How Goat Yoga and Yoga Trends Contribute to Cultural Appropriation
Yoga is so well integrated into Western culture that it seems like it’s been here all along. You can find a yoga class just about anywhere at the gym, in a studio or even online and as the popularity and commodification of the practice grows, fresh trends and fads emerge including hot yoga, couples yoga, as well as the eyebrow raising «goat yoga.»
If you’re not familiar with the trend, then the phrase «goat yoga» probably sounds like an odd combination. And it is. The practice involves bague homme drole people paying to magasin de bague homme vermeer le collier de perles practice yoga poses usually in a barn while baby goats run around bague homme batman and jump on them. Admittedly, it’s adorable; bague homme acier avec pierre however, goat yoga is one of the numerous examples of how yoga is being culturally appropriated.
Cultural appropriation is a hot button topic, bague homme avec noir but it’s important to understand what the phrase truly means. Appropriation (or misappropriation) occurs when one culture adopts the customs of another. This is not simply a cultural «exchange» (which is mutual and equitable) however, but rather, is performed by a dominant group against a noeuds collier de perles marginalized one, effectively detaching the latter from their own culture. Essentially, it’s a form of bague homme or carré colonization.
In this case, the hegemonic white population that collier de perles bouddhiste makes up the «West» (that is, North America and Western Europe) has worked to strip yoga away from the Indian/South Asian culture that birthed it.
Yoga has endured a battle against colonialism for centuries, first bague homme argent pierre rouge collier de perles renfilage occurring during British colonization of India during the 1700s. Colonizers effectively banned the practice in India because of its ties to non monotheistic religion, which in and of itself is misunderstood, because while yoga is connected to Buddhism and Hinduism, the practice started out as secular, harboring ties connected more with an individual’s spirituality, not the worship of a god. While the religious affiliations of yoga are debated among yogis and Hindus alike, its history precedes most modern religions, as yoga traces its lineage back 5,000 years.
Nevertheless, this ban continued into the 1900s, around the time when Indian monks began bringing yoga bague homme magie overseas. Consequently, yoga was introduced to bague homme 13 the West in collier de perles valeur the 1890s, where it would take hold and be colonized a second time. Capitalism gained a foothold and completely reframed the way people interpret the ancient practice.
Despite how fun and harmless those activities and evocations might seem, they detract from the truth behind yoga. Whereas yoga teaches people to free bague homme mecque themselves from materialism, some bague homme 66 would argue that capitalism has deemed it necessary to buy and sell yoga. Accordingly, an collier de perles princesse aspiring yogi should pay to take lessons from a corporate institution, and in turn dole out hundreds of dollars to pay for clothes, mats and accessories. Granted, there’s nothing wrong with purchasing equipment, but the colonization of yoga bague homme taille 55 implies that such necessities are a mandatory aspect of comment faire boucles d’oreilles pompon practicing yoga, thereby reserving the practice for the elite and wealthy.
As the image of yoga has been repurposed for the Western world’s benefit, so has the concept of its practice. Essentially, it has been repackaged and marketed as a trendy fitness program, a way to lose weight or even a way to increase one’s libido. But, such a definition does not quite capture the whole scope of the practice.
«Yoga is also commonly understood as a therapy or exercise system for health and fitness,» explains Dr. Ishwar V. Basavaraddi, Director of Morarji Desai National Institute of Yoga. «Yoga is bague homme acier et diamant about harmonizing oneself with the universe. It is the technology of aligning individual geometry with the cosmic, to achieve the highest level of perception and harmony.»
We think of yoga as simply the performance of «asanas,» or postures, and believe it only applies to our fitness routines. However, yoga is a deeply spiritual, comprehensive practice that is made up of eight attributes, or limbs. The limbs cover everything from ethics and morals to reaching a state of enlightenment. The fact that most people know what «downward dog» is but don’t recognize the term «pranayama» proves that the colonization of yoga has erased these key components.
Should Westerners even practice yoga, then While yoga is not derived from Western culture, and has been grossly misappropriated because of it, that doesn’t mean Western culture should stop practicing. To completely erase yoga from Western life is not the answer, because yoga is meant for everyone. What we need to look at instead is how bague homme barbe we practice, and start listening to South Asian people whose culture has gifted this wonderful thing to the world.
How do we reshape our practice To start, you should bague homme messika probably stop going to goat yoga class or drunk yoga, dance yoga or whatever hybrid the industry cooks up next. Learn about the values yoga promotes, starting with its eight limbs. Then, look for an instructor who holds those same values. Usually, these more authentic types of yoga classes are found at private studios rather than the gym, so you might have to dig around a bit to find an authentic class. Better yet, conduct some research into local colleges in search of free classes.
Afterward, as with any type of foreign cultural experience, acknowledge that you are borrowing another culture’s practices and strive to stay learned. Don’t stop asking questions. And above all, be respectful of a practice that is held by many bague homme argent crane in high regard.
Yoga is versace bague homme prix proven to be powerful, enlightening and healing, and the practice has done wonders for those who devote themselves to it. Therefore, respectful enthusiasts should encourage anyone to practice it, but to do so correctly, in a way that resists colonization and cultural appropriation…
