The Westernization of Yoga

My Yoga Online - The last decade has shown a compelling evolution in the trend of yoga especially in how Western cultures have modified, integrated, and molded this practice to make it more adaptable and engaging. Much of these adaptations come from the desire to commercialize yoga into a product and, through this commercialization, we can often see how the traditional practice delivered from the East has been diluted with the attitudes of materialism and physicality. It is no surprise with this trend to see that yoga is now greatly marketed and perceived primarily as a ‘workout’. This brings forth a basic question: “Is it wrong to practice yoga only with the intention that it is a workout that generates physical benefits?”

We first should address the definition of Hatha Yoga. Hatha Yoga is the practice of yoga poses which were designed to revitalize and bring balance to the musculoskeletal and glandular systems. Hatha Yoga encompasses all forms of asana performance: Ashtanga Yoga, Iyengar Yoga, Anusara Yoga, Yin Yoga, Power Yoga etc. Within this definition, one can conclude that Hatha Yoga is meant to act as a conditioning of the physical body. Through a healthier body, one can then move forward into the practice of pranayama and meditation (as well as other forms of Yoga) to develop the connection to Self.

The second concept to address is tantra. Yoga developed out of the concept of tantra, which, in a simplified approach, is the practice of producing thoughts, actions, and intentions that foster goodness and betterment for yourself and the environment around you. Tantra basically encourages one to always be moving forward through life with positive harmonious energy.
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