I'm curious what people think about this. It's frankly dispiriting and shocking that there seems to be so much violent opposition from the yoga community to simply acknowledging that Yoga has roots in Hindu spirituality.
Why so much ignorance, hate, and closed-mindedness? It's not like Hindus are asking you to stop practicing #yoga or give up your livelihood. Just give credit where credit is due. Otherwise, it's intellectual theft and cultural appropriation.
What a sad legacy of colonialism merrily carrying on into 2021.
The reluctance to acknowledge yoga's Hindu roots in Western societies, particularly the U.S., stems from a mix of cultural appropriation, commercialization, and the desire to secularize the practice. Many see yoga primarily as a fitness regimen, separating it from its spiritual and religious origins in Hinduism. This disconnection might be uncomfortable for those invested in a more secular view, leading to resistance when asked to credit Hinduism. The legacy of colonialism also plays a role, where erasure or alteration of cultural practices persists.
The relationship between yoga and its Hindu roots can be a complex topic. While it is true that yoga originated in ancient India and is deeply rooted in Hindu philosophy, it has evolved and transformed over thousands of years. When it comes to the difficulty some Americans may have in accept the Hindu roots of yoga, America is a multicultural and religiously diverse society, where people follow a variety of religious traditions or no religious tradition at all. Some individuals may feel uncomfortable accept the Hindu roots of yoga due to concerns about religious exclusivity or potential conflicts with their own beliefs. Many Americans may simply be unaware of the historical and cultural origins of yoga. Yoga is often taught and practiced without providing much context or information about its roots. This lack of education contribute to a limited understanding of yoga's connection to Hinduism.
I hate to get political, but a vast majority of American Yoga practitioners are upper middle class or wealthy, who at present tend to predominantly be leftist in their political and social outlook. This crowd has decided, in the last 10 years, with the aid of some mainstream publications (NYT, WaPo, BBC, Al Jazeera), that Hindus are "fascist", backward, and the enemy. In that mindset, they will not give credit where credit to the enemy. They turned on the Jewish community not long ago; now Hindus are their new punching bag. The only thing I suggest to everyone who encounters such fools is not to back down due to some misplaced notion of not wanting to "stir the pot".
On the topic of cultural appropriation, I think it is okay as long as credit is given. Every culture appropriates from some other culture. However, what many American Yoga practitioners are attempting to do, by by separating Yoga from its Dharmic roots, is cultural digestion, as Rajiv Malhothra has termed. I saw the same thing happen over the years with "Mindfullness", which is nothing other than the Buddhist practice of Vipassana.
There are many yoga studios and yoga apps that replace the traditional names with rather bizzare ones. Moreover it is increasingly becoming popular to mix and match yoga with all sorts of rubbish, like beer yoga.... All these yoga studios and apps don't teach you the authentic yoga. Yoga is more than stretching
The reluctance to acknowledge yoga's Hindu roots in Western societies, particularly the U.S., stems from a mix of cultural appropriation, commercialization, and the desire to secularize the practice. Many see yoga primarily as a fitness regimen, separating it from its spiritual and religious origins in Hinduism. This disconnection might be uncomfortable for those invested in a more secular view, leading to resistance when asked to credit Hinduism. The legacy of colonialism also plays a role, where erasure or alteration of cultural practices persists.
______________________ https://www.medipakiet.pl/blog/potas-i-jego-rola-w-organizmie/
The relationship between yoga and its Hindu roots can be a complex topic. While it is true that yoga originated in ancient India and is deeply rooted in Hindu philosophy, it has evolved and transformed over thousands of years. When it comes to the difficulty some Americans may have in accept the Hindu roots of yoga, America is a multicultural and religiously diverse society, where people follow a variety of religious traditions or no religious tradition at all. Some individuals may feel uncomfortable accept the Hindu roots of yoga due to concerns about religious exclusivity or potential conflicts with their own beliefs. Many Americans may simply be unaware of the historical and cultural origins of yoga. Yoga is often taught and practiced without providing much context or information about its roots. This lack of education contribute to a limited understanding of yoga's connection to Hinduism.
I hate to get political, but a vast majority of American Yoga practitioners are upper middle class or wealthy, who at present tend to predominantly be leftist in their political and social outlook. This crowd has decided, in the last 10 years, with the aid of some mainstream publications (NYT, WaPo, BBC, Al Jazeera), that Hindus are "fascist", backward, and the enemy. In that mindset, they will not give credit where credit to the enemy. They turned on the Jewish community not long ago; now Hindus are their new punching bag. The only thing I suggest to everyone who encounters such fools is not to back down due to some misplaced notion of not wanting to "stir the pot".
On the topic of cultural appropriation, I think it is okay as long as credit is given. Every culture appropriates from some other culture. However, what many American Yoga practitioners are attempting to do, by by separating Yoga from its Dharmic roots, is cultural digestion, as Rajiv Malhothra has termed. I saw the same thing happen over the years with "Mindfullness", which is nothing other than the Buddhist practice of Vipassana.
There are many yoga studios and yoga apps that replace the traditional names with rather bizzare ones. Moreover it is increasingly becoming popular to mix and match yoga with all sorts of rubbish, like beer yoga.... All these yoga studios and apps don't teach you the authentic yoga. Yoga is more than stretching