Last updated: June 02 2007

European Yoga Network^™ Campaign | Press / News home

Can the real Yoga please stand up ?

The mass market, commercial appeal of Yoga in TV and video production, publishing and consumer marketing campaigns, often hides a real lack of practical measures to harmonise the businesses funding them with Yoga itself.

The most pressing concern is to exert influence and control over consumers buying patterns, and is supported by unsustainable volumes of advertising and exhibition space.

Irresponsible and misleading marketing activities relating to, or directly featuring Yoga persistently obfuscate some of the most basic principles of Yoga and serve only the needs of commercial enterprises already out of touch with the underlying spiritual message and wisdom of Yoga.

So, we are stuck in the familiar situation of larger, profit-seeking interests looming most prominently within glossy magazines, internet directories, trade shows, and Yoga exhibitions and the like - all of which are generally organised so that the most desirable positions are afforded to advertisers and exhibitors expecting to spend the most money - and before anyone else !

But That's Life - isn't it ?

Any commercial effort to promote Yoga is all very good - but our campaign is about much more than that - it's about preserving the diversity, authenticity, originality and awareness of Yoga itself.

To emphasise the general appeal of Yoga as a relaxing and enjoyable pursuit is really fine - but we really all deserve better than being targeted simply as a Yoga demograph.

Campaigns are usually created to turn hearts and minds towards widespread social acceptance of seductive, yet incongruous lifestyle choices - often seeking to divert consumers away from the real issues (ie. the potential for increased collateral misery of human beings, animals and our environment).

Companies seeking to align themselves with Yoga is good for everyone - but to do this properly will often mean a level of corporate social responsibility beyond the basic commercial desire to satisfy consumer demand.

The take up of Yoga itself tends to propagate an all-inclusive understanding - rather than a discouraging, critical approach but, we are now all being challenged to respond to a blinding mist of commercialism in Yoga - which can make the take up of a healthier and more balanced lifestyle much more difficult for the general public as many worthwhile Yoga educational or charitable concerns are pushed out of the mix.

We think it's now about time for everyone involved with Yoga to make a bit of a stand and safeguard all its forms and traditions.

If we don't, we believe that many of the universal spiritual values of Yoga, (e.g. Ahimsa) will come under increased pressure from:-

Human rights abuses, (e.g. harsh employment practices in unregulated Yoga equipment manufacturing plants)
Use of hazardous chemicals in producing Yoga clothing and equipment, (e.g. pesticides in Cotton)
Raw material crops used for Yoga products that threaten Biodiversity, (e.g. rubber plantations)
Production of high volumes of difficult to manage waste, (e.g. plastics made from petrochemicals)
Lack of awareness in animal welfare issues (e.g. Silk used in apparel and Yoga accessories)

Please sign up now if you share our view and would like to join us in support.

For organisations

We, the undersigned will continue to work to improve within our own areas of influence and control by working closely with the Yoga community.

For individuals

We, the undersigned will actively seek out information from businesses about their efforts to harmonise with the planet and it's people.

Read our Ethical policy
Read Yoga product terms and their meanings

Get the code

You can alter this as much as you like ! - even design a better graphic if you like !

The code for this is here:-

<a title="The real Yoga campaign" href="http://www.yoga-eu.net/campaigns/yogashow.php"><img
height="120" width="207" alt="Real Yoga campaign" src="http://www.yoga-eu.net/images/real_yoga.jpg" /></a>

(The results of this petition may be used as a basis for debate in many general, commercial Yoga and media companies. We will post any written responses / follow-up comments as an update to this article so visitors will be able to decide for themselves what it all might mean for the future of Yoga.)

Petition results

At the moment, there are 19 confirmed records.

Simply Yoga www.simply-yoga.co.uk

Ian Floyd www.agoy.com

Veronica Mitchell www.far-site.co.uk

Ali Glenny www.movingprayer.co.uk

Laura Denham-Jones www.yoga.dj.com

Nadja Severa www.nadjasworld.com

Swami Chelananda www.dovelands.gq.nu

filarepa yoga-sucks.blogspot.com

Lynda Wilson

Liz Woollard

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