In a $88 billion yoga industry, is spirituality for sale?

Yoga is less about breathwork these days. What was meant to unite body, mind and spirit, has now been transformed into a practice that prioritises strength, flexibility, but more so, aesthetics. Once a sacred practice rooted in ancient Indian philosophy, yoga has today become a billion-dollar global industry.

Is yoga now a coveted "lifestyle product"?

In the West, spiritual growth and self-realisation has been repackaged into sleek athleisure, luxury retreats, and sweat-inducing power workouts. While its popularity has brought global attention to yoga, critics argue that Western commercialisation has stripped the practice of its cultural depth, turning it into a lifestyle product.

Yoga originated in India over 5,000 years ago as a spiritual and philosophical discipline. Rooted in the Vedas, Upanishads, and Patanjali’s Yoga Sutras, it was traditionally practiced under the guidance of a guru and encompassed not just postures (asanas), but also breathwork (pranayama), meditation (dhyana), ethical precepts (yamas and niyamas), and a path to liberation (moksha).

The British tried to ban yoga when they first arrived in India

Yoga was not born in fancy studios that we see now. They shut down yoga shalas (schools) and introduced Physical Training (PT) in schools and colleges. This was a significant shift, as this was the only place where the younger generation had access to yoga. 

Many educated men, sadhus or aesthetics were chased away from society. Yoga slowly started developing the image of being some sort of ‘voodoo’ or strange, cult like practices. 

However, by the time yoga became a mainstream phenomenon in the West, particularly from the 1960s onwards, it began to shift from a spiritual tradition to a wellness commodity. Today, most yoga studios in Western cities are focused almost entirely on physical postures, often leaving out the deeper psychological, ethical, and meditative aspects of the practice.

The numbers don’t lie

The global yoga industry is now worth over $88 billion, with the United States leading the market. From branded yoga mats and crystals to influencer-led online classes, the practice has been heavily monetised.

Critics argue that this commercial approach often appropriates and decontextualises yoga’s roots.

In the age of social media, yoga has taken on a highly visual, performative dimension. Western “yogis” with large online followings often post stylised images of handstands on beaches, expensive yoga retreats in Bali, and paid partnerships with fitness brands.

This trend not only commodifies the practice further but also sets unrealistic beauty and body standards, often excluding the very communities that birthed yoga in the first place.

The debate surrounding Western yoga often centres on cultural appropriation, adopting elements of a culture without understanding or respecting its origins. While cultural exchange can be enriching and transformative, appropriation tends to benefit dominant groups while erasing the contributions and presence of marginalised ones.

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