by NinaAre you familiar with the term “yoga body?” What does it mean to you? Unfortunately, for many people, this term connotes a young, slender, super-bendy woman posing on the cover of a magazine along with promises that doing certain yoga poses will result in a “fierce and fabulous” body, worthy of a photo shoot. Recently, a book cover by yoga teacher Sadie Nardini seems to capitalize on this concept
On the book cover, an attractive and very slender woman, who is not even doing yoga (really, what is that silly position she’s in?), seems to be promising that in 21 days you’ll have a body that looks like mine!
Of course, if you’re one of our regular readers, you will know that when we talk about the effects of yoga asana on your body, we’re referring to overall physical health, including strength, flexibility, balance, agility, and reduced stress levels, not the way you will look after practicing for 21 or more days or the advanced poses you’ll be able to show off. So in general we just tend to ignore mainstream media’s obsession with physical beauty and the resulting distortion of yoga practice. Recently, however, some discussions in the blogosphere as well as at my own dining room table made me realize it would be worthwhile to raise my concerns about this disturbing trend and to take back the term “yoga body.”
First of all, there has been the “scandal” over Lululemon’s founder and CEO Chip Wilson’s statements blaming women’s physical “flaws” for problems in the company’s yoga pants. Yes, people, in explaining why certain women found these expensive pants were pilling, Wilson said that “quite frankly some women’s bodies just actually don’t work for it,” and “It’s really about the rubbing through the thighs, how much pressure is there over a period of time and how much they use it.” The take-away here was that if your thighs touch when you stand with your feet together, you don’t have the “yoga body” needed to wear certain “yoga pants.” Do I even have to explain how offensive—and completely antithetical to the real purpose of yoga—this is?
Then, I read some inspiring posts by yoga blogger, Roseanne Harvey, an average-sized yoga practitioner, who decided to test the program in Sadie Nardini’s book and document the results by photographing herself in before and after photos. She decided to do the program for two reasons. The first reason was to test the rather ridiculous time frame being promoted. I’ve already written about the issue of being realistic about the time period required for results (see Take Your Time). But it’s very compelling to see the dramatic before and after photos Roseanne took of herself after doing the program. Spoiler alert: she looks basically the same in both photos, possible even a little rounder in the after photo.
But more importantly, Roseanne wanted to take the opportunity to explore the concept of a “yoga body,” asking some of her favorite yoga writers to weigh in on the topic. And she concluded by saying:
“But I’m starting to feel that the “yoga body” is something that needs to be reclaimed (or possibly even claimed; was it ever ours to begin with?). It needs to be reclaimed from Google, reclaimed from marketers, reclaimed from a fragmented culture that has mixed messages and ideas about the human body.”
Yes, Roseanne! I agree wholeheartedly. So this is me joining your movement! And I’d like to add that while most of the discussion around the term “yoga body” focuses on body image and body weight—certainly vital issues in our culture—what about age? What about the gray hair, wrinkles and sagging flesh that come along with the natural aging of the body? My final inspiration for this writing post was seeing this recent photo of BKS Iyengar on the occasion of his 95th birthday.
How about this as the ultimate “yoga body?” Here is a 95-year old man, complete with sagging flesh, white hair, and wrinkled skin, who is still in good physical and mental health, and who is completely comfortable in his skin. In this case, I really do think the picture itself says it all.
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I couldn't have agreed more with you on this topic. Becoming slender in a matter of 3 weeks is utter bullshit. To be honest, I feel the very term/concept of "Yoga" body is a side-effect of aggressive marketing employed by media.
Any person whose system is well functioning, and has a clear, calm and focused mind, is an owner of the so-called "Yoga" body. You don't need a book or time frame to help you claim/re-claim that. Its your mind you need to convince.
Being a Yogi myself, I know this is true. Great post by the way.
Thanks!
Hi Nina, Sadie here.
I read your post, and I felt called to comment. If you had read the book, you would know, as the blogger Roseanne that you quoted came to understand, that the entire book is exactly on the same page as you.
That quote about reclaiming the concept of yoga body or a healthy body you included came after she did the program and realized that I was saying, as I do in the introduction, that "healthy is the new skinny". Roseanne used to view me in much the same light as you, but after doing the program–and actually loving it, she changed her mind.
She understood that my intention is always to draw readers to this beautiful practice of yoga, and then have them begin to revolutionize the way they approach self-confidence, body image, health, immunity, anti-aging, and so much more. It is absolutely for me, not about the superficial form only, however, I do see readers gaining improved confidence,vitality and radiance as they delve into the process of creating a yoga body, which to me is aligned and healthy inside and out, mind, body and spirit.
We cannot have a holistic practice and focus only on the outer, but the outer is an outcome of what we do inside. Ultimately, there is no separation.
This is what my entire book is about, which includes healthy whole foods, inspirations, action steps, and a daily yoga practice.
As for me, I am over 40, and this happens to be my natural body shape. I eat abundantly and do yoga as I can while maintaining a healthy life balance. I look and feel wonderful, for my body's journey through time, something I wish for all women.
In this post, you are calling others to accept people for the way their body is naturally, and with the application of yoga at any age, and yet you seem to be discounting and demeaning mine. I hope that is not your intention.
You say that Roseanne did not seem to lose weight, however, weight loss is not the intention of my books. It is one possible outcome I list (if needed), along with many others. There are even no calorie counts on any of my recipes.
I think if you would read the book and perhaps even do the program, you would get a deeper and more rounded perspective of what I am trying to do here.
I think, as Roseanne, and so many other readers of all various shapes, sizes, and ages came to find, that you and I are talking about the exact same thing: empowerment, acceptance, and increased health on all levels, inside and out…just like you.
All my best,
Sadie
Nina, thank you for bringing body image under the microscope. I think this is an important topic of discussion and I admire Sadie's response. IMO, Sadie is living her truth and sharing her particular gift by writing this book (we all have different gifts!). I'm also guessing she knew it would be met with some criticism – but if you only ever put out into the world that which you are 100% sure everyone will agree with, you severely limit your potential.
On one hand, a very large portion of people who became interested in yoga initially did so because of some outward health/fitness goal. If that were not a 'carrot', so many people would miss out on ever trying the practice of yoga. On the other hand, as has been discussed over and over in various forums, is how our current western "fitness" focused yoga does allow many to miss the depth and breadth of all that is yoga. It is up to each individual and their timing and variety of experiences to decide how and when they will dive deeper. If an individual who has never tried yoga before picks up Sadie's book hoping for a quick fix, she has offered up a taste of her whole health perspective. Hopefully it will spur some deeper reflection and radical self love among her readers.
A personal favorite on the topic of yoga and body image (in case anyone stumbles across this post looking for more) is Christina Sell's book Yoga from the Inside Out: Making Peace with Your Body Through Yoga.
Sadie, kudos to you for personally responding to the post. And to have done so respectfully. Must have taken time to formulate your response. First, I have not personally read your book (congratulations by the way ). The cover and title do appear to suggest that one can, by reading the book, attain the supple, lithe body that the term "yoga body" denotes.
Nina,good you have raised this topic Most of people want to do yogasan for look slim,burn calories & to look fit evenif they are suffering with acidity,stomach related problems,Vertigo,Migraine,motion sickness,high BP,thyroid,back pain is very natural for them & many more.Their So-called fitness they ignore health.I do & teach yoga to improve functions of all systems & evolve myself.I am so happy the way i am getting result i proudly say 100 % health is in ourhand.when you work within without illusion.You must feel ease in your body,"Sthr Suka Asanam.
Wow. Such judgemental negative language on a yoga page. Really? Perhaps you could rewrite that and leave out the highly charged negative comments (silly pose? – to me it looks fun). This is one of the most unyogic articles I've ever read. And it wasn't Sadie who came out looking silly.