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Written by Sowmya Aiyyar. Our president Sowmya Aiyyar dons many hats. She is a writer, an entrepreneur, a social activist, a PhD scholar at Benaras Hindu University studying peace-keeping through diplomacy. Here she shares her experience at the recently concluded conference by the prestigious American Academy of Religions (AAR).
I recently attended the largest gathering of religious scholars and academics in the world, hosted by American Academy of Religions. With over 7500 participants and hundreds of sessions to attend over 4 days, being a part of this conference has definitely informed my opinion of academia and its pitfalls and potentials, especially in the United States.
Since my own research crosses yoga studies, women’s studies, community theory, and Indicology focused on the Divine Feminine, I Wanted to attend programs that would give me a taste of these fields and how they are approached in the west. While it would be impossible to attend everything, since I registered as a member to be informed of specific units,
To broaden my exposure to research and scholars, I chose sessions from units such as Feminist Studies in Religion, Tantric Studies, Hindu Studies, South Asian Studies, and Yoga in Theory and Practice. (I also registered for events such as the Awards Ceremony, New Member Breakfast, Women’s Mentorship Lunch, International Members Reception, and Feminist Studies Reception for networking opportunities.)
Conferences in the U.S. are often formal and structured, so I was initially apprehensive about fitting in. Fortunately, I began the AAR conference with the Women’s Caucus Wiki Women in Religion Editathon, where I was briefly trained on how to become a wikipedia editor. This welcoming group, dedicated to raising awareness of women in religion on Wikipedia and through publications, quickly made me feel at home. Despite being a newcomer, the 15+ participants were eager to hear about my research and enthusiastically included me in their work. Colleen Hartung, one of the organizers, even invited me to contribute a chapter to an upcoming book on Women in Religion, part of a series by the World Parliament of Religions. The hugs, kindness, and acceptance I received made this session a perfect start to the conference, helping put me be at ease.
I attended some sessions hosted by the Dharma Academy of North America (DANAM), a stand-alone organization that also operates as a unit within AAR. Upon arrival, I was warmly welcomed with a thoughtful goodie bag containing a pen and a snack bar. The attendees greeted me humbly, creating a cozy and inclusive atmosphere. My only suggestion for improvement would be to replace the commercial snack bar with a locally made Satvic sweet and snack that aligns better with the ethos of the organization.
The intellectual quality of DANAM’s programs impressed me. Although I am no longer based in North America, the topics—Yoga and Dharmic Traditions and Demystifying Siddhis—felt deeply relevant to my research and personal interests. These sessions offered valuable insights into the themes North American scholars prioritize when exploring Indic traditions. I was especially thrilled to hear from Corrina Lhoir, whose work I’ve followed online. While I was disappointed she could only present virtually, her purpose—introducing Yoga Battisi, a newly translated Gujarati text written by Paravacanda in the 1600—was stimulating. I’m now even more eager to delve into her research.
DANAM also showcased speakers with diverse global backgrounds, including the Jain Sadhvi, Samani Pratibha Pragya , from Florida International University, whose perspective added depth to the discussions. (On a side note, I hope to connect her, as well as Corrina, with the Ganesh Varni Digambar Jain Sansthan in Banaras, India. This institute, managed by a close friend’s family, could benefit from these international connections to further its activities. Having presented on Yoga in Jaina during GVJS’ Golden Jubilee in 2022, I see great potential for collaboration between such organizations.) At AAR, I observed a growing interest in Jaina traditions, with groups such as the Arihanta Institute represented. This focus feels fresh and promising, considering how underrepresented Jaina studies often are, even within India.
I also thoroughly enjoyed the panel on Bhakti Practices from Subaltern Regions, which explored figures like Harihara, Tukaram, Ashaan Swami from Kerala, and a striking presentation on third-gender communities and Bhakti traditions in Kolkata, including Durga Puja, by Philip Lagace from Canada. The panel featured diverse voices across distinct ethnicities, age groups, and research phases. However, it left me pondering: What defines a subaltern practice? For instance, while Bhakti traditions like those of the Bhil community are deeply embedded and celebrated locally in India, they may be labeled “subaltern” when less known in global academic circles. In the last century, Western studies of Indian traditions have long been narrowly focused on select forms of yoga, often highlighting Hatha and Hot lineages.
Similarly, Tantra, another field of yoga, is finally gaining recognition as a legitimate religious tradition. Attending the book release for Oxford’s Handbook of Tantric Studies was particularly meaningful. Here, I hoped to connect with other India-based researchers exploring this rich tradition. Shockingly, the entire panel— with the exception of one of the facilitators— was from a western background. While people from all over the world should enjoin in Tantric study and practice, it is pertinent that Indic practitioners, writers, and presenters, are equally incorporated. Perhaps this points to the value Indic researchers place on the study of Tantra.
As a contemporary yogini studying a Shakta-Shaiva sangha, I addressed a question on why Tantra is openly accepted within Buddhist communities but often rejected among Hindus. Drawing from personal experiences in Yogini Temples across Odisha and Madhya Pradesh, I shared how Tantra faces marginalization under right-wing Hindutva politics in India. Tantrics are frequently denied the right to practice their traditions in their own temples and sacred spaces, often being pressured to conform to upper-caste practices. These dynamics highlight the socio-political forces reshaping the perception and practice of Tantra in contemporary Hindu contexts.
The Yoga Unit showcased a range of unique topics, including reviews of recently published and forthcoming books. I appreciated the global diversity of presenters and the organizers’ efforts to foster lively discussions, even when participants joined online or via video recordings. The featured books spanned various styles and areas: one explored a historical figure and yoga tradition, another was based on surveys and focus group data, and a third included elements of a memoir.
Keith Cantu’s book, Like a Tree Universally Spread, a phrase translated from Sri Sabapathi Swami’s writings on Sivaraja Yoga, was reviewed. The book analyzes the Swami’s thoughts through ontological and soteriological frameworks. Laurah Klepinger reviewed Paul Bramadat’s forthcoming book, Yoga Lands. While I enjoyed the candor and insight offered by panelists, I felt the panel lacked ethnic diversity, an issue that was addressed in later sessions, including my own: Engaging Contradictions: Yoga as a Site of and Response to Trauma.
Our panel consisted of 4 presenters and 1 presider,–all female, spanned 2+ decades in age with the youngest member being 34 years old. We probably had a combined 100 years of experience in research and practice in yoga, included people from the U.S., Canada, and India, and represented diverse career stages and research perspectives. We explored yoga as both a site of trauma and a response to it, through contemporary programs and research across the world. I presented an Indic perspective based on surveys and interviews with yoginis on gender discrimination and issues faced by women, the need for cultural contextualization of yoga and entrepreneurship, and the work of my NGO, Prafull Oorja. Others presented on Africa Yoga Project, Yogis for Palestine and sociological and political perspective on rise of yoga among post-conscription Israelis, and the issues of #metoo in yoga, especially in Vishnudevananda’s Yoga School. I believe our session, attended by around 25-30 people from varying backgrounds, was well-received by all. Furthermore, I believe we all gelled well together. We all probably fit into the Activist-Practitioner-Scholar category. We each had our own styles of presenting and different methodological styles incorporated into our research and presentation. We were genuinely interested in each other’s work and allowed the program to be fluid. During the session, I had my heart pulled and my eyes became teary; I also felt indignation, joy, and santosha. Our session bridged the intellectual buddhi aspect of yoga with the emotional rasas. (Note: i feel that we as a yogini sangha have the potential to collaborate in other forums and methods, and I’m grateful for the Yoga Unit for bringing us together.)
I’ve been a part of several organizations of multi-religious backgrounds, but this was my first experience as an academic research scholar in an academic program. (I’ve been involved with other groups such as United Religions Initiative, where the programs were a lot more about interactivity among different religions, with many discussions on the congruence of various traditions. Everyone’s learning about how to work together. There are potlucks and co-habited meals, warmth, joy, and togetherness.)
There’s a different flavor in the academic world, and at AAR, there are a lot of intellectual endeavors within a unit that sometimes represents a singular tradition or geographic space. I truly enjoyed my time at AAR’s Annual Conference. It was a refreshing change that gave me a fresh perspective to my own life and choices. I've been straddling the worlds of India and the West, of activism and scholarly endeavors. All are necessary– the traditions as well as the analysis of the traditions in local origins and globally, by endemic and non-native practitioners and scholars.
Based on the caliber of the sessions I attended, I’ll definitely continue to be associated with AAR as a member, and hope to utilize other benefits and opportunities of being involved. I hope other serious yoga researchers also consider joining AAR, especially international members from India and other parts of South Asia. I look forward to helping them with the induction process and understanding AAR’s systems. I look forward to continuing these connections—in mind, body, and spirit—both online and in person!
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