thank you @jochetroche — youre always so supportive ❤️
thank you @jochetroche — youre always so supportive ❤️
Reflections
I feel seen.
I feel seen.
Sep 15, 2024
The modern yoga industry has shifted away from teaching a practice that once ecnouraged and even required ongoing learning, self-reflection, and personal growth. Instead, the commercial interests have been prioritized over genuine education. This shift has left both students and teachers navigating a system that often exploits their desire to learn and grow. Nowhere is…
The Role of Learning in Yoga: Education vs. Exploitation and the Broken Teacher Training System
The modern yoga industry has shifted away from teaching a practice that once ecnouraged and even required ongoing learning, self-reflection, and personal growth. Instead, the commercial interests have been prioritized over genuine education. This shift has left both students and teachers navigating a system that often exploits their desire to learn and grow. Nowhere is this tension more evident than in the yoga teacher training system, which, while serving as a lifeline for the industry, has become deeply flawed. The Importance of Lifelong Learning in Yoga The essence of yoga is continuous evolution. For students, this means approaching each class with curiosity and an open mind, recognizing that there is always more to learn—not just in the mastery of physical postures but in the exploration…
Sep 15, 2024
When I started practicing in 2002, there wasnt a yoga studio on every corner. Yoga hadn’t quite hit the granola standard yet (when its not just for hippies anymore). Practice in general was still counterculture, with lineage-based yoga studios having been established for a decade or two. It wasnt yet seen from a consumerist athleisure…
The Decline of Community-Based Yoga Studios: What Went Wrong
When I started practicing in 2002, there wasnt a yoga studio on every corner. Yoga hadn’t quite hit the granola standard yet (when its not just for hippies anymore). Practice in general was still counterculture, with lineage-based yoga studios having been established for a decade or two. It wasnt yet seen from a consumerist athleisure lens. This was at a time when traditional yoga studios had begun to propagate naturally into smaller studios— organic growth that allowed up-and-coming teachers to enter full time teaching, inside their own four walls. It was a time before the big boxes, the local chains, and venture capital from Wall Street. Yes, at one time, independent yoga studios were owned by people who had made exotic journeys and devoted insane…
The Impact of COVID-19 on the Yoga Industry: Opportunities and Setbacks
The COVID-19 pandemic brought unprecedented challenges to nearly every industry, and the yoga world was no exception. Almost overnight, yoga studios were forced to close their doors, and teachers and students alike had to adapt to new ways of practicing. The pandemic accelerated changes in how yoga is taught and consumed, from the rapid rise of online classes to the reimagining of yoga spaces and teaching models. While the setbacks were significant—particularly for independent teachers and studios—the post-pandemic landscape also presents opportunities for transformation and growth.
A New Path Forward for the Yoga Industry
The COVID-19 pandemic exposed deep flaws in the yoga industry, from unsustainable business models to the growing commercialization of the practice. This collection of essays explores the rise, collapse, and potential rebirth of the industry, offering solutions focused on sustainability, equity, and community. By addressing long-standing challenges, we have the chance to rebuild an industry that honors yoga’s spiritual roots while supporting teachers, students, and studios alike.
❤️❤️❤️ paul’s commitment to these eastern traditions inspires me… and has hel…
❤️❤️❤️ paul’s commitment to these eastern traditions inspires me… and has helped heal me over the years.