How has Vinyasa Yoga Become Popular Globally?

By Amruta Kulkarni, CYT 500

In the modern world, the term "yoga" has become something of a catch-all term, which encompasses a dizzying array of styles, practices, techniques and even environments. Just a few of the many types of yoga practiced today are Vinyasa, Hatha, Prenatal, Hot, Therapeutic, Restorative and Yin Yoga.

Each style of yoga has a very different aim or goal, from meditation and centering to muscle development to aerobic activity. One of the most popular yogic techniques in the modern world is vinyasa yoga. Some might argue, however, that what makes it so popular is contrary to the original intent and purpose of yoga. Yoga was developed as a means of helping practitioners balance, focus and center on what is within, rather than the exterior world around us. Yoga is intended to be a physical, mental and spiritual practice. 

This concept is a somewhat foreign one in chaotic modern cultures where people frequently pride themselves on how busy and/ or exhausted they are. Thus, it should come as no surprise that it was predominantly in the cities that vinyasa yoga rose to such popularity. Although, ironically, the city dwellers that probably need what yoga in its most ancient form provides, are the ones that reject it for its more modern flowing form.

Vinyasa yoga is also known as vinyasa flow because of the way in which one pose flows quickly into another. Other forms of yoga focus on deepening into a pose, stretching further, opening hips, aligning the spine and even centering spiritually. It should be noted that while vinyasa yoga is intended to move smoothly from one pose to another, it is meant to focus heavily on aligning breath with movement.

An argument could be made, however, that vinyasa yoga today has shifted the focus entirely away from being a centering practice to being solely for the purposes of increasing heart rate and working up a sweat. As a result, vinyasa yoga, which is generally the most aerobically challenging of all types of yoga, is also the most popular among fitness buffs and rising in popularity across the globe. Possibly as a result of the growing influence on an obsession with physical fitness.

While there is nothing inherently wrong with the popularity of the vinyasa discipline per se, it could potentially have a negative impact on the broader goals of yogic practice. Here are three potentially negative outcomes to the rise of classes that focus so strongly on extreme physical fitness rather than the overarching goals yoga is meant to achieve.

1. Takes focus away from people that need what yoga has to offer the most

Yoga is a phenomenal, low impact way for people who are severely overweight or out-of-shape to start the long journey back to health and fitness. The version of vinyasa yoga practiced by fitness crazed practitioners, however, is essentially designed for people who are already in excellent shape. This can make it difficult for overweight and out-of-shape people to find classes that focus more on the slower, gentler poses and rhythms that would be most beneficial to them.

2. Can further injure people looking to yoga for injury recovery

One of the most popular reasons for practicing yoga is to recover from back injuries, keep the spine aligned and promote overall skeletal health. The fast pace at which vinyasa techniques move from one pose to another can actually cause further injury to spines and skeletal structures already out of alignment.

3. Takes focus away from possibly the most needed aspects of yoga

On the whole, modern practitioners outside of India seem to be uncomfortable with the spiritual aspects of yogic practice, which modern vinyasa probably focuses on the least. In reality, however, in the fast-paced, high-stress world, the spiritual aspects, centering asanas may be the most needed.

To answer the question of how vinyasa took off so well: The modern practitioner is usually a young female who uses technology, has a full schedule, and needs to reduce stress as soon as possible. Yoga in motion is the perfect solution. Vinyasa is here to stay and as practitioners mature the deeper aspects of Yoga will be realized.

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