Power in Hatha Yoga Communities and Classes:Understanding Exclusion and Creating Space for Diverse Cultures

Abstract

Power is an important dynamic in the Yoga community that influences who has access to the knowledge of Yoga and how that knowledge is shared. To create an ethic of inclusion in Yoga communities, we must consider the many ways in which people experience Hatha Yoga—especially the experiences of individuals who come from cultural backgrounds other than our own. Because it is difficult to see the ways in which cultures—our own and those of others—are seen, experienced, and responded to, it is easy to imagine that the reason that Yoga classes in the United States tend to be homogeneous is based on some inherent natural truth at work. To create space for diverse cultures in Yoga communities, we must recognize that (1) Both teachers and students bring knowledge and culture with them to the relationship, and that (2) Teachers (and institutions) should be held accountable to their perspectives, biases, and opinions about their own and others' cultural backgrounds. To create a diverse community, there must be an understanding of the human-ness of both the teacher and student, and of the inherent relationship that influences the learning process.