Yoga is such an integral part of our world today that its presence is taken for granted. Celebrities endorse it, schools and even shopping centers offer classes. But what is behind its widespread popularity? And does its dominance really stem all the way back to ancient times, as its practitioners claim?
In his extraordinary book, Mark Singleton questions the commonly held views on the nature and origins of asana-based yoga, proposing a radically new way of understanding yoga. He demonstrates that contrary to popular belief, the Indian tradition does not provide evidence for the kind of health- and fitness-oriented yoga practice centered around asanas that dominates the global yoga worldview of the twenty-first century. Singleton claims that the most popular asana-based yoga styles today, such as Ashtanga, Hatha, or Bikram yoga, do not purely originate from ancient Indian yoga tradition: European bodybuilding, early 20th-century women's gymnastics movements, or even nationalist ideologies played significant roles in their development!
Relying on a rich archival documentary material and interviews with the still living members of the legendary generation of Mysore students who made yoga world-famous, Yoga Body meticulously uncovers the history, philosophy, and practical background of modern yoga.
"Singleton's radical, meticulously documented, sensitive analysis makes it perfectly clear that the Indian civilization's real icon, asana-based yoga, is unmistakably a hybrid product of colonial and postcolonial globalization." - Joseph S. Alter, Professor at the University of Pittsburgh