questions to yoga – both philosophically and practically? This podcast explores some of the voices in my head. It was inspired by a recen...

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit ancientfutures.substack.com If mindfulness has drawbacks, what’s the alternative? 🤔 Ron Purser is perhaps best known as the author of McMindfulness , critiquing the movement as “capitalist spirituality”. His latest book Mind Space is radical in other ways. It considers how to meditate without being a meditator – inspired by the writing...

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit ancientfutures.substack.com Although Buddhism is widely considered a peaceful tradition, some of its monks incite hatred and slaughter. Sonia Faleiro explores this trend in her latest book The Robe and the Sword : How Buddhist Extremism is Shaping Modern Asia . Drawing on reporting from Sri Lanka, Myanmar and Thailand, she unflinchingly...

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit ancientfutures.substack.com How do I interpret my rollercoaster ride on the yogic path? 🎢 This is a different sort of podcast to the usual interview – my guest today is my younger self. Responding to a listener’s question, I reflect on how to deal with the challenging “ups and downs of the yogic journey”. To help with that, I turn to t...

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit ancientfutures.substack.com Can wisdom be taught? What if it were more about questions than finding "the answer"? How might reading be a meditative practice? Can writing from earlier centuries provide inspiration without mediation by academic experts? Valentin Gerlier is a scholar, musician and author, who is also the founder of the Sch...

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit ancientfutures.substack.com What exactly is Tantra, and how do modern teachings relate to traditions? Which other ideas inform intimacy workshops? Why is there often an emphasis on secrecy and power, and how is this exploited to enable abuse? Tova Olsson is a scholar of religion, as well as a teacher of yoga and Tantra. Our conversation...

What would you like me to talk about in 2026? 🗣️ As another year draws to a close, I’m reflecting on new types of podcasts. Today marks my 75th episode and while I plan to continue with the interview format, I’m also working on other ideas – including answering questions about any topic. So if there’s anything you want me to clarify, or to investigate, or if you have a dilemma you’d like to resolv...

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit ancientfutures.substack.com What does it mean to choose wisely? Which kinds of values support this? To what extent are they related to ethics? How similar are Indian traditions to modern ideas about what to prioritise? Might teachings need reframing to speak to us clearly? Simon Haas presents ancient wisdom for everyday life. He is the...

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit ancientfutures.substack.com What exactly is Kuṇḍalinī? It depends... What began as an energetic metaphor has morphed into a framework for transcending trauma, and much else besides. Does a snake-like entity really ascend? What sparks the experience? If it happens by chance, how should someone respond? There are few simple answers. Srava...

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit ancientfutures.substack.com What if change had more to do with relationships than miracle solutions? Which priorities help them work better? How does one take meaningful action without having the power to determine its outcomes? Who ought to act if not us? In this podcast, I talk about these questions – along with many others – with Jes...

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit ancientfutures.substack.com What distinguishes contemporary breath-control from earlier prāṇāyāma ? 💨 To what extent have external influences shaped Indian practices? How have things changed since the mid-nineteenth century? How might that relate to broader trends in yoga history? Lena Kraler is the author of Yoga Breath: Prāṇa and Prā...

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit ancientfutures.substack.com What distinguishes fiction from facts? John le Carré is renowned for Cold War spy thrillers, yet over half his books were published after 1990 and they tackled modern issues that he had to research. A new exhibition in Oxford documents his methods, and spotlights the networks of experts who helped him. An ac...

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit ancientfutures.substack.com What was the impact of the Osho / Rajneesh cult on the families of members? Why might some people struggle to heal old wounds? To what extent is abuse of children still unacknowledged? How can telling one’s story facilitate recovery? Lily Dunn is an author, teacher and mentor of literary memoir. She explores...

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit ancientfutures.substack.com What might scholars learn from yoga practitioners, as well as vice versa? To what extent do their worldviews differ? Are their methods of inquiry compatible? Since many academics also practise yoga, as well as educating teachers via courses and trainings, can these roles be compartmentalised? Theo Wildcroft a...

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit ancientfutures.substack.com What might we learn from the marginalised stories of women in yogic traditions? 🧘‍♀️ Although female practitioners are prevalent today, ancient texts mostly talk about men. However, broadening the focus beyond ascetic yogis, we find empowered women – as well as awkward truths about social restrictions. Anjal...

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit ancientfutures.substack.com What does it mean to be well in yogic terms? How far does this involve integration with natural surroundings? 🌳 Many early teachings prioritise the opposite, promoting withdrawal and inward focus, while the goal in the best-known text – Patañjali’s Yoga Sūtra – is to disengage completely from material things...

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit ancientfutures.substack.com What can we learn from a medieval hermit about how to live? A surprising amount perhaps. Julian of Norwich is the author of the oldest surviving book by a woman in English – her Revelations of Divine Love provides a fascinating guide to what it means to be well despite experiencing suffering. Hannah Lucas is...

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit ancientfutures.substack.com To what extent has yoga been influenced by socio-political forces, or competition for resources between different groups? Does understanding historical context help to make sense of teachings? What might we learn from the past that’s still relevant today? Richard Davis is an emeritus professor of religion at...