Our Mission is Yoga Science
The Yoga Science Foundation strives to collaborate creatively with the global community of spiritual practitioners, scientists, visionaries, mathematicians, philosophers, artists, educators, and other well-trained and deeply heartful people working for a better world. Specifically, we look for, identify, qualify, and support those who are making original contributions to the conversation between yoga and science.
When the words ‘yoga’ and ‘science’ are used together — as ‘yoga science’ — people commonly make one of two interpretations of the combined meaning:
This view is common among yoga traditionalists familiar with the West — advocating, in effect, something like William James’ broad empiricism.
This view includes a wide range of studies using the methods of Western science to examine practices drawn from the yoga tradition.
We believe there is a third way to think about ‘yoga science’.
This graphic represents a third view.
This view sees yoga and science in a dynamic relationship—a kind of interdisciplinary “marriage”—perhaps even yielding an “offspring” with novel and auspicious qualities.
Visit our projects page to learn more about how we support these views of yoga science.
For a brief discussion of how we might define “yoga” and “science,” click here.