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april 2018yogajournal.com.audressed up to look much more sexy
than pranayama or meditation) has
become separated from the more subtle
and internal practices, and the general
public are less exposed to the practices
and philosophies that facilitate greater
upliftment and transformation of the
human spirit. “
In order to keep up in this
competitive and saturated yoga market,
many businesses look for ways to stand
out from the crowd. “Teachers are
teaching tricky sequences with
thumping playlists to get more bums on
mats – obviously essential to the
bottom line of a business,” says Nicole.
Although she is skeptical of many of
the modern day practices, she is
sympathetic to their introduction to the
yoga market. She says, “Teachers are
looking for ways to connect yoga with
people of this age. I can’t say I agree
with all of the methods, but it certainly
is introducing a lot of people to yoga
who maybe wouldn’t try it.”
For Mandy Scotney, yoga teacher
and General Manager at Sydney’s long
running and successful studio
BodyMindLife, it’s about finding
balance between authenticity and
modernity. She says, “We will never
sacrifice the fundamental elements of
the practice for gimmicks...But we need
to make sure we’re accessible to
students of different levels and
backgrounds...Everything evolves over
time and yoga isn’t immune to that.”
Mandy believes that it’s the
responsibility of yogis in the industry to
allow that evolution to unfold in a way
that still honours tradition.
The silver lining of the fads and
increased awareness of yoga is that the
practice is no longer restricted to a
select few. Yoga Alliance agrees, “It is
crossing demographic barriers and
finding increased adoption among
young children and senior citizens...
Yoga is gaining increased acceptance in
schools as many academics see it as a
way to increase concentration and curb
negative behaviour...Corporate leaders
are now encouraging their employees
to practice yoga.”
Sammy Veal, owner and founder of
Melbourne’s Yoga 213, a Hip Hop Yoga
studio combining music with vinyasa
and yin, started her studio with a goal
to make yoga joyful and accessible for
everyone, particularly those who feel
intimidated by more traditionalWhat Sup, Dog? SUP Yoga meets Doga.