How the Media Is Changing Yoga

The media has a huge impact on a lot – if not most – things in today’s society. Yoga is no different in that regard. Yoga has grown exponentially over the years in the West and has become a massive industry. You can see photos of people doing amazing poses and arm balances all over the internet.

Studies and news reports about the benefits of the physical aspects have been coming out all over the place. But has the media done a disservice to the spiritual aspects of our practice?
 

Has the media done a disservice to the spiritual aspects of our practice?

 
Let’s examine how media is changing yoga.
 

Before the Media

Yoga has been around for roughly 5,000 years with it’s origins in India and has always been a spiritual practice based in meditation. Even in the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali, Patanjali (the author) emphasized an eightfold path that includes ethical disciplines, postures, breathing, concentration, meditation, control of the senses, and absorption or enlightenment.

All Patanjali essentially did was compile the teachings that pre-dated him. The asanas were just one of the ways to help reach samadhi.

Yoga was introduced to the western world as far back as 1851. The yoga practice that we know today started to gain traction in the 1930’s and 1940’s due to celebrity endorsements. It wasn’t until the 1960’s that yoga saw its first boom in popularity with teachers such as B.K.S. Iyengar and K. Pattabhi Jois leading the way.

Yet throughout this time, yoga was considered a spiritual practice, and asana was part of the way to enlightenment. It was during the second boom in the 1980’s when a report came out connecting yoga to heart health that we see the shift from spiritual to physical begin to take place, and with the expansion of mass media, we can begin to see how media is changing yoga.
 
 

Spiritual to Physical

With the advent of the report in the 1980’s, there have been numerous studies done showing the various benefits that yoga has on the body. From the physical benefits of increased flexibility and strength, to the mental benefits of reduced stress and anxiety.

As a result of these studies gaining momentum, the media has taken notice and promoted yoga as a great way of staying in shape both mentally and physically. That’s a great thing because a lot of us may never have found our way to yoga and this practice that we love if those studies hadn’t come out.

The media’s influence has played a role in shaping what yoga is today. From the ads you see for yoga clothing and gear, to the way yoga is represented in movies and television shows. Yoga is portrayed as a physical exercise that is similar to Pilates or glorified stretching, and the result is an increased focus on the physical aspect of yoga to sell more products.
 
 

The Result: Media Is Changing Yoga

It’s the old adage – sex sells and ad agencies are using it to their advantage. They show yogis as slim, fit, flexible women wearing tight clothing that can perform asanas that most of us simply cannot or will not attempt.

As a result, a stereotype has been created of what a typical yogi looks like. This stereotype has also dissuaded men from the idea of starting a yoga practice. The result? Women currently make up 82% of US yogis, though the media is beginning to include male yogis in their ads.

If the media does show a spiritual side of yoga, it’s a caricature of a yogi. They portray us as a ‘super enlightened gurus’ that live in total bliss and speak in parables. They simply make light of the actual journey we take through our yoga practice.

By doing this, the media is changing yoga and has diminished the original intention of the practice.

The original intention being samadhi or enlightenment. The meditative aspect of the practice has been forgotten, or simply is no longer taught. Even Yoga Alliance saw what was happening and, in 2010, starting making yoga philosophy part of the requirement for teacher training.
 

Mass Media and The Current Situation

There have always been yoga studios that have made sure to include the spiritual aspects of yoga in their classes. Corporate or chain yoga studios tend to promote the physical side to appeal to the majority of the population in the name of making a buck.

In essence, there’s a tug-of-war going on between the two types of studios, and the overarching fork in the US perception of yoga as exercise vs. yoga as a spiritual practice. Which side will prevail is still up for debate.

The spirituality of the practice isn’t about a specific religion, although its roots are in Hinduism. Being kind to others, having compassion, and loving yourself aren’t specific to any one religion or spirituality.

Pushing back against the image that the mass media has projected is going take some time. The work is being done but we still have a ways to go. I believe that we’re on the right path to bringing yoga back to it’s roots as a spiritual practice that is inclusive to all.

What do you think? Is the media portrayal way off, or do you think the publicity is a good thing? Is your yoga practice purely physical, mainly spiritual, or a nice blend of both? Please share your perspective in the comments below.