Atman: A Symbolic Interactionist Approach to the Practice of Yoga

• In Event: 209 - Theory Section Roundtable Session (one-hour).
  In Refereed Roundtable: Table 15. Phenomenology and Symbolic Interactionism

Abstract

The main goal of this paper was to connect the notion of self as conceptualized by various theorists from the symbolic interactionist perspective to the self as described in the tradition of yoga. Both the academic and the philosophical literature is lacking in any discussion on this topic (as well as the sociological analysis of the spiritual self). In connecting the scientific to the spiritual, we actually see more similarities than differences when analyzing the concept of the self. This paper began with a long definition of what yoga is. What follows is a short discussion of both the popularity and practice of yoga as well as the connection of the self as conceptualized by sociological and philosophical theorists to the self as conceptualized by the founders of yoga.

Author

• Desire' Janelle-Maralyn Anastasia, Metropolitan State University-Denver