Yoga: An Ancient Indian Practice with an American Fascination
There is perhaps no practice as deeply storied in Eastern culture and modernly omnipresent globally as that of yoga, the ancient Indian practice turned multi-billion dollar worldwide industry. America, for about a century, has been one of the prime destinations for this cultural export, driven by a curiosity for Eastern spirituality at times, an eagerness for commercialization at others, but most often, a universal desire for wellness.
Yoga, as it originated in India centuries ago, perhaps even prior to 2700 B.C., is a practice often combining the physical, mental, and spiritual. While it’s not necessarily true that yoga as a discipline never put an emphasis on physical development — hatha yoga (focused on physical and mental strength-building) has been described in Hindu texts since the 15th century and flourished between the 18th and 20th centuries— yoga was not always considered primarily as a method of exercise (Basavaraddi).
American yoga has undoubtedly taken on its own unique flavor — it places a higher emphasis on the physical aspects of yoga, not only through asanas (body postures present in traditional yoga), but also fitness routines (such as “power yoga”). The vast American yoga industry involves 20 million Americans, fostered by its broad appeal in a class or personal setting (Yoga Journal). In an age of increased fitness awareness and exercise crazes, yoga perhaps stands out as accessible, effective, and a unique synthesis of both self-reflection and physical well-being.
American yoga, while built from traditional yoga’s inherent roots, has come to develop its own meaning and discipline — an intriguing instance of cultural diffusion fostered by a universal and common interest in health and wellness, both internally and externally.
Yoga has interestingly been intertwined in a succession of American affairs throughout history, ranging from the curiosity and confusion regarding spirituality, to the counterculture movement, all up to the recent development of “fitness culture” and wellness initiatives. There has always been an American fascination with yoga and associated Indian spirituality, evidenced by our country’s history dabbling in different forms of yoga — and the path to yoga as an American exercise discipline was not quite linear.
On September 11, 1893, a Hindu monk named Swami Vivekananda, clad in a light turban and dark robes, spoke to a crowd of 4,000 gathered at the first World’s Parliament of Religions in Chicago. Vivekananda, born to a high-class Calcutta family and a disciple of the mystic Ramakrishna, aimed to introduce Hinduism and its principles to America, envisioning a global tolerance for all faiths.
Vivekananda is credited by many for first formally introducing yoga to the West (not in the aforementioned speech, but rather through a series of lessons). However, the teachings of yoga he disseminated — focusing on the philosophical and spiritual aspects of yoga — are notably different from what we may associate yoga with today (Bardach).
The modern idea of yoga was most profoundly pioneered by Indra Devi, a Russian-born woman who became a film star in India. In the 1950s, Devi opened a studio in America, teaching many celebrity pupils a more physical approach to yoga. She particularly marketed her teaching towards women, appealing to a burgeoning interest in self-care and wellness in response to growing anxiety and stress.
Indra Devi’s teachings have the most direct correlation to what we picture to be modern American yoga, but Andrea Jain, a professor of religious studies and author of the book Selling Yoga also links the modern fascination with yoga to the 1960s, amidst the counterculture movement. The counterculture movement, born from a desire to break free from the rigidity of religious and conservative American society, found a great companion in Indian spirituality — particularly through yoga.
Perhaps tracing yoga’s dissemination and growing popularity in the U.S. could tell a story about how we approach the more universal and inherent aspects of human life: grappling with our spirituality and a desire to find deeper meaning in one’s self.
