Vicky Addinall, Martha Henson and Ruth McNeil

After completing the MA in Traditions of Yoga and Meditation over the last five years, we have all continued to stay involved with yoga studies. Ruth McNeil and Martha Henson are currently PhD candidates at King's College London: Ruth is researching the phenomenological and embodied dimensions of śūnyatā (emptiness) across early Hindu and Buddhist traditions; Martha is investigating loss of inner speech through meditation; and Vicky Addinall continues to research yoga's early 20th century history for talks and publications and is currently working on her PhD application.

We have found that some of the most enjoyable aspects about the field of yoga studies are the connections and conversations with peers, particularly at conferences like  Yoga Darśana, Yoga Sādhana Conference (YDYS). We have been looking for an opportunity to develop these further, and have some time to write in community, and to practice yoga together. We were fortunate to find Fintry, a beautiful retreat house in peaceful Surrey Hills countryside, since Ruth has been using it for many years for her yoga retreats.

After spending some time on a yoga retreat at Fintry together in 2024, we realised that the contemplative atmosphere of the place, and Fintry’s remarkable library would be ideal for a yoga studies event, particularly a writing retreat. Having run one of these with KCL’s Theology and Religious studies PhD students earlier this year, we can confirm that the combination of structured writing sessions, delicious veggie food, good chats over tea and biscuits, a well-equipped yoga studio, peaceful spaces both inside and outside, as well as 4,000 volumes of religio-philosophical works are very conducive to getting some focussed writing done.

This residential retreat is open to yoga studies scholars at roughly PhD level or above and will run from Wednesday, 25th – Friday, 27th November 2026. Full details in this PDF brochure. Hopefully, our experiences demonstrate that there are many different ways to continue a career in yoga studies, both within and without the traditional academic institutions, and there are many more opportunities for people with an interest in this area to engage with the subject, run related events, and continue to be inspired.

[Note: SOAS does not facilitate this residential retreat.]