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 shows how extremists target minorities, highlights alliances between ethnic nationalists who demonise Muslims, and reflects on resistance to militant Buddhism.

Together, we look at the roots of these disturbing developments, from traumatic impacts of British colonialism to political rivalries and economic grievances. In the process, we talk about the legacy of Aung San Suu Kyi, monastic misconduct in Thailand and self-immolation, among many other topics.

Sonia is also the author of The Good Girls – documenting the killing of two Indian teenagers – and Beautiful Thing, about Bombay’s dance bars. She has co-edited a collection of testimonies from Gaza and is the founder of South Asia Speaks, a mentorship programme for emerging writers.

--

💭 For a mix of yogic wisdom and critical thinking, join me for a course at truthofyoga.com

🙏 Your support makes this podcast sustainable – please consider subscribing or make a donation... It's greatly appreciated!

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 the writings of Hermann Hesse – particularly his novel Siddhartha, which features a character whose strong-willed independent streak reminds me of mine…

When Siddhartha complains to his companion Govinda that they’ll never get enlightened by ascetic austerities, he’s urged to rethink. “We have learned a lot,” Govinda reminds him. “We are not going around in circles, we are moving up, the circle is a spiral, we have already ascended many a level.”

Siddhartha disagrees and departs – a recurring pattern. Having done something similar myself a few too many times for comfort, I share what I’ve learned about commitment and detachment – and the need to strike a balance.

In the process, I mention an interview I did a little while ago, a Siddhartha book club, and a recent podcast episode inviting listeners to ask me anything.

🔎 To explore yogic wisdom in context, join me for a course at truthofyoga.com

🙏 Donations make this podcast sustainable – please consider subscribing or buy me a coffee... Your support is greatly appreciated!

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 School of Sophia – a new hybrid educational platform that explores these sorts of subjects. “Inspired by the ancient Wisdom Schools”, its seminars are grounded in collective inquiry, with experiential insights as part of the process.

Our conversation considers how wisdom relates to worldly action. The school’s curriculum asks about power: “Can it flourish for the good, or is it something to surrender?” Could a deeper intelligence help? In addition to discussing that, we explore some of the influences on Valentin’s work, including:

* Mysticism, Joseph Milne and the Temenos Academy

* Krishnamurti, Theosophy and Brockwood Park School

* Satish Kumar, Schumacher College and Small is Beautiful

The texts for this term are The Tempest by William Shakespeare and Simone Weil’s Gravity and Grace. A recorded introductory meeting will be archived here. Weekly sessions are on Mondays from February 2, with in-person gatherings to follow.

🔎 For yogic perspectives on wisdom, join me for a course at truthofyoga.com

🙏 Donations make this podcast sustainable – please consider subscribing or buy me a coffee... Your support is greatly appreciated!