THE YOGA INDUSTRY

This documentary will discuss the values of the now billion-dollar industry which has become fuelled by the lack of standards and accountability for yoga.

Why make this film?

Yoga is at a place of its evolution that there is a conversation here worth having. The film will talk about the ideals and values of the so-called yoga industry we see today and will question the direction and sanctity of what yoga may become tomorrow. Yoga has been redefined by marketing companies, social media and the fitness industry without any understanding for what gives yoga its definition. The commercialism of yoga has edited away parts of its fundamental elements to become more financially profitable, at the expense yoga's intention and its many limbs. To most of the Western world, we see yoga as beautifully achieved physical postures, six pack abs, executed in lavish apparel, penthouse studios, exotic beaches and instead of gazing inwards, the vanity-driven has adopted yoga to social media platforms.

In our efforts to protect the integrity of yoga, there needs to be a difficult but important discussion about the negative effects of the industry. To bring to the light these issues and create a conversation for what is happening but most importantly to show the alternatives to this mainstream yoga industry. A yoga that still exists offline, one that is not about clothing, latest equipment, Instagram marketing, tutorials or yoga diets. This is about going back to yoga’s roots and open a wider understanding of yoga and its many lineages. We will talk about what the solutions can be and how we can do things better. Consequently, through conversation, we can inspire change for further generations.

Questions we will raise:

What difference do we see in yoga today and what is missing? What is considered good yoga teacher trainings? How can we do things better as a community? Are we succumbed to the yoga evolution train to make a living? Is yoga's evolution something we should embrace?

Some of the topics we will discuss include:

The conveyor belt of teacher training courses

Impacts of social media

Cultural appropriation

The adoption of fitness industries!

#metoo in yoga

and more.......

Film Structure

The film will not only talk about the issues which the industry has created but to also educate. Every body has some sort of knowledge about yoga, but yoga is not what most of the public is seeing. This film will not only be for yoga audiences but for the general public. We will use this film to reintroduce what yoga truly is back into society with an authentic and pure point of view. Through this film we will introduce many practices of yoga, lineages and we will interview a wide range of practitioners worldwide to find answers and solutions to how yoga can re-centre.

- Due to this sensitive topic and journalistic nature of the documentary there are several topics which require a level of discretion.

The Yoga Industry - A Documentary about what yoga has become