The Complicated History of International Yoga Day
As a yoga practitioner, you may have heard about International Yoga Day and wondered what all the fuss is about. If you haven't, then you may have some homework to do!
We know that in Sanskrit yoga means something like “union.” In the modern yoga industry today, yoga has become a uniting force — a practice that brings together people of various backgrounds for relaxation and health benefits. But as International Yoga Day came and went this June 21, I, and others, feel a push of resistance.
This spring I took a course with Tejal Patel from Tejal Yoga and the Yoga Is Dead podcast titled “So you want to chant Om?” She opened my eyes in incredibly interesting ways. Take a look at her most recent reflection on International Yoga Day here.
Most of us who practice yoga, especially those who were raised/identify as Christian, at some point wonder why we are so drawn to this spiritual tradition when it is not part of our religious background or culture. In the case of International Yoga Day, we may ask ourselves: What does it mean for me as a Christian practicing yoga?
Background
Yoga is both an individual practice for spiritual development and health and a practice that brings people together. It's this sense of unity and harmony that makes it such an appealing practice.
Yoga originated in India, where Hinduism is the dominant religion—and many yoga practitioners experience yoga as a spiritual practice that emphasizes inner peace through meditation, self-reflection, and prayer.
Some argue that yoga has been appropriated by non-Indians who use the practice as an exercise routine without understanding its deeper meaning or intentions, a sentiment I consistently push back against. This doesn’t necessarily mean practicing yoga as exercise is all bad. The fact that there are many different forms of yoga means that some practitioners can choose to focus more on physical fitness than others do.
Yoga is a great thing and supporting the knowledge of yoga and its philosophy also means critically holding social justice at the forefront. And despite yoga’s call for ahimsa, or non-violence, some are using the day to promote religious discrimination.
The Origins of International Yoga Day
The United Nations General Assembly declared in 2014 that every June 21 would be International Yoga Day after Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi proposed it. The first International Yoga Day was held on this day in 2015. The choice of June 21 for International Yoga Day was made because it is the summer solstice, meaning the longest day of the year. But this is only in the Northern Hemisphere highlighting an implicit leaning toward the modern yoga systems that developed in the US and Europe. And it still gets more complicated than that.
International Yoga Day’s establishment was and still remains controversial to many Indian and Desi (Indian-American) yoga practitioners. For example, take a look at these two Instagram posts by the Yoga is Dead podcast and Susanna Barkataki. Similarly, Abhishek Saha explains his five reasons for not celebrating International Yoga Day.
Andrea Jain spoke at length about Yoga Day in her 2020 monograph Peace Love Yoga. In particular, she argues that the commercialization of yoga is not just a Western phenomenon. Jain continues extensively about the ugly side of the yoga industry’s impact on spirituality in chapter 5 “Made In Bharat” critiquing the commercialized position of Yoga Day. She writes, “Modi’s approach to yoga represents a political, ahistorical, and essentializing strategy” and his promotion of International Yoga Day is “related to the rise and success of conservative politics” (156).
As Jyotsna Singh pointed out, the choice for June 21 may have had ulterior motives since the day marks “the death anniversary of Keshav Baliram Hedgewar, founder of Hindu right-wing organisation Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS).” The RSS is a prominent organization in India that supports the extremist ideas of Hindutva, also known as Hindu Nationalism. In recent years, especially after the election of Prime Minister Modi, Hindutva has consistently used extremist ideas to persecute minority religions in India, particularly Muslims and Christians. Prime Minister Modi has been criticized by Muslim leaders for Yoga Day’s implicit promotion of Hindu Nationalism (Peace Love Yoga, 22).
What does this mean for Christians who practice yoga?
Yoga has a complicated history. It is part of India's culture and has been adopted by the Indian government as a way for people to connect with their culture, but the situation is more complex than that.
For us, this knowledge calls us to uphold the yogic – and Christian – value of ahimsa. Non-harming does not mean that we passively stand by, but rather stand against persecution of all people. Likewise, we remember to uphold loving our neighbors as ourselves. What does loving our neighbors look like with IYD? This means we love the oppressed by working for their betterment and pray for the oppressors pleading for their empathy. We don't want to promote religious discrimination by supporting extremist ideas, but we do want to support and promote the international community that sees yoga as a healing modality opening the paths for spiritual enrichment.
So, I’ve personally decided to recognize International Yoga Day but not much more than that. While yoga is beautiful and I love celebrating that, it’s important to acknowledge what the day means in every element. Being a Christian practicing yoga means having compassion for all people and acting against oppression by any means available to us. Sometimes it means holding the good, the bad, and the ugly of life's complexities altogether.
Featured image by Erik Brolin via Unsplash.
