Decolonizing Yoga
Since 2015 I’ve run a decolonizing yoga group - with permission from an authentic Hindu elder - to address the cultural appropriation of yoga.
“The yoga industrial complex is a desecration of yoga that harms Hindus who are already suffering genocide every day.”
— Zarna Joshi, 2021
To “decolonize” means to give the land back.
To decolonize yoga means to give the practice of yoga back to its authentic lineages. You are not entitled to yoga just because you feel like it, or it’s fashionable, or it “helps you”. If you are not part of an authentic lineage, if you don’t have permission from that authentic lineage to learn or teach, and if you don’t behave accountably towards that lineage, you have no right to yoga because it does not belong to you. Therefore, you must give it back.
To join this collective, we have a vetting process.
All are asked to be accountable to this group and to me by reading and signing an integrity pledge (scroll down to sign the pledge).
All must fill out a questionnaire (you will be linked to it immediately after signing the pledge).
All must watch my Hindu Colonial Trauma series (you will be emailed details after filling out the questionnaire). You will be given quizzes throughout viewing the series and a final questionnaire to ensure you’ve watched the whole thing. There may be a charge for viewing the series depending on your financial situation. (If you have already viewed the series previously, you will be sent the quizzes and final questionnaire to complete.)
After these three steps, depending upon your answers, you will either qualify or not to join. I will let you know via email.
All of these steps are mandatory.
Adherence to the integrity pledge is mandatory for continued membership of the group.
This vetting process is to ensure that all the people in this space are accountable to my ancestors and feel compassion for living Hindus.
We have this process because of Hinduphobic violence I have personally experienced.
This vetting process is non-negotiable.
I relate yoga’s ancient teachings to what is happening right now.
Right now yoga and Hindus are being colonized and that needs to stop.
We’ve done sessions all over Turtle Island*.
You can invite me to do an introductory session in your community. All sessions are podcasted and members of the group have access to the podcasted sessions so no one misses out no matter where the last session is.
Entry to an introductory session is by signing the integrity pledge.
*Turtle Island is the Indigenous name of North America for First Nations in the Northwest region of the USA.
Other First Nations in other regions may have different names for the continent.
Decolonizing Yoga sessions are free to attend (you may donate if you wish).
It’s time to Decolonize Yoga.
Begin our vetting process to join the collective.
Read and sign this integrity pledge form.