Yoga

Yoga has become more than just a Sanskrit term referring to union or a system of philosophy. Its current reach extends far beyond the pages of Patanjali's Yoga Sutra and beyond the borders of India. Yoga studios have emerged all over the Americas, Europe, Africa, and Asia. Yoga has been translated into these many different global contexts, but what remains constant in these many translations is a bodily practice that revolves around the asanas or poses.

Yoga was introduced to the global stage via the intertwined forces of colonialism and capitalism. During the colonial reign under the British Raj, yoga experienced a renaissance of sorts and became more popular in India as a Hindu practice. Yoga was rediscovered as an example of rational and enlightened Hinduism ...