The Coiled Snake: The Goddess of the East and the Satan of the West A Workshop on Jungian Psychoanalysis and Kundalini Yoga

Abstract: The workshop shall be divided into three parts 1. The first part shall briefly discuss the Western Colonial notion of Hindu philosophy, emphasising Jung’s view of it. 2. The second part shall throw light on how many of Jung’s ideas correlate to ancient Indian philosophical concepts (giving special attention to Jung’s lecture series on Kundalini yoga: The psychology of Kundalini yoga: Notes of the seminar given in 1932 by C. G. Jung). 3. The final part shall be comprised of a short session on a specific type of Kundalini yoga and meditation (there are numerous ones) incorporating certain Jungian psychoanalytic techniques. The objective of the workshop is to identify the East, namely the ancient Hindu tradition, as an active ingredient in the dynamic process of knowledge creation—not just a passive bearer of it. It is more than restoring the due credit to the age-old civilisation, it is about enhancing the horizon of this already expansive philosophy and assimilating the theories by one of the great masters of Western psychology within its scope.

Presenter bio: 

Completed PhD program in English with specialisation in South Asian Film and Literature and Postcolonial Studies under the University of Calcutta and has 13+ years of experience in teaching English language, literature and communication skill to students of Management and technical background, has delivered invited lectures and paper in various universities in India and abroad, such as university of Graz, Austria, Cambridge University, Montreal University, Timisoara University. After a spiritual awakening in 2022, has shifted to mission-oriented writing and teaching programs aiming at imparting hope, love and the message of peace to the world. Presently she is working as a contractual faculty member in the Department of English, Surendranath College for Women, Kolkata, India and dedicating her time to animal welfare.

Affiliation: Surendra Nath College for Women