Beyond Appropriation

Beyond Appropriation: Honoring Yoga’s Evolution While Embracing Change

Yoga, in its purest form, is a practice of transformation. It has adapted across centuries, cultures, and communities, shifting to meet the needs of those who practice it. Yet, in the modern world, where leggings replace loincloths and studios replace ashrams, it’s easy to wonder if we have lost something along the way.

There’s an ongoing conversation, sometimes filled with rightful disappointment, about how yoga in the
West has distanced itself from its Indian roots. Yoga was not only taken from India but, in many cases, its cultural and spiritual depth was muted and repackaged by different yoga leaders of the west. Even patented in some cases. This is not something to dismiss lightly. And yet, some change is not inherently wrong. Non-attachment is a spiritual practice in itself, and evolution is the nature of all things. Rather than getting lost in shame or defensiveness, perhaps we can hold space for both truths: that yoga’s Westernization has involved cultural appropriation and that it remains a powerful, deeply personal practice for those who step onto the mat.

Can Yoga Change and Still Be Yoga?

Every tradition, no matter how sacred, is built upon something that came before it. Even within India,
yoga evolved across centuries. Hatha yoga(the poses we practice today), for instance, was not part of the earliest Vedic traditions but came later, influenced by Tantra and other philosophies, and was solely practiced by men. Women were not allowed to practice nor people of lower castes!

Change is not new to yoga; it is woven into its history. It’s easy to look at a class full of people in Lululemon  and other trendy brands and dismiss it as a hollow representation of what yoga was meant to be. But we cannot see someone’s inner experience by looking at what they wear. With twenty people on their mats, each is engaged in their unique process and perhaps working through grief, finding peace in the chaos of their day, or reconnecting with themselves after years of disconnection. Who are we to say that this is not real yoga?

Indeed, some aspects of modern yoga feel commercialized or disconnected from its origins. But
if all change was bad not many people would be practicing yoga today. I think it's possible to honor the essence of yoga while allowing it to grow and change in ways that make sense for today’s world.

Keeping the Essence, Not the Dogma

For me, yoga is not about rigid adherence to ancient forms, but about living the wisdom in a way that
is relevant, accessible, and transformative to our lives today. I don’t need to recite Sanskrit or Pali mantras to embody the teachings. But when I do, I find it very moving. Just as my love for Jesus is about emulating his kindness rather than following doctrine, my yoga practice is about integrating its essence. Loving-kindness, Compassion, self-awareness, non-stealing, non-harming to self and others and presence. 

That’s not to say we should ignore yoga’s roots or practice without awareness. It’s essential to
recognize where yoga comes from, to give credit, and to respect its origins. But the beauty of yoga is
that it does not demand blind faith or rigid adherence to a single way of practicing. It invites self-inquiry
and self-study. It asks us to examine what serves us and what does not. It shows us our areas of
personal work that need to be done. It is deeply personal. Each difficult situation becomes our teacher when we embrace this practice.

The Journey Toward Deeper Understanding

I think about this a lot because it matters to me. I hope to travel to India one day; possibly even this year for a retreat led by my dear friend Julia Jonson of TBY yoga who does such a good job honoring the roots of yoga at her studio, in her practice and in her teacher training program. As a yoga teacher myself, I feel a deep responsibility to honor the origins of this practice, not just intellectually, but by immersing myself in its birthplace. I wonder if my perspective will shift after experiencing yoga in India firsthand. Will I see things differently? Will I feel differently about how yoga has been adapted?

I don’t know the answers to all this yet but I do know that I am always open to learning, growing, and deepening my understanding and to remain a student, always. 

Moving Forward With Respect and Awareness

So, how do we navigate this space with integrity? How do we practice yoga in a way that is both
personal and respectful of its origins?

1. Acknowledge the Roots Without Pretending to Own Them 

We can practice yoga and meditation while honoring its roots by learning from native teachers when possible and asking them what's appropriate or offensive.

2. Teach With Humility

If we are not of Indian heritage, we can teach and share yoga while making it clear that we are
students, dedicated to learning and sharing because of the respect and love we have for the practice and its importance. We teach it because it has been so impactful and life changing! We are called to share.

3. Make Yoga More Than Just Physical

Asana is beautiful, but yoga is so much more. The real work is in turning inward, connecting to the breath, the awareness that meditation brings, the presence, and the way we bring these principles into our lives when we step off the mat. If our yoga doesn't make us better humans off the mat, we probably aren't doing it right.

4. Allow Yoga To Be Personal

No one can dictate what someone else’s yoga practice should look like. If it is bringing them deeper into self-awareness, compassion, peace, and connection, then it is serving its purpose.

5. Let Yoga Continue To Evolve

Just as it has for thousands of years, yoga will continue to change. That doesn’t mean it has
to be dismissed or disconnected from its roots; it just means it can adapt to meet the needs of different people at different times. Sometimes the classes that seem disconnected are enough to peak the interest of someone new to yoga and influence them to go deeper.

A Practice That Lives in the Heart

At its core, yoga is about unity, not only between the mind, body, and spirit, but also between the past and present, tradition and evolution. We can honor where it comes from while allowing it to meet us
where we are. We can be aware of appropriation while also recognizing that things change, always! I am definitely more careful now with certain terms and how I use them. 

In the end, yoga isn’t about what it looks like from the outside anyways. It’s about what it cultivates
within us. And that is something no pair of leggings or studio trend can take away.

At The Yoga Effect, we strive to be mindful of yoga’s roots while making the practice accessible and
meaningful in these modern times. We honor its wisdom by integrating yoga’s more profound teachings, where they naturally fit, whether through mindful movement, breath-work, or reflections on philosophy. Our goal is not to impose rigid doctrine but to offer tools for self-inquiry, growth, and connection. We recognize that yoga has evolved, and while we teach it in a way that resonates with today's practitioners, we also hold space for learning, respect, and staying connected to its origins where we can. I hope that one day soon I can expand on this with my experience in India. Fingers crossed! For now, we will continue to do our best to bring meaningful yoga into your lives.