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Yoga is not just a series of physical postures or a trendy fitness regime.

As someone with Indian roots, I believe it is a spiritual inheritance, carefully passed down through generations. It is a holistic system that nurtures the body, mind, and soul, deeply connected to India’s rich philosophical, cultural, and spiritual traditions.

A few years ago, I reviewed our family tree with my aunt and cousins in Hyderabad, India and discovered a lineage of yoga practitioners. My great-great-grandfather was a revered Ayurvedic doctor; his wisdom and yoga traditions are a part of my heritage. No wonder these lessons feel so close to home! Yoga isn’t about flexibility or strength; it’s about the strength to witness the self without getting entangled—an unfolding journey toward self-realization and inner peace.

Reclaiming the Whole Practice of Yoga

My journey of rediscovering the roots of yoga was not an easy one. Growing up in the West, I often felt a disconnect from my Indian heritage. Now, I’m watching yoga being reduced to physical postures and marketed as a workout. It took years of immersion between Mysore and Chennai to truly understand the cultural and spiritual foundation of this practice—and its potential to transform lives when taught with reverence.

Yoga’s true essence is far more than what’s shown on social media or offered in many modern studios. When reduced to just āsanas (postures) and prāṇāyāma (breathwork), yoga becomes fragmented—less than five percent of its full scope. Yoga is an ancient system of personal refinement and realization that includes ethical disciplines (yamas and niyamas), mantra, meditation, sensory withdrawal (pratyāhāra), and more. Yet, there are thousands of teachers trained without exposure to these deeper dimensions.

Cleansing Saṁskāras and Vāsanās—The Bridge to Dhyāna

True dhyāna, or meditation, is not just about sitting in stillness. It requires inner work—cleansing the saṁskāras (mental impressions) and vāsanās (subtle tendencies) that shape our actions and reactions. Without addressing these, the mind remains caught in conditioned patterns.

This is why traditional yogic practice begins with inner purification through the yamas and niyamas. Only when these patterns begin to dissolve can the mind settle into stillness, allowing a deeper connection with the self, others, and the cosmos.

From Sacred Practice to Global Industry

Less than a century ago, teaching yoga in India wasn’t seen as a prestigious profession. Most teachers taught for little or no money, often in small, one-to-one settings. Tirumalai Krishnamacharya—considered the grandfather of modern yoga—taught a select group of students at the Mysore Palace in the 1930s. He accepted Indra Devi, a Western student, only at the Maharaja’s request. His teachings focused on healing, balance, and individualized care.

Yoga was never meant to be commercialized. Today, it has become a multi-billion-dollar industry, with over 7,000 schools worldwide offering teacher training programs. As yoga continues to expand, it’s crucial to honor its roots and remember that its true value lies in personal growth and deeper connection—not in consumerism.

Language and Loss in Translation

Much is also lost when we attempt to literally translate Sanskrit, a vibrational and multidimensional language. A common example is Tādāsana—often called “Mountain Pose.” But the word tāda actually refers to a palm tree, not a mountain. Sanskrit words carry layers of meaning, energy, and symbolism that cannot be flattened into English equivalents. Oversimplifying these terms removes their potency and misleads students.

Honoring the Roots: Depth Over Duration

In today’s expanding yoga landscape, the word “authentic” is often used, but not always deeply understood. True authenticity in yoga comes not from how long someone has practiced casually or how often they’ve traveled to India, but from dedicated, lifelong study—often guided by teachers who themselves are deeply immersed in the tradition.

In the traditional Gurukula setting, students would live alongside their teacher, learning through sustained relationship, reflection, and practice. This wasn’t just about acquiring knowledge—it was about transformation. Just as becoming a doctor or therapist requires years of committed education, yoga too calls for time, study, and integration, especially when we are guiding others in their healing and inner work.

To genuinely honor yoga’s roots, we must look to those who continue to carry the tradition—not just those teaching techniques, but those embodying the philosophy, language, and lived wisdom of the practice. This often includes South Asian teachers and scholars who have spent their lives preserving and practicing this sacred system.

Uplifting these voices isn’t about exclusion—it’s about respect. It’s about inviting all of us, wherever we’re from, into a deeper, more integrated experience of yoga.

Bringing Yoga Back to Its Roots

Decolonizing yoga isn’t about exclusion—it’s about inclusion of the full depth of the tradition. That means honoring not just the postures, but the ethical, spiritual, linguistic, and cultural roots that give yoga its soul. It means seeking out teachers and lineages that carry the wisdom forward with care and reverence.

Yoga’s teachings are not fixed in time—they are living, breathing, evolving. And they are generous. They invite us all, regardless of background, into a journey of transformation, self-inquiry, and connection.

When we engage with yoga in its wholeness—with respect, humility, and sincerity—we not only deepen our own practice, we also become part of preserving something sacred for generations to come.

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