Yoga, a traditional Indian practice, has undergone a sea change over the years. In the beginning, yoga was a comprehensive discipline that sought to integrate body, mind, and soul, leading to inner peace and spiritual awakening. But today, yoga has been commercialized to a great extent, with fitness enthusiasts concentrating more on physical postures (asanas) than its philosophical and meditative dimensions. This transformation has made many wonder if contemporary yoga has lost its essence and whether the spiritual underpinning of yoga is being lost in the quest for bodily fitness and popularity.
Classic yoga focused on Pranayama (Breath Control), Dhyana (Meditation), and moral disciplines such as YAMAS and NIYAMAS, all meant to foster overall health, awareness, and harmony with the higher self. Today, though, yoga classes everywhere emphasize physical flexibility, weight loss, and stress reduction, frequently overlooking the spiritual aspect that was originally central to the practice. Although forms like Hatha Yoga, Ashtanga Yoga, and Vinyasa Yoga still involve breath control and awareness, the commercial fitness industry has watered down its original intent. The emergence of hybrid styles such as Power Yoga, Hot Yoga, and Aerial Yoga also reflects how the ancient art is being adapted to suit modern fitness trends, itself significantly watered down from its original purpose.
The commercialization of yoga is becoming a prominent issue. Yoga has evolved into a multi-billion-dollar industry, with pricey retreats, yoga mats with corporate logos, and fashionable athleisure masking the practice’s original purpose. The spiritual teachings of yoga, which in the past took years of commitment and practice, are now commonly reduced to superficial quick-fix wellness regimens that focus on appearance rather than essence. This has caused many classical practitioners to fear that the world is forgetting yoga’s original purpose—a means to self-discovery and enlightenment.
Yet another worrying contributor to the evolution of contemporary yoga is social media and celebrity promotion. Instagram and YouTube are filled with influencers presenting ideal yoga poses, which sometimes create unrealistic expectations. The presentation of yoga as a visually pleasing practice instead of an inward journey lowers its deeper value. Rather than promoting self-acceptance and spiritual awakening, social media yoga tends to promote competition, comparison, and superficial involvement. This is in contradiction with the ancient teaching that requires yoga to be a vehicle for moving beyond ego and attaining inner balance.
There are still attempts to maintain the integrity of yoga despite these issues. Yoga retreats, corporate health initiatives, and online classes that focus heavily on meditation and breathing are closing the gap between traditional and contemporary yoga. Schools of philosophy such as Kundalini Yoga and Iyengar Yoga still maintain the purity of practice by focusing on breathwork, alignment, and awareness. Still, it rests with practitioners to find and absorb yoga in its purest essence, beyond the commodified and watered-down versions.
Eventually, the fate of yoga hinges on the manner in which it is practiced and viewed. Though its commercialized form might be more fitness-oriented, those who are looking for genuine mindfulness and inner peace can still discover the deeper dimensions of yoga through consistent practice and introspection. If society keeps yoga as just a fitness fad, its spiritual richness will become lost in the background. But if people consciously reconnect with the origins of yoga, its real mission—unification of mind, body, and spirit—will keep flourishing, keeping its transformative energy alive for generations to come.
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Author: Shaurya Singh
Founder and Spiritual guide
I have been going to the Yoga classes since 5 years and i also observed that the yoga these days is not something that it used to be. I think authentic yoga has lost it’s essence and now it’s more about wearing expensive outfits to go to yoga classes. Even people who are teaching yoga don’t know what they are doing. People need to experience real yoga.