SOAS Centre of Yoga Studies was delighted to bring together Ass. Professors Sravana Borkataky-Varma and Anya Foxen for a discussion about their most recent publication, The Serpent's Tale: Kuṇḍalinī, Yoga, and the History of an Experience. This is a recording of a live event, which took place on Monday, 13th October 2025.
There is a standard narrative that recurs throughout popular writings on yoga and tantra, from South Asian texts to Western esoteric thought: Kuṇḍalinī is the Serpent Power. She rests coiled at the base of the spine. If awakened, this divine feminine energy rises toward the crown of the head. Some are apprehensive of Kuṇḍalinī’s intense power, fearing physical and psychological turmoil. Others seek it out, hungry for experiences, both spiritual and sensual. But what does this story leave out? What are its cultural and historical roots? What do the many ways of experiencing Kuṇḍalinī tell us about this elusive phenomenon?
The Serpent’s Tale traces the intricate global histories of Kuṇḍalinī, from its Sanskrit origins to its popularity in the West. Sravana Borkataky-Varma and Anya Foxen explore its symbolic link with the serpent, its fraught connections to sexuality, and its commercialization in the form of Kuṇḍalinī yoga. Ranging from esoteric texts to global gurus, from the cliffs of California to the charnel grounds of Assam, they show that there has never been one single “authentic” model of Kuṇḍalinī but a multiplicity of visions. Bridging the gaps between textual and historical analysis and the complexities of embodied practice, Borkataky-Varma and Foxen reflect on the narration and transmission of experiences, including their own. Lively, accessible, and nuanced, The Serpent’s Tale offers rich insights for scholars, practitioners, and all readers drawn to Kuṇḍalinī.
Sravana Borkataky-Varma specializes in South Asian religions, with a particular emphasis on Hindu practices. Her scholarly work investigates Indian religions and delves into topics such as esoteric rituals and bodily concepts, especially in relation to Hindu śākta tantra traditions, often referred to as goddess tantra. She adopts a research methodology that blends social anthropology—examined from an outside perspective—with elements of reflexive autoethnography that reflect her personal experiences. As an educator, she holds the position of Instructional Assistant Professor at the University of Houston. She has formerly taught at Harvard Divinity School, Rice University, and the University of North Carolina-Wilmington. Just this year, in addition to the book The Serpent's Tale: Kuṇḍalinī, Yoga, and the History of an Experience, she also co-authored an edited volume titled Embodied Pedagogies in the Study of Religion: Transforming the Classroom. Sravana is committed to building communities that bring together individuals from various religious backgrounds who aspire to lead lives marked by kindness and compassion. She is a member of the Board of Trustees for the Esalen Institute, The Alembic, and contributes to the Advisory Board of Compassionate Houston.
Anya Foxen is a historian and comparativist scholar of religion. She is associate professor of religious studies at California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo as well as a research affiliate at the Center for the Study of World Religions at Harvard Divinity School. Her scholarly research focuses on the intersection of South Asian yogic and tantric traditions with Western esotericism and metaphysical spiritualities. Her special areas of interest include embodiment, as well as the interplay of religion and science. She is the author of four books, including Inhaling Spirit: Harmonialism, Orientalism, and the Western Roots of Modern Yoga (2020).
Ulrich Pagel is the Seiyu Kiriyama Professor of Buddhist Studies at SOAS University of London and Chair of the SOAS Centre of Yoga Studies. He served as Head, School of History, Religions and Philosophies (2018–2022). Previously he worked as Assistant Professor at the University of Washington (Seattle) (1997–1999) and the British Library (Curator of the Tibetan Collections, 1993–1997). He also served two terms as General Secretary of the International Association of Buddhist Studies (2011 to 2019) and lead the Bulletin of the School of Oriental and African Studies as Editor-in-Chief (2010 to 2016).
His research interests include Buddhist Meditation practices in India and Tibet, Mahayana sutra literature, the culture and organisation of Indian Buddhist monasteries and Indian Buddhism more generally. Since 2012, Ulrich Pagel has convened the MA Traditions of Yoga and Meditation at SOAS, both leading the programme and contributing extensively to its teaching delivery. He has published six books and numerous articles.
