Yoga Appreciation vs. Appropriation

"When you have respect for the culture, when you are using the cultural symbols, or the cultural context and you are giving proper reference, you are respecting it, you are quoting it, you are appreciating it, and you are using it as it is meant to be used, it is culturally appropriate."- Yogacharya Dr Ananda Balayogi Bhavanani.

Anyone studying or teaching yoga, please take some time to watch and take note on this video by Yogacharya Dr Ananda Balayogi Bhavanani on the topic of cultural misappropriation and Yoga. As students of yoga, we have a huge responsibility to honor and respect the culture of yoga and its' roots so that we are not making the huge mistake of misappropriating a living culture. We have to make it our duty to always be working towards teaching yoga from a place of respect and appreciation of its culture, rather than picking and choosing what we like and trying to wash India and Sanskrit out of our yoga practice. Lets work together to inform ourselves and fellow yogis on this journey of the difference between appropriation and appreciation, so that we are not insulting anyone on this path. I'm sending you all love and light, and invite you to help guide me on my own journey as well, we need each other to hold ourselves accountable and stand up for what yoga actually is.