From Emerson and Thoreau in the 19th century to today’s yoga studios, generation after generation of seekers have absorbed the treasures of Indian philosophy and yogic techniques and planted them in the soil of Western culture. Masterful gurus from Vivekananda to Yogananda to Maharishi Mahesh Yogi to the present-day teachers came from India in waves, and prominent thinkers, writers, scientists, and musicians —including, most especially, the Beatles— absorbed, adapted and disseminated what they learned. This remarkable East-to-West transmission moved from the fringes of the culture into the mainstream, affecting medicine, psychology, and even physics. Most powerfully, it has led to a dramatic shift in how we understand and practice spirituality. This compelling webinar by the author of the acclaimed book American Veda will illuminate this important history. We’ll meet the key players and learn why doctors now recommend meditation and how large numbers of people came to accept the central teaching of Vedic wisdom: “Truth is One, the wise call it by many names.”
Philip Goldberg has been studying India’s spiritual traditions for more than 45 years, as a practitioner, teacher and author. He is the author or coauthor of more than 20 books, including Roadsigns on the Spiritual Path and the award-winning American Veda: From Emerson and the Beatles to Yoga and Meditation, How Indian Spirituality Changed the West, which was named one of the top ten religion books of the year by both Huffington Post and American Library Association’s Booklist, and received the Award for Special Distinction by the Uberoi Foundation for Religious Studies. His latest book, The Life of Yogananda: The Yogi Who Became the First Modern Guru (to be published in April, 2018) is the first full-scale biography of Paramahansa Yogananda. An ordained Interfaith Minister, a spiritual counselor and a meditation teacher trained in 1970 by Maharishi Mahesh Yogi, he is an illuminating and entertaining public speaker who has presented at venues throughout the U.S. and India. He blogs on the Huffington Post, contributes regularly to Spirituality & Health magazine online and is a board member of The Interfaith Observer. He also conducts tours of India with American Veda Tours and cohosts the popular Spirit Matters podcast, which features interviews with spiritual teachers and leaders. His website is www.PhilipGoldberg.com.