Weekly Practice Journals: Theme: Yoga as a Lifestyle & Culture -Yoga has made a transition from "traditional culture" to "counter culture" to "pop culture" here in the West. What have you observed about yoga that firmly establishes it as "pop culture"? What has been the effect on yoga in the West?

Pop culture is defined as: 

1. modern popular culture transmitted via mass media and aimed particularly at younger people. 

   
   

   This is particularly true of yoga because it is all over every form of media, and media is basically all consumed by younger people.  Yoga has become the fad of our generation- the different forms- but most importantly the reason for exercise and "sculpting the perfect body".  The perfect body this minute I believe is defined as a tight, and big butt- which yoga is said to accomplish.  This will match so well with LuluLemon's new Spring line of leggings that contour all of the right places for the small price of $128.  Yoga is seen as a form of rigorous exercise in some studios- therefore practically eliminating older people all together.  It's aimed at women, only young women.  If young men hear that their girl is doing yoga they are thrilled to say the least.  Yoga is all over social media, television commercials, Netflix commercials, magazine covers, retreats- the list is endless.  I don't know if I know a single girl that has not done yoga at least once in their life, and that time has most likely been within the last 3 or 4 years.  

   
   

   Because yoga has become the beacon of pop culture, this of course means it has succumb to the Western effect.  The West turns everything into a capitalists countries dream.  This means that no moment is wasted, even the hour we are in the yoga studio trying to relax and not think about our work day, week, month or year. Yoga has become a workout routine, or regiment if you will.  We are tricked into thinking it's different than the last fad because it is also good for our mental health.  Within class we are praised for our choice of taking time for ourselves, while also getting a good sweat- the perfect bang for buck.