Jivamukti Yoga founders, David Life and Sharon Gannon: clothing optional, except when in yoga class?

Apparently Jivamukti Yoga studios in New York City have created a new rule for clothing requirements in yoga classes. According to Well+Good, “Our yogi source said the new rule stated that “people must wear tops in class and that see-through or overly revealing clothing was discouraged.”’

Oh yeah? Interesting that this should happen just weeks after a huge “scandal” about nude yoga advertising swept through the online yoga community. North American yoga practitioners are receiving increasingly mixed messages about the practice. And this is a huge and glaring example of the incongruency.

To add to the confusion, Jivamukti founders Sharon Gannon and David Life have often been photographed close to nude (but reportedly dress modestly when teaching classes). Hmm…

Advertising works. It does more than increase brand awareness and sell products. It also infiltrates our actions and behaviour. If images of half/fully naked bodies are normalized (and, we’re told, are “inspiring” and worth aspiring to), we’ll start seeing more skin in yoga classes. It’s that simple. When leaders in the community pose with minimal clothing, students follow.

Take it a little further, and we run the risk of creating practice spaces that aren’t safe or inclusive. It’s fine line.

Koga: the best of both worlds

In an article for The Guardian last week, Katrina vanden Heuvel, editor/publisher of The Nation, confessed that she is giving up yoga for kickboxing. She wrote:

Now, I have nothing against yoga, but in light of the threat to our country posed by decidedly hawkish GOP wannabes, I find – at least for my purposes as publisher and editor of the Nation – yoga’s emphasis on serenity and pacifism to be frustrating at best, impractical at worst. It’s not that there’s anything objectionable about the Bhagavad Gita and the Yoga Sutras; like many ancient spiritual texts, they are eminently wise and reasonable…

Quite simply, yoga doesn’t play in politics, which, for Republicans in this day and age, is all about winning, taking and imposing one’s will upon others.

Now, more than ever, Americans need to stand up, to fight for what is rightfully ours; we cannot dispassionately let the right impose its will upon us merely because we believe we’re closer to spiritual enlightenment than they are. (via The Guardian)

Serenity and pacifism? She obviously hasn’t spent any time in the yoga blogosphere! Frustrating and impractical? Okay, yeah, I get that – a quick glance at mainstream yoga culture reveals lithe spandex-clad (or naked) bodies, blissed out smiles and sugar-coated feel good language. Continue Reading

It’s possible to be strong, sexy and empowered – while fully clothed. (screengrab of Kripalu ad, via poppyonakite.com)

It’s only the third week of January and already we’ve seen two big raging conversations go down in the yoga world: the NYT article (which has come to affectionately be known as “NYT yoga wreck-gate”) and a certain viral Equinox ad. I’ve resisted commenting on the later because I find it disheartening. And repetitive.

I’m starting to think that the best policy is to let my silence speak louder than my words. And more importantly, to not drive any more clicks to the video, to not keep talking about it because this is what the brand wants (this is the intention behind the video: not to show a “powerful” or “empowered” or “beautiful” practice; it’s viral marketing, and its ROI – return on investment – is determined by how many people are talking about it, how many click-throughs they get).

The scenario goes something like this:

• brand creates attractive and stylish ad using partially-clothed (or totally naked), highly-skilled female practitioner in advanced yoga postures
• a flurry of blog posts ensue, followed by raging discussion which breaks down into several camps: art vs beauty vs commercialism vs objectification of women
• the argument dissolves into attacks on the partially-clothed (or totally naked), highly-skilled female practitioner, and defenses of her beauty and dedication to practice
• partially-clothed (or totally naked), highly-skilled female practitioner claims she feels “judged,” feels the need to justify her decision and explain her intention (preferably in vague new agey language) to pose nude for said advertisement

Marketers see increased click-throughs and improved brand recognition. Continue Reading

One of the controversial ads from Donna Karan's Spring 2012 campaign (image via nymag.com)

Yogi-fashionista Donna Karan is well-known for being a vocal supporter of post-earthquake Haiti, and her foundation, Urban Zen, has dedicated much of its energy to raising funds to rebuild the country. However, the ad campaign for her Spring 2012 collection has been criticized as being “insensitive.” According to New York Magazine:

…some folks have taken issue with the campaign, and the aforementioned image in particular [above], since it portrays Haitian people hidden in the background while [Brazilian model, Adriana] Lima reclines seductively in her expensive clothes. A Huffington Post commenter complains, ”Using the downtrodden as props for high-fashion shoots smacks of completely insensitive imperialistic attitudes.” Others have simply pointed out that the contrast between Haiti’s extreme poverty and Karan’s expensive, high-fashion clothing is inappropriate. Continue Reading