Globalization of Yoga. Globalization of Trauma.
Yoga has been crossing cultural boundaries for over a century, since Swami Vivekananda came from India to Chicago for the 1893 Columbian Exposition’s Parliament of the World Religions (Strauss, 2002, p. 231). His presentation of yoga to the western public was the turning point of this ancient system.
With the rise of globalization and the dissolution of central powers of the state towards a free market economy, is it not an ironic metaphor that yoga – meaning union – has flooded the world? However, the complex nature of globalization brings into question the definition of the term. Hoyez (2007) defines it as “not a blend of different cultures previously seen as impermeable, but a new global culture composed of many cultural and social practices that are transformed by globalization” (p. 113). In today’s world, some cultural systems are slowly transforming as they adapt to catastrophic events and long-term conflict. Social and economic systems are often destroyed within these events, paralyzing social development and degrading the social welfare of people. Large scale and long term suffering have become the norm for some societies, the impacts of trauma trickling into cultural systems. Therefore, is there not already a re-orientation of culture within traumatized societies due to the following simplified chain of events: disaster occurs, international humanitarian relief is provided, foreign and local NGO’s established, lengthy restructuring process?
In the article, “Modern Yoga” – a review of eight books exploring the history of yoga in the contemporary world, Chapple (2008) summarizes by stating, the practice “has a long history on the world stage and interest in yoga shows no sign of slowing down…Yoga is well suited for export: it offers a visceral experience, emphasizes movement more than words, and can be interpreted in different ways by different audiences” (p. 76).
Here are some examples of the practice being used in diverse setting as an ally to support recovery from mental health issues due to trauma from genocide…
Online Evidence (1)
What is Project Air?
Called “an idea whose time has finally come,” Project Air is a not-for-profit organization that has implemented a unique program to help allay some of the trauma and mental health issues left in the wake of the 1994 Rwandan Genocide. Focusing on HIV+ women and their children, Project Air uses yoga to help genocide rape survivors manage the devastating effects of catastrophic sexual violence and HIV/AIDS. For the past two years, in collaboration with the medical NGO WE-ACTx, Project Air has reached thousands of HIV+ women and children, prompting the UN to endorse its work—the first time the UN has ever given formal endorsement to a yoga initiative.
Connect to CNN International featuring an interview with founder of Project Air.
Connect to GRITtv: Bodies as Battlefields: Yoga in Rwanda for an interview with founder of Project Air.
Online Evidence (2)
This is an example of the universality of yoga. “As a cultural system, yoga does not present a threat to the integrity of any other cultural system…Yoga is universal” (Key Chapple, 2008, p. 72). This popular online yoga blog shares an article that is not an example of yoga as a tool for traumatized society. It is however an example of yoga crossing strict religious and cultural boundaries.
Underground Israeli Yoga: Once couple’s commitment in an ultra-orthodox community.
The fact that evidence of yoga crossing boundaries of cultural systems is available online is proof of the globalization of this practice. This brings a limitation to this practice method to the foreground - cultural sensitivity and appropriateness - whether yoga may be another top down approach to incorporate into societies that have their own approaches to recovering and healing from trauma. If choosing to incorporate yoga as a practice method and ally to support people through post-traumatic stress, a critical approach that is sensitive and inclusive of community input and needs is necessary. Within both these examples, those who participate are choosing to explore the option provided.
No one is assessing the participants to learn of their signs and symptoms – un-invasive.
There are no criteria that people need to meet in order to participate – inclusive.
People practice as a collective - better suited practice for collective societies.
In order to stretch, move, breath and meditate together, does it need to be called yoga?
Yoga has been crossing cultural boundaries for over a century, since Swami Vivekananda came from India to Chicago for the 1893 Columbian Exposition’s Parliament of the World Religions (Strauss, 2002, p. 231). His presentation of yoga to the western public was the turning point of this ancient system.
With the rise of globalization and the dissolution of central powers of the state towards a free market economy, is it not an ironic metaphor that yoga – meaning union – has flooded the world? However, the complex nature of globalization brings into question the definition of the term. Hoyez (2007) defines it as “not a blend of different cultures previously seen as impermeable, but a new global culture composed of many cultural and social practices that are transformed by globalization” (p. 113). In today’s world, some cultural systems are slowly transforming as they adapt to catastrophic events and long-term conflict. Social and economic systems are often destroyed within these events, paralyzing social development and degrading the social welfare of people. Large scale and long term suffering have become the norm for some societies, the impacts of trauma trickling into cultural systems. Therefore, is there not already a re-orientation of culture within traumatized societies due to the following simplified chain of events: disaster occurs, international humanitarian relief is provided, foreign and local NGO’s established, lengthy restructuring process?
In the article, “Modern Yoga” – a review of eight books exploring the history of yoga in the contemporary world, Chapple (2008) summarizes by stating, the practice “has a long history on the world stage and interest in yoga shows no sign of slowing down…Yoga is well suited for export: it offers a visceral experience, emphasizes movement more than words, and can be interpreted in different ways by different audiences” (p. 76).
Here are some examples of the practice being used in diverse setting as an ally to support recovery from mental health issues due to trauma from genocide…
Online Evidence (1)
What is Project Air?
Called “an idea whose time has finally come,” Project Air is a not-for-profit organization that has implemented a unique program to help allay some of the trauma and mental health issues left in the wake of the 1994 Rwandan Genocide. Focusing on HIV+ women and their children, Project Air uses yoga to help genocide rape survivors manage the devastating effects of catastrophic sexual violence and HIV/AIDS. For the past two years, in collaboration with the medical NGO WE-ACTx, Project Air has reached thousands of HIV+ women and children, prompting the UN to endorse its work—the first time the UN has ever given formal endorsement to a yoga initiative.
Connect to CNN International featuring an interview with founder of Project Air.
Connect to GRITtv: Bodies as Battlefields: Yoga in Rwanda for an interview with founder of Project Air.
Online Evidence (2)
This is an example of the universality of yoga. “As a cultural system, yoga does not present a threat to the integrity of any other cultural system…Yoga is universal” (Key Chapple, 2008, p. 72). This popular online yoga blog shares an article that is not an example of yoga as a tool for traumatized society. It is however an example of yoga crossing strict religious and cultural boundaries.
Underground Israeli Yoga: Once couple’s commitment in an ultra-orthodox community.
The fact that evidence of yoga crossing boundaries of cultural systems is available online is proof of the globalization of this practice. This brings a limitation to this practice method to the foreground - cultural sensitivity and appropriateness - whether yoga may be another top down approach to incorporate into societies that have their own approaches to recovering and healing from trauma. If choosing to incorporate yoga as a practice method and ally to support people through post-traumatic stress, a critical approach that is sensitive and inclusive of community input and needs is necessary. Within both these examples, those who participate are choosing to explore the option provided.
No one is assessing the participants to learn of their signs and symptoms – un-invasive.
There are no criteria that people need to meet in order to participate – inclusive.
People practice as a collective - better suited practice for collective societies.
In order to stretch, move, breath and meditate together, does it need to be called yoga?