Yoga and cultural appropriation
"[9] She states that such claims "cannot stand serious historical scrutiny",[9] quoting the Indologist David Gordon White's comment that "Every group in every age has created its own version and vision of yoga.The colonial history of yoga, she writes, shows that it was "both shaped by imperial norms and capable of generating anti-colonial critical force."[20] The scholar of postcolonial studies Rumya S. Putcha states that the term "cultural appropriation" in itself "is a way of diluting the fact that we're talking about racism and European colonialism."[20] In her view, the effect is conveniently to divert attention to how one can "show cultural appreciation appropriately", when the real issue is "the role of power and the legacies of imperialism."[20] The scholar of religious studies Shreena Gandhi and the antiracist campaigner Lillie Wolff write that the desired result is not that white people should stop doing yoga, but for them to see how the history of yoga in the west is linked to oppression and colonialism, and that a freely-shared practice of devotion is being advertised and sold for profit."[22] The Indian-born journalist Neha Tandon, writing in Women's Health, recalls that after many years of learning yoga in South Asia and with her family, she visited a "fancy studio" and was shocked when the mantra "Om Namah Shivaya" was chanted over the pop song "God Is a Woman."[21] She comments that nobody "buys a 'Namaste in bed' shirt with ill intentions", but that alienating South Asian people remains problematic.[21] Tandon suggests that practitioners might visit a Hindu temple or read some of the classic texts on yoga to become "more socially conscious" in their practice.
mandalascultural appropriationyoga as exerciseasanasHaṭha yogawestern worldwhose goalphysical posturesYoga in advertisingSelling YogaDavid Gordon WhiteHinduismVivekanandaYogendraKuvalayanandaThe Guardianperson of colouryoga marketingBuddhaGaneshaPatanjaliyoga sutrasRachel BrathenBritish RajincenseTibetan bellsmodern yogaspiritual but not religiousyoga in IndiaglobalisationYoga Journalpostcolonial studiesracismEuropean colonialismNamasteShreena GandhiWomen's HealthmantraOm Namah ShivayaGod Is a WomanHindu templeInternational Day of YogaMonier-Williams, MonierMallinson, JamesJacobsen, Knut A.Narayanan, VasudhaLeidenBrill PublishersJain, AndreaLexicoOxford University PressThe AtlanticWashington PostSelling Yoga: from Counterculture to Pop CulturePan MacmillanBrathen, RachelThe New York TimesFrontiers in CommunicationList of asanasStanding asanasDownward dogLotus positionMeditation seatsSun SalutationTree poseWarriorDrishtiPranayamaVinyāsaHasta VinyasasTeacher trainingBritish Wheel of YogaEuropean Union of YogaAndré Van LysebethYoga AllianceTherapyYoga using propsAccessible yogaTrauma-sensitive yogaRestorative YogaYoga nidraInternational Association of Yoga Therapists • Richard MillerJanice GatesCompetitive yogaAsana JournalYoga brickYoga matAngela FarmerHugger MuggerYoga pantsLululemonEarly modern yogaRaja YogaPierre BernardHarmonial gymnastics/yogaMarguerite AgnielMary Bagot StackGenevieve StebbinsPhysical cultureB. C. GhoshK. V. IyerSeetharaman SundaramParamahansa YoganandaAutobiography of a YogiHot yogaScience of yogaSexual abuse by yoga gurusMatthew RemskiIn advertisingFor childrenFor womenGeeta IyengarYoga tourismHybridsNaked yogaMindful YogaFrank Jude BoccioAnne CushmanJon Kabat-ZinnCyndi LeePhillip MoffittAcroyogaPaddleboard YogaAerial yogaBeer yogaAmerica