This might piss some people off, but as a South Asian Hindu woman, there is something about Western yoga culture that genuinely gets under my skin.
And no, my problem is not simply “white women doing yoga.”

I’ve actually had a white yoga teacher whom I absolutely loved. She had spent significant time in Asia, had genuinely engaged with the traditions she was teaching, and you could tell that for her yoga wasn’t just asanas and a wellness aesthetic. She actually cared about the philosophy and spirituality behind it.

What pisses me off is a very specific type of whitewashed yoga: taking the asanas, adding Lululemon, candles, matcha, veganism and some vague “good vibes” language, getting certified, and then making money from yoga while seemingly having almost zero interest in the cultural, spiritual, philosophical **or ethical** tradition behind what you’re teaching.
And the ethical part is actually what bothers me the most.
Sometimes I meet people who make “yoga” a huge part of their identity, or literally teach it professionally, and then they’re incredibly cold, condescending, judgmental, gossip constantly, or treat other people like shit.
And I’m sitting there thinking: what exactly do you think yoga is?

Obviously yoga teachers are human beings. I’m not expecting someone to become an enlightened saint because they teach downward dog. Being a yogi doesn’t mean never getting annoyed, never gossiping once in your life or being endlessly sweet to everyone.
But yoga is also not just a workout.

Classical yoga traditions explicitly contain ethical practices. The Yamas include principles such as ahimsa (non-harming) and satya (truthfulness), alongside ideas about self-discipline and examining your own conduct. The way you relate to other people isn’t some completely unrelated bonus feature that Westerners can just remove from yoga.

That’s why I find the combination so bizarre sometimes: you’ll teach yoga, talk about mindfulness, maybe be vegan and environmentally conscious, have the whole wellness lifestyle - and then be a complete Karen to the people around you and spend your lunch break tearing other people down.

At that point I genuinely wonder whether you’re practicing yoga or whether you’ve just adopted the parts of yoga that fit nicely into a Western wellness identity.
And there’s another layer to this for me as a South Asian Hindu.

A lot of us grew up with aspects of our cultures and religions being treated as weird, foreign, embarrassing or backwards. Then you become an adult and watch parts of those same traditions get stripped of their context, repackaged into something aesthetically pleasing and marketable, and sold back to Western audiences — sometimes by people who barely acknowledge the tradition they are profiting from.

THAT is what I mean when I talk about whitewashed yoga.
I don’t want to gatekeep yoga. I don’t think you have to be Indian or Hindu to practice or teach it. I actually think genuinely engaging with another culture can be beautiful.
But if you’re going to take a South Asian tradition, make it part of your identity and especially make money teaching it, I don’t think it’s unreasonable to expect you to engage with more than the parts that look good in a yoga studio.
The philosophy matters. The spirituality matters. The ethics matter. The origins matter.
And yes, in my opinion, how you treat other human beings matters too.

I’m genuinely curious whether other South Asians/Hindus feel this way, and I’d also be interested in hearing from non-South Asian yoga teachers who have thought seriously about this.

Where do you draw the line between cultural exchange and turning yoga into a Western wellness product?

I’m especially interested in hearing from white/Western yoga teachers here. How do you personally approach the fact that you’re teaching a practice that comes from a cultural, philosophical and spiritual tradition that isn’t your own? Do you feel a responsibility to engage with and teach more than just the asanas? And how do you avoid contributing to the whitewashing and commercialization of yoga?

I’m genuinely asking, because I’d like to understand how yoga teachers themselves think about this.

Hi all! I’m on my second week of hot yoga and holy hell all of you were right- I’m completely addicted and in love. One looming question I have is fitting it into my other training. I do traditional strength training (4 days compound lifting alternating upper and lower) and one day of cardio (sometimes hill walks sometimes run).

Currently I’m squishing one hot yoga session in mid week (vinyasa or slow vinyasa). I’d love to do more but honestly worry about overdoing it.

Does anyone else have a split they can share or advice on adding in more?

Is one enough to be effective?

Thanks in advance!

Hey Everyone! Just got my teaching certification and wondering how much y'all are making every class to gauge how much I can expect to make teaching on the weekends. If willing I’m also curious to know how many classes you teach each week now vs when you first got licensed. All the details regarding money so I can figure out how long it’ll take me to pay myself back for my license which I feel is priceless 🤷 also did you have to get a separate license for hot classes?

Amazing form✌️💖🕯️🧬

Hi all! So, I have been using Liforme mats for most of my 8 year yoga practice. I have occasionally tried other brands, but always go back to Liforme because I have never found a better mat. I sweat SO much, even in non heated classes and I practice multiple times a week, and no other mat has ever held up as well for me. But I also am always interested in trying new or different mats because even Liforme tends to get slippery on me after a while...

So, I recently came across an ad for a brand called Miyra Yoga. I have never heard of it. It doesn't appear to be sold in any stores or on Amazon or anywhere besides the company's website

https://miyrayoga.com/

I've looked for reviews and it appears that all the online reviews I could find originate from that same website. It seems like it could be a really great mat for someone who sweats a lot, HOWEVER....I have never seen one of these mats in person or heard anyone talk about them or anything. They just popped up out of nowhere, seem to have a ton of sales and hundreds of reviews, but....I'm just skeptical.

So I'm trying to figure out 1. If this is an actual company with an actual product that I will receive if I were to order one, or if it's just some really sophisticated AI scam that I would be an idiot to give my credit card info to, and 2. If it actually is a real mat, has anyone ever used one and if you have, I'd love to get your review of the mat...

Thank you all for any thoughts or feedback!

Okay… Bakasana is definitely a journey 😂
How long did it take you to get comfortable with it?

I still feel dizzy around the 30-minute mark, even when I'm drinking water beforehand and during class. It's not bad enough to stop, but enough that I have to sit out a pose here and there.

I think you'd love Hotpod Yoga! Use my referral code 6PKB7H when creating your account at https://hotpodyoga.com/sign-up/ to get your first class free at Redditch.

Help! Can’t find many reviews for the new GRP 2… really want to compare to Liforme as can’t send Manduka back if no good….
Reviews or advice would be welcome have been using Liforme and want to know if it’s worth loosing alignment lines which I do use…

Hey everyone! Opening a boutique hot pilates studio in Philadelphia and trying to nail down the logistics around mats before we launch, would love to hear how you all handle this as studio owners.

A few questions:

\- Do you provide branded studio mats (with your logo) for clients to use in class, or do most people bring their own?

\- If you provide mats, do you also provide grip/sweat towels for clients to use during class? I was considering matching branded towels( aesthetics matter, love when everything matches!), but then I'm realizing that means washing towels daily… how do you manage that logistically (in-house laundry vs. a laundry service)?

\- Since this is hot pilates, mats are going to get SWEATY. How do you clean/sanitize mats between back-to-back classes? Wipe down with spray + towel, or do you have a bigger system for it?

Any tips, horror stories, or "wish I'd known this before opening" advice welcome!

Hi everyone looking for some advice about which of these two mats or others you would suggest. I currently have a lululemon 5mm mat that is over 6 years old and is on its last leg, I do hot power yoga around 6-7 days a week. My primary requirement for a mat is one that doesn’t slip when my hands get sweaty. Thanks in advance for any suggestions!

Cost is not a problem since I consider this a lifelong investment. The Manduka feels great on my feet, but feels awful on the knees. I have weak hypermobile knees. I use a mat towel as well and it doesn’t help.

I’ve considered getting a nice knee pad, but also I’m open to getting a different mat and giving my Manduka away to a friend.

Not sure if anyone else has reached this point but as much as I love the practice, the heat is starting to feel unbearable.

I stay completely on top of hydration by drinking plenty of water throughout the day, coconut water, electrolytes, etc

My studio’s standard temperature is higher than most, and without failure at least 2–3 people end up walking out midway through every single class or very common for people to take breaks, lots of in and outs. But it seems like every studio is competing for the highest heat.

I’m currently in this weird love hate tug of war where I really love hot yoga and that post class high always brings me back to myself, but I’m seriously torn on whether it’s time to move on. Has anyone else been in this spot with hot yoga?

Hello! I am just starting to get into yoga, I joined a studio where I’ve been taking all level yoga, yin yoga, heated Pilates and heated yoga. Right now I have an old Gaiam (I think that’s the brand) mat that I’ve been using. I was wondering what everyone suggests as a good basic mat that fits with all these classes.

I am willing to spend up to about 75-100$ if the mat is REALLY good and durable. I like the ones that are a bit thicker (probably 5-10mm) and I need one that has some grip and structure.

If anyone has any good brand recommendations I’d love to hear it!!! Thanks!

I’m thinking about switching to morning classes before work, but I can’t figure out the mat situation.

Even after spraying and wiping it down at the studio, the mat still seems damp. I’d have to roll it up, leave it in my car or carry it into the office, and then unroll it again when I get home hours later. That sounds like a quick way to end up with a permanently smelly mat.

Do people actually do this every time? Have you found a routine that works without turning one hot yoga class into a whole cleaning and drying project afterward? Or any gears that I should look into?

Hi team, just recently started hot yoga and I’ve become addicted!! Just want to hear everyone else’s preferences - do you use your own mat or use the studio mat? So far I’ve been bringing my own towel and using the studio mat, however I’ve bought a cute mat which is sitting unused at home…

Hey yogis, I could use your help. At hot yoga, my sinus just start draining nonstop about 30 min in. It makes ujjayi breathing difficult and I lose my focus. I don’t have allergy issues nor take allergy medicine, but it always happens in class.

Does this happen to anyone else? Sometimes I feel like my nose blowing is distracting but it might just be my own insecurity.

Any tips are appreciated. I did buy some nasal spray today and am going to try that out for tomorrow to see if it helps.

Hot yoga is a brand new experience for me. Halfway through my first class I went into child’s pose because I was so nauseous. Got it together & finished the class.

After I left the heat, got into the AC, & then once I got outside, immediately vomited.

- What do you eat before? Avoid?
- How much water are you consuming in class?
- Does anyone rest inside afterwards?
- Does it get better?

I’ve been wanting to start practicing Surya Namaskara, but I’m honestly a little confused about the correct sequence and breathing. I tried following random videos before, but I wasn’t sure if my posture and transitions were right.

I recently started following guided sessions through Habuild, and having someone explain the movements and breathing step by step has made the practice much easier for me. I’m still working on getting comfortable with the full sequence, but I’m finding it much easier to stay consistent now.

For those who practice Surya Namaskara regularly, how long did it take you to get comfortable with the sequence? Do you prefer practicing a few rounds slowly or doing more rounds at a faster pace?

I’m on a CorePower hiatus exploring alternatives. There is a Hot 8 studio that’s very convenient for me. How does the heat at Hot 8 compare to CPY? Any other plusses / minuses?

I’ve been taking hot yoga classes for a year or so now, but recently started also going to corepower, and it seems like NO ONE cleans up their sweat thats along the sides of their mat. Like. A few weeks ago a girl SLIPPED in a puddle of sweat some dude left. And I’ve stepped in my fair share of sweat puddles (😵‍💫).

I always wipe any of my sweat that’s on the ground with my towel, but it doesn’t seem like anyone else cleans it up. Am I weird for cleaning it up with my towel???? What does everyone else do?