Date of Award

Spring 2023

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Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Arts

Department

Yoga Studies

School or College

Bellarmine College of Liberal Arts

First Advisor

Zoey Slatoff

Abstract

This thesis offers an expository examination of the intersection of yoga’s modern tapas (austerity) practice and the framework of storytelling, contrasting and comparing these two ideals, by exploring the evolution of the term tapas and uncovering how it is mirrored by the hero(ine)’s journey identified by Joseph Campbell and other scholars. For humanity to evolve into a higher state of self-awareness and create a world where peaceful co-existence is possible, individuals must embark on an inner journey. Through this journey, our inner world evolves, which in turn can lead to more enlightened behavior and contribute to a more harmonious global community. To address humanity’s broader issues, a possible construct to guide the individual journey is at the intersection between yoga’s modern tapas and the framework for storytelling, as I explore through developing a tapas experience framework, to offer a compelling transformational journey and path forward for the practitioner.

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