Cultural appropriation is taking a traditional practice from a marginalized group, stripping it of it's origins and meaning to benefit the dominant group. This has and continues to happen to yoga in western civilization as it has become commercialized and commodified and largely stripped away from it's origins.
Yoga practices have origins in South Asia and East Africa that date back thousands of years. Many of these practices and it's practicioners have been subject to oppression and colonization.
At Sunflower Yoga, we aim for appreciation over appropriation and honor this practice and it's origins with humility and gratitude. We study yoga as an eight-limbed spiritual path, centering the eight-limbs as our guide for how to practice in a way that is inclusive versus exclusive. This is an on-going practice where we stay in the inquiry of how to do better.