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"We cannot do great things in life; we can only do small things with great love"

- Mother Teresa

Yoga, as it is practiced today in the west, is a very different animal from the purer, more spiritual form that has been the backbone of Indian culture for over 5000 years. Yoga was first introduced into America in the late 19 th century. It made its way into Australia shortly after. During this time the popularity of yoga has been through periods of escalation and decline. However, none of these minor swings of the past can even remotely compare to the dramatic upsurge of interest that has been occurring since the late 1990’s.

A recent survey across the United States suggests that yoga experienced a 95% increase in participation between 1998 – 2002. To put this into context, in the business world we understood that products move in cycles throughout their life. They generally begin with a strong period of growth at the beginning, followed by a slower maturity phase. A period of decline normally follows. At this point some products re-invent themselves and experience new growth while others die out completely. It is extremely rare though for the new growth to be anywhere near as strong as the initial phase.

For a product as old as yoga to be experiencing such dramatic new growth there must be something powerful causing the swell.

In 2006 an Australia wide yoga survey was enlisted with the help of the RMIT University in Melbourne in an effort to ascertain exactly why so many people are now choosing yoga for their health and wellness. They questioned short and long term practitioners firstly about their reasons for starting yoga and then what it was that kept them coming back.

By far the two most popular reasons people give for beginning yoga is health/fitness and flexibility/muscle tone. Seventy percent of people suggest this as their primary reason for commencing practice. Interestingly this figure increased to around 80% as a reason for continuing long term.

It is clear that people are practicing yoga in the west primarily because of what might be described as ‘feel good’ and ‘look good’ health factors. This really shouldn’t come as any surprise considering where many people place their values in western culture. It was around 1999 when celebrities such as Geri Halliwell and Madonna began singing the praises of yoga. In recent years there have been endless celebrity endorsements touting yoga as a wonder tonic for a fit lithe body, glowing skin and weight loss. No doubt this has helped spruik the interest of the wider ‘body beautiful’ community. More importantly, however, this exposure has helped spark a chain reaction in mainstream health areas with many doctors now strongly recommending yoga as part of an overall health management programme.

In addition to the obvious physical health benefits, the nationwide yoga survey also pointed to the positive application of yoga in the mental health area. Fifty seven percent of people surveyed said they began their practice in order to overcome stress. Not surprisingly this figure increased to 76% once people had begun to experience the overall benefits of a regular practice.

Depression itself affects as many as 1 in 5 Australians and alarmingly, the World Health Organisation (WHO) estimates that by 2020 this mental ailment will have become the world’s greatest health issue.

In the language of yoga, mental illness is described as ‘adhi’, a condition beginning in the mental/emotional bodies and gradually filtering down into the physical. As such practices such as yoga nidra, meditation and pranayama that directly activate the relaxation response and help focus restless mental energies are most effective.

What the initial results of this survey suggest is that the yoga so many people are now practicing in the west is vastly different in focus from the more traditional spiritual teachings that were first introduced in the late 1800’s. A number of yoga puritans will argue that yoga has lost its true meaning at the expense of a largely vanity based approach. Others might say that yoga has simply evolved to include a vast new audience.

Whatever the argument, it is clear that if we are to understand the place of yoga in a modern world we must expand our vision to include a wider spectrum of possible applications. Yoga certainly has a wonderful place for anyone taking up its delightful offerings and modern practice should never be maligned because it doesn’t fit someone’s spiritual ideology.

Indeed, it is very often the case that a consistent yoga practice will inspire many people toward a deeper and more subtle understanding of themselves. They begin to ask more questions and seek out the people who can provide answers. Certainly, a world full of increasingly self aware individuals can’t be all bad.

This point is perfectly supported by the findings of the yoga survey where only eighteen percent of people suggested that their reasons for commencing yoga were spiritual. However, not surprisingly, this figure more than doubled to forty percent of those who had been practicing regularly over some time.

Just as the seasons bring new phases of growth to a magnificent oak tree, so too people tend to progress in life through various stages of development. Yoga has a unique way of finding its mark precisely where it is most needed. Clearly, the busyness and stress of the western world is screaming out for some balance. In virtually all cases, yoga delivers.

Gradually, for those with an attentive ear, open mind and increasingly subtle awareness, yoga offers up a wealth of inner riches beyond anything imaginable.

Will there be an end to this amazing resurgence of interest? Well of course. Even the Buddha was wise enough to predict the inevitable end of his remarkable teachings. But for now we can all enjoy this new sparkling wave that rises with a promise to bring fresh vitality, contentment and peace to a world and its people, more in need than ever.