Three Signs that Your Yoga Practice Isn’t Cultural Misappropriation
This is a sad picture— an empty yoga mat.
I am saddened by the recent controversy tied to practicing yoga in the West. Some would say that I am part of the problem, since I often write and talk about business and yoga in the same sentence.
To be sure, cultural misappropriation is the equivalent of plagiarism on a grand scale, something I want no part of— but my own experience of yoga in the West is nothing of the sort.
There is some of that occurring thse days, but to cancel classes, or even worse— to do it without using its name, “yoga” is NOT the solution.
Jessica Metcalf offers a nice explanation[1]. She describes the positive aspects of drawing inspiration from other cultures, including Native American influence in the world of fashion, then goes on to address issues of trademark violation and misuse of sacred objects as very different things. I agree with her.
For me, to shut down a yoga practice because of potential misappropriation is the wrong answer.
It is a blow to diversity and all of the richness it offers.
When we allow ourselves to learn from other cultures and engage in practices like our Western brand of yoga with a respectful “Thank you” to their original authors, we make ourselves better.
We open our eyes to the beauty and wisdom of those who may look, sound, and BE very different from ourselves.
In my book, that is the recipe for a better world, something yogic thought supports. The word “yoga,” itself, comes from the Sanskrit word for “to yoke,” which we often interpret as “union.” We emphasize striving for improvement without self-condemnation or judging others. This intention is just one of the many ways this practice opens us up to cultivating and growing from diversity in our lives and in society.
For those of us who are blessed with some level of teacher training and benefit from a regular practice, I believe it would be wrong not to share it in some fashion, whether that means teaching at a studio or gym, or sharing a helpful stretch with an injured friend on occasion.
That doesn’t mean you have to emphasize ALL of its benefits every time you teach. Few of us are equipped to do that and most of us are not true “yogis” in the sense that we fully follow all of its tenets.
Yet those with some knowledge of the practice hold the keys to sharing something beautiful— just as those who have studied Greek philosophy are encouraged to share their limited knowledge of Plato and Aristotle. We should not condemn people who share their experience of something derived from another culture— as long as they honor its origins.
Are you trying to honor cultural diversity for all the good things it brings?
Do you want to avoid misappropriating (plagiarizing) from other cultures?
Honoring these two seemingly competing goals when it comes to yoga and yoga-inspired practices is not difficult. Here are three simple signs that your practice is part of the solution, not part of the problem.
1) When practicing yoga, you extend beyond those moves that make your body bikini-ready and do so with a purpose that is more than just looking and feeling good.
Yoga is a very in-depth, complicated practice.There are moral teachings, breath work, meditation, and much, much more.You could spend your entire life studying the ancient texts and practicing without ever scratching the surface of the richness that Indian sages developed over thousands of years.
Efforts to learn from this rich system of knowledge, while honoring its vastness and origins, are NOT cultural misappropriation.
2) The people you practice with know the name, Patanjali.
Patanjali is credited with putting the yoga sutras in writing around 300 C.E. There are some interesting stories about him and there seems to be some debate over his deification, but my point in bringing him up is that a context where this name is mentioned is one that is grounded in, or at least influenced by, the yoga sutras.
That doesn’t mean that all who practice are Hindu or suggest the teachings are in conflict with any religious practices, nor does it mean that the practice must be stern and 100% serious.
The studio where I practice is a deeply reflective place. Yoga is never taught without a respectful nod to its origins and explanations of the significance of what we do. It is a fun, friendly place, but at the same time serious about the full benefits of the practices we call yoga, for mind, body, and spirit. In short, everyone knows where the roots of the practice hail from, even as we practice with modern music, laughter, learning, and— fun!
3) The terms “yoga” and “yoga-inspired” ARE used— along with other language specific to the more traditional practices.
Here is where I part company with many other Westerners. When I teach a class that fuses lessons from multiple disciplines, I know, and try to make it clear that it isn’t yoga in the truest sense. I like to use the term “yoga-inspired,” when I mix lessons from multiple disciplines.
To teach postures or concepts derived from yoga without using the word feels dishonest to me. It’s like claiming credit for something Gandhi or Mandela said without quotation marks and a citation.
For many of us, the term yoga is synonymous with a well-known aspect of Indian culture. To teach asana (the physical practice) and call it something else feels wrong.
So go ahead!
Hit the mat!
Teach yoga and yoga-inspired classes!
Just honor the origins of what you teach.
Cultural misappropriation is certainly wrong, but suppressing the lessons we can learn from rich, vibrant cultures across the globe is— to my way of thinking, far worse.
When we stop learning from one another, we open the door to fear and hatred of those who are different from us.
...and none of us wants to leave THAT legacy for future generations!
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[1] http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2012/may/18/native-americans-cultural-misappropriation
