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Embrace Yoga's Roots: Courageous Ways to Deepen Your Yoga Practice
Embrace Yoga's Roots is for you if you practice, teach or want to learn yoga and integrate your values whiles respecting ancient yoga philosophy.
The Embrace Yoga Roots Framework shares four keys steps to deepen your yoga practice, increase empathy and create unity both personally and with the world:
Separation: How colonization, cultural appropriation, and oppression results in trauma for yogis and separation from yoga traditions.
Reflection: Understanding the causes of separation and our individual roles either supporting separation (knowingly or not) versus creating unity and equity in yoga.
Reconnection: Exploring specific and concrete skills and solutions for living and practicing yoga as unity.
Liberation: Integrate a more honorable and ethical practice in your life supporting personal growth by following the ancient teachings.
Lead the global movement now by honoring and embracing ancient philosophies, practices and lifestyles supporting a unified yogic state.
The Embrace Yoga Roots Framework shares four keys steps to deepen your yoga practice, increase empathy and create unity both personally and with the world:
Separation: How colonization, cultural appropriation, and oppression results in trauma for yogis and separation from yoga traditions.
Reflection: Understanding the causes of separation and our individual roles either supporting separation (knowingly or not) versus creating unity and equity in yoga.
Reconnection: Exploring specific and concrete skills and solutions for living and practicing yoga as unity.
Liberation: Integrate a more honorable and ethical practice in your life supporting personal growth by following the ancient teachings.
Lead the global movement now by honoring and embracing ancient philosophies, practices and lifestyles supporting a unified yogic state.
287 pages, Kindle Edition
Published October 27, 2020
About the author
Susanna Barkataki
4 books73 followersSusanna Barkataki is a yoga diversity and unity educator and the founder of Ignite Yoga and Wellness Institute. Her identity as a refugee to the U.S. fleeing violence as a mixed Indian and British Desi, fuels her passion for bridging cultural connections with yoga.
She believes in a world where yoga and mindfulness support us in dissolving the illusion of separation to create unity and interconnection. This is unity that doesn’t erase difference, but invites connection with the broken or shameful parts of ourselves, with those we think of as other, and harmonizes relationships with culture, land, earth and all life.
Her work explores how we can decolonize, reclaim and honor our yoga practice for healing personally and socially.
Susanna has an Honors degree in Philosophy from UC Berkeley, a Masters in Education from Cambridge College, is an E-RYT 500 hour Master Teacher, a 500-Hour Certified Ayurvedic practitioner and a Certified Yoga Therapist with the International Association of Yoga Therapists (C-IAYT).
She created the ground-breaking Honor {Don’t Appropriate} Yoga Summit with more than 12,000 participants. She is the Creator of Embrace Yoga’s Roots online course, is a diversity, accessibility, inclusivity, and equity (DAIE) yoga unity educator and runs 200 and 500 Hour Yoga Teacher Training programs in person and online.
An inspiring educator who makes yogic wisdom easy to apply in everyday life, Susanna consults, speaks, teaches and runs trainings on yoga philosophy, culture, history, yoga leadership, social justice and cultural change, curriculum, diversity and inclusion with colleges, schools, businesses and non-profit organizations.
She is honored to call Shankarji, Thich Nhat Hanh, Satish Kumar, Vandana Shiva and her own family her root teachers along with other masters who she studied with in India and the United States in the Hatha Yoga tradition.
Programs:
Ignite Be Well
She believes in a world where yoga and mindfulness support us in dissolving the illusion of separation to create unity and interconnection. This is unity that doesn’t erase difference, but invites connection with the broken or shameful parts of ourselves, with those we think of as other, and harmonizes relationships with culture, land, earth and all life.
Her work explores how we can decolonize, reclaim and honor our yoga practice for healing personally and socially.
Susanna has an Honors degree in Philosophy from UC Berkeley, a Masters in Education from Cambridge College, is an E-RYT 500 hour Master Teacher, a 500-Hour Certified Ayurvedic practitioner and a Certified Yoga Therapist with the International Association of Yoga Therapists (C-IAYT).
She created the ground-breaking Honor {Don’t Appropriate} Yoga Summit with more than 12,000 participants. She is the Creator of Embrace Yoga’s Roots online course, is a diversity, accessibility, inclusivity, and equity (DAIE) yoga unity educator and runs 200 and 500 Hour Yoga Teacher Training programs in person and online.
An inspiring educator who makes yogic wisdom easy to apply in everyday life, Susanna consults, speaks, teaches and runs trainings on yoga philosophy, culture, history, yoga leadership, social justice and cultural change, curriculum, diversity and inclusion with colleges, schools, businesses and non-profit organizations.
She is honored to call Shankarji, Thich Nhat Hanh, Satish Kumar, Vandana Shiva and her own family her root teachers along with other masters who she studied with in India and the United States in the Hatha Yoga tradition.
Programs:
Ignite Be Well
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January 26, 2022This honestly felt really hard for me to read. I don’t write reviews that often but I feel like I need to process this one.
The emphasis on yoga as a tool for social justice and language around appropriation and colonization was really confusing for me to read with little to no conversation about caste, because from what I’ve learned from caste oppressed people (and esp from the book Why I Am Not a Hindu by Kancha Ilaiah Shepherd), yoga itself is an appropriation of Adivasi/Indigenous and caste-oppressed practices and cultures that have been co-opted by Brahmins and other upper caste people in India. And then that appropriated iteration of yoga has been re-appropriated by people in the west. Not centering/emphasizing this truth, especially when talking about yoga’s roots, feels confusing to me.
All of the homogenizing of “brown,” “South Asian,” and “Indigenous” didn’t feel good for me either, as a caste and class privileged South Asian who is trying to locate myself within that to understand how/where to move in alignment with my values. Reading about Gandhi as an example of ahimsa/non-violence and India’s independence movement without a lot of nuance felt weird and describing integrating Sanskrit into practice as a tool for acknowledging roots and “decolonizing” when the language has historically been exclusively for the use of Brahmins and upper-caste people…I feel confused? And a lot of this is tied up in my own icky/traumatic connotations with yogic scriptures and my upbringing, so I wanna name that.
I am also in Susanna’s 200-hr yoga teacher training online right now so I hope to explore these questions/thoughts further with her and with the others in my cohort. I am not trying to be critical for the sake of being critical, I genuinely feel confused/weird about all of this and want to dig deeper as a South Asian person in the midwest trying to bring a practice that i have benefitted from to my friends+community here in a way that is rooted and in alignment with my values.
The emphasis on yoga as a tool for social justice and language around appropriation and colonization was really confusing for me to read with little to no conversation about caste, because from what I’ve learned from caste oppressed people (and esp from the book Why I Am Not a Hindu by Kancha Ilaiah Shepherd), yoga itself is an appropriation of Adivasi/Indigenous and caste-oppressed practices and cultures that have been co-opted by Brahmins and other upper caste people in India. And then that appropriated iteration of yoga has been re-appropriated by people in the west. Not centering/emphasizing this truth, especially when talking about yoga’s roots, feels confusing to me.
All of the homogenizing of “brown,” “South Asian,” and “Indigenous” didn’t feel good for me either, as a caste and class privileged South Asian who is trying to locate myself within that to understand how/where to move in alignment with my values. Reading about Gandhi as an example of ahimsa/non-violence and India’s independence movement without a lot of nuance felt weird and describing integrating Sanskrit into practice as a tool for acknowledging roots and “decolonizing” when the language has historically been exclusively for the use of Brahmins and upper-caste people…I feel confused? And a lot of this is tied up in my own icky/traumatic connotations with yogic scriptures and my upbringing, so I wanna name that.
I am also in Susanna’s 200-hr yoga teacher training online right now so I hope to explore these questions/thoughts further with her and with the others in my cohort. I am not trying to be critical for the sake of being critical, I genuinely feel confused/weird about all of this and want to dig deeper as a South Asian person in the midwest trying to bring a practice that i have benefitted from to my friends+community here in a way that is rooted and in alignment with my values.
January 13, 2021
I found my way to this book from listening to Yoga Girl’s podcast and interview with Susanna Barkataki. Her words and perspective are so important and so necessary, however I found the writing in this book very distracting from the actual message. There were several typos, with one page noting 166 yoga sutras and another paragraph on the same page noting 165. In order to give yoga’s history the respect it deserves, don’t you think we should get the facts straight?
There were very brief mentions of colonialism’s impact on yoga in India, which I would have loved some more information on. Those facts seem so essential to the story of cultural appropriation, but time and space given to that topic was negligible. On the other hand, the first forty pages were highly repetitive, talking about what the book was going to talk about, rather than just...talking about it. There were also call out quotes from Susanna herself at the start of several chapters, which felt a little odd to me. Why is she quoting herself, instead of spotlighting other voices that need to be heard too?
All in all, still a worthwhile read, but could have really benefited from some proper editing to avoid all the typos and repetition.
There were very brief mentions of colonialism’s impact on yoga in India, which I would have loved some more information on. Those facts seem so essential to the story of cultural appropriation, but time and space given to that topic was negligible. On the other hand, the first forty pages were highly repetitive, talking about what the book was going to talk about, rather than just...talking about it. There were also call out quotes from Susanna herself at the start of several chapters, which felt a little odd to me. Why is she quoting herself, instead of spotlighting other voices that need to be heard too?
All in all, still a worthwhile read, but could have really benefited from some proper editing to avoid all the typos and repetition.
August 25, 2023
The lens of this review: I'm a white, female, middle-class, American, (part-time) yoga instructor (among other things) who is about to quit teaching yoga because I'm struggling with the issues described in this book. I need to study and learn more...hence reading this book.
Message: 5 stars!
Social justice issues in the western yoga world run rampant, and Barkataki is truly at the front lines of not only bringing the problem to the forefront but continually offering solutions. I appreciate this so much!
Author's knowledge: 5 stars!
I love reading yoga philosophy and teachings from a. someone of Indian descent, and b. a woman (especially since men have long dominated--and abused--this sphere.) Barkataki's knowledge and position as an expert is clear.
Book set-up: 2.5 stars
First, I think get where Barkataki was coming from with the set-up, but it was a bit overkill. The different sections and sub-sections, numbering and titling, made it hard to follow sometimes. Second, I agree with other reviews that the book needed better editing. There were some typos and structural oddities that could've been avoided, such as.... Third, there were way too many one-sentence lines in the book. This made it a bit choppy and would have been better in the context of a paragraph. (Though maybe she was using excerpts from articles she wrote? In an article, it seems more appropriate.) Lastly, I didn't like that the book didn't use the Oxford comma. It made me have to reread more than I wanted to make sure I understood what was being said.
Overall:
This book should be required reading for every YTT out there. For those who have already certified, it should be required reading by every yoga teacher and studio owner. Despite some of the drawbacks, I still highly recommend it.
Message: 5 stars!
Social justice issues in the western yoga world run rampant, and Barkataki is truly at the front lines of not only bringing the problem to the forefront but continually offering solutions. I appreciate this so much!
Author's knowledge: 5 stars!
I love reading yoga philosophy and teachings from a. someone of Indian descent, and b. a woman (especially since men have long dominated--and abused--this sphere.) Barkataki's knowledge and position as an expert is clear.
Book set-up: 2.5 stars
First, I think get where Barkataki was coming from with the set-up, but it was a bit overkill. The different sections and sub-sections, numbering and titling, made it hard to follow sometimes. Second, I agree with other reviews that the book needed better editing. There were some typos and structural oddities that could've been avoided, such as.... Third, there were way too many one-sentence lines in the book. This made it a bit choppy and would have been better in the context of a paragraph. (Though maybe she was using excerpts from articles she wrote? In an article, it seems more appropriate.) Lastly, I didn't like that the book didn't use the Oxford comma. It made me have to reread more than I wanted to make sure I understood what was being said.
Overall:
This book should be required reading for every YTT out there. For those who have already certified, it should be required reading by every yoga teacher and studio owner. Despite some of the drawbacks, I still highly recommend it.
February 26, 2024
* Not really about the roots of yoga at all. Very little. Like 10 undeveloped pages. It would more accurately be titled (and I say this not pejoratively) “how to make your yoga practice more woke”
* I agree that most yoga is cultural appropriation and this is harmful. The modern hyper-capitalistic incarnation centers white bodies, focuses on physical perfectionism (see Jia Tolentino’s great essay “always be optimizing”), ignores the context/origins of yoga
* I need to start paying attention more to the publishing company of books to read. This one is called “Ignite Yoga and Wellness Institute” — I wanted a somewhat more academic book about the roots of yoga. This is not it.
* The author comes off as self-important. I don’t feel anyone should use the phrase “the community that I built” - it doesn’t even make sense. One person can’t build a community; and even if you could you shouldn’t say it like that. But she does
* Some parts are basically a parody of itself. Just like you’d do a land acknowledgement, you should do a spiritual lineage acknowledgement before each yoga practice!! lol wtf good could that do? Obvi it’s important to know where this stuff comes from but this is ridiculous. I imagine a musician who lists off all her influences before playing each song. Of course it’s appropriate to show respect for the people who came before but you shouldn’t try to require or shame people to do this
* BIPOC really has nothing to do with the origins of yoga, right? It’s just people from what is now India. Were black people involved? Koreans? Cherokee or Navajo? I’m in Shanghai and these rich-ass Han Chinese women treat yoga very similarly to how the upper white crust of California thinks of it. (Again, see Jia Tolentino)
* The part where she starts to talk about the 8 parts of yoga — most people only focus on the asanas, poses as physical exercise but that’s just one part — she doesn’t even explain all of them. She has a couple pages on the Yamas and Niyamas and that’s it. Brief mentions of the others. This is not a resource to embrace yogas roots; it’s a reaction against white people yoga , which is fair and much needed. But doesn’t really respect the reader or the tradition enough to actually teach me more about how to embrace the roots of yoga.
* This might just be me but sometimes her ideology feels somewhat conservative. She talks about diversity and inclusion but a lot of it feels like that land belongs to those people, this culture belongs to these people. We have to preserve the original aspects of the tradition. I want to draw another parallel to jazz music. Jazz is a gift to the world. It’s important to know the circumstances it came from. A lot of brutal oppression, racism, colonialism, chattel slavery, some of the worst shit ever. But jazz shined through. Should modern jazz clubs in Brussels talk about this every fucking night? Should modern jazz musicians feel restricted based on the way jazz was originally played. Don’t put jazz in a museum. Twist it change it adapt it bop it keep it alive. Yogas not entirely the same but still.
* She has a store on her website with t-shirts that say “yoga is not something you do - it’s something you ARE” and there’s a hot thin black girl on the storefront. She’s not white so it’s okay
* It just all feels like posturing, virtue signaling and someone trying to leverage her identity to make more money and further her career. Is she a good yoga teacher? Idk. She’s like a freelance DEI consultant to make your yoga practice more woke. I’ll go back and read Iyengar’s books Light on Yoga and his book on Pranayama and should read Patanjali
* I agree that most yoga is cultural appropriation and this is harmful. The modern hyper-capitalistic incarnation centers white bodies, focuses on physical perfectionism (see Jia Tolentino’s great essay “always be optimizing”), ignores the context/origins of yoga
* I need to start paying attention more to the publishing company of books to read. This one is called “Ignite Yoga and Wellness Institute” — I wanted a somewhat more academic book about the roots of yoga. This is not it.
* The author comes off as self-important. I don’t feel anyone should use the phrase “the community that I built” - it doesn’t even make sense. One person can’t build a community; and even if you could you shouldn’t say it like that. But she does
* Some parts are basically a parody of itself. Just like you’d do a land acknowledgement, you should do a spiritual lineage acknowledgement before each yoga practice!! lol wtf good could that do? Obvi it’s important to know where this stuff comes from but this is ridiculous. I imagine a musician who lists off all her influences before playing each song. Of course it’s appropriate to show respect for the people who came before but you shouldn’t try to require or shame people to do this
* BIPOC really has nothing to do with the origins of yoga, right? It’s just people from what is now India. Were black people involved? Koreans? Cherokee or Navajo? I’m in Shanghai and these rich-ass Han Chinese women treat yoga very similarly to how the upper white crust of California thinks of it. (Again, see Jia Tolentino)
* The part where she starts to talk about the 8 parts of yoga — most people only focus on the asanas, poses as physical exercise but that’s just one part — she doesn’t even explain all of them. She has a couple pages on the Yamas and Niyamas and that’s it. Brief mentions of the others. This is not a resource to embrace yogas roots; it’s a reaction against white people yoga , which is fair and much needed. But doesn’t really respect the reader or the tradition enough to actually teach me more about how to embrace the roots of yoga.
* This might just be me but sometimes her ideology feels somewhat conservative. She talks about diversity and inclusion but a lot of it feels like that land belongs to those people, this culture belongs to these people. We have to preserve the original aspects of the tradition. I want to draw another parallel to jazz music. Jazz is a gift to the world. It’s important to know the circumstances it came from. A lot of brutal oppression, racism, colonialism, chattel slavery, some of the worst shit ever. But jazz shined through. Should modern jazz clubs in Brussels talk about this every fucking night? Should modern jazz musicians feel restricted based on the way jazz was originally played. Don’t put jazz in a museum. Twist it change it adapt it bop it keep it alive. Yogas not entirely the same but still.
* She has a store on her website with t-shirts that say “yoga is not something you do - it’s something you ARE” and there’s a hot thin black girl on the storefront. She’s not white so it’s okay
* It just all feels like posturing, virtue signaling and someone trying to leverage her identity to make more money and further her career. Is she a good yoga teacher? Idk. She’s like a freelance DEI consultant to make your yoga practice more woke. I’ll go back and read Iyengar’s books Light on Yoga and his book on Pranayama and should read Patanjali
March 16, 2023
The core of this book has a lot of good and valid points and it opened my eyes about being more respectful and inclusive as a yoga teacher.
I think this book could have used a lot of editing though ie: the author quoting herself, misquoting sutras and including links saying for more info go here instead of just including some of it in the book. I felt like the tone of the book felt a bit like a rant or lecture instead of presenting the facts from all sides and sometimes it felt like she was opposing herself. It also often seemed like what others do is lose lose ie: her saying to be respectful about pronouncing Sanskrit but asking someone of colour how to respectfully say it is also harmful. I think the author could have gone into a lot more detail instead of glossing over many topics ie. colonization, or solutions to many of the issues she addresses instead of just labeling the issues, so it kind of felt like a draft rather than a fully developed book to me.
I did take away a lot about appropriation and creating a more respectful class dynamic and am grateful for the insight though. There are some things I felt were harmless I was including in my classes, not realizing the effect it had and I was glad I could be enlightened ie. Namaste being a greeting generally at the start of class and not the end. I think the more informed and respectful teachers can be, the better. And I appreciated all the information I could get in terms of not appropriating Yoga in my class settings and what could be considered harmful. Overall worth the read just needs some structural tweaks in my opinion and to go into much more depth instead of glossing over these deep, impactful topics.
I think this book could have used a lot of editing though ie: the author quoting herself, misquoting sutras and including links saying for more info go here instead of just including some of it in the book. I felt like the tone of the book felt a bit like a rant or lecture instead of presenting the facts from all sides and sometimes it felt like she was opposing herself. It also often seemed like what others do is lose lose ie: her saying to be respectful about pronouncing Sanskrit but asking someone of colour how to respectfully say it is also harmful. I think the author could have gone into a lot more detail instead of glossing over many topics ie. colonization, or solutions to many of the issues she addresses instead of just labeling the issues, so it kind of felt like a draft rather than a fully developed book to me.
I did take away a lot about appropriation and creating a more respectful class dynamic and am grateful for the insight though. There are some things I felt were harmless I was including in my classes, not realizing the effect it had and I was glad I could be enlightened ie. Namaste being a greeting generally at the start of class and not the end. I think the more informed and respectful teachers can be, the better. And I appreciated all the information I could get in terms of not appropriating Yoga in my class settings and what could be considered harmful. Overall worth the read just needs some structural tweaks in my opinion and to go into much more depth instead of glossing over these deep, impactful topics.
November 10, 2020
If you have a yoga bookshelf, take a peek. Are most of the authors white? Have you ever asked yourself why, since yoga originated thousands of years ago in India? Hint: colonialism and white supremacist culture giving white voices more authority. If you've had this noticing, perhaps Susanna's is the first Desi author you can add to that shelf. Once you've read _Embrace Yoga's Roots_, she won't be the last. This invitation to explore the effects of colonialism in western yoga teaching and spaces, the erasure and marginalization of the people who created yoga in the first place, and the work to continue to expand equity and justice in our yoga. So open the book to be challenged and to deepen your yoga or find comfort in a yoga that finally recognizes you.
February 17, 2021
Super helpful book on decolonizing yoga & snatching it away from the white-washed practice it has become in the west. At its heart, yoga is a *spiritual* practice created by Black & brown people & it can fuel our justice work. It must. That’s what it is.
There were some concepts in here that I really felt pretty well-versed in when it comes to justice work. Those parts weren’t revolutionary for me. But mostly it was just refreshing to hear from a brown person what it’s like to be left out of spaces that your people created. Moreover, I liked hearing over & over again that yoga is about more than just poses - it is also ethics, philosophy, action. And these are things that need to be reclaimed - but not without giving homage to the culture and people who created it.
There were some concepts in here that I really felt pretty well-versed in when it comes to justice work. Those parts weren’t revolutionary for me. But mostly it was just refreshing to hear from a brown person what it’s like to be left out of spaces that your people created. Moreover, I liked hearing over & over again that yoga is about more than just poses - it is also ethics, philosophy, action. And these are things that need to be reclaimed - but not without giving homage to the culture and people who created it.
July 15, 2021
This book is really great at giving practical steps on how to honor and embrace yoga's South Asian roots. There are clear steps to take, clear habits or actions to avoid. I appreciate the examples provided that I've seen time and time again at yoga studios. I appreciate the call out to yoga studios and yoga influencers to be the uplifters, using your power and privilege to change the status quo.
I agree with most of the content in the book. There are some points in the yoga philosophy that I don't necessarily agree with, that my interpretation and understanding differ. And that's okay. That's the process. That's the purpose of the sadhana, to have my own deep understanding of yoga. Because yoga is personal, it is a way of life. Yoga doesn't look the same for everyone. And it shouldn't.
I agree with most of the content in the book. There are some points in the yoga philosophy that I don't necessarily agree with, that my interpretation and understanding differ. And that's okay. That's the process. That's the purpose of the sadhana, to have my own deep understanding of yoga. Because yoga is personal, it is a way of life. Yoga doesn't look the same for everyone. And it shouldn't.
March 9, 2021
Super racist.
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June 14, 2021A deep and heartfelt exploration of what is gained when yoga's cultural and historic roots are fully embraced and recognized vs. the harm and separation created through erasure and cultural appropriation. Barkataki explores the impacts of colonialism, cultural exploitation and appropriation, capitalism, and white supremacy on modern day Western yoga practices. Rather than provide a comprehensive list of rules or practices to avoid (which is impossible), she looks to yoga itself to provide clarifying questions to help teachers and studios navigate the grayer areas of appreciation vs. appropriation. She also covers being an ally vs. an accomplice. This book should be required reading in yoga teacher trainings.
July 31, 2023
Important topic and an excellent introduction - would be great as a jumping off point in an ongoing discussion group or YTT... But as a book by itself could benefit from sharing more information & detail, getting into any sort of depth on the topic, and careful analyzation of concepts it introduces, instead of repeating basics & asking super general questions without any further unpacking.
March 1, 2023
I'm sorry, I cannot recommend a book that centers Mahatma Gandhi. If I'm supposed to 'do the work' of interrogating every aspect of my practice, it's not too much to expect the author to 'do the same damn work' on the people SHE is choosing to praise and center.
She also promotes stereotypes of Native Americans, again, without 'doing the work'. She promotes them as a stereotype of the Noble Savage, which is problematic as it erases the humanity and historical reality of Indigenous peoples, but also positions them only as victims of colonialism, hiding the fact that many First Nations happily participated in the exploitation of Black labor in slavery as well.
There is nothing about yoga's roots, and a lot of boilerplate DEI stuff. If you've read you DiAngelo, Kendi and Crenshaw, there is literally nothing new here.
She makes it sound like white people kidnapped yoga from India...there's curiously no mention of Indra Devi and other leaders who literally brought yoga to the west (these leaders understood that they would need to introduce yoga primarily through asana, because of Western physical culture movements). Yoga has become contaminated by that Western physical culture (sun salutations are just burpees, basically, and none of the acrobatic poses like Scorpion appear in any of the original Pradipika or other texts), for sure, and I would have LOOOOVED to have learned more about how to 'decolonize' THAT aspect of yoga, but Barkataki literally never mentions any of that. Almost like she wrote a whole book about yoga's roots...without knowing yoga's roots?
So a brown woman is richer because thousands of dumb white women have bought her problematic book. And I'm one of them.
I wish this was the book I'd hoped it was.
She also promotes stereotypes of Native Americans, again, without 'doing the work'. She promotes them as a stereotype of the Noble Savage, which is problematic as it erases the humanity and historical reality of Indigenous peoples, but also positions them only as victims of colonialism, hiding the fact that many First Nations happily participated in the exploitation of Black labor in slavery as well.
There is nothing about yoga's roots, and a lot of boilerplate DEI stuff. If you've read you DiAngelo, Kendi and Crenshaw, there is literally nothing new here.
She makes it sound like white people kidnapped yoga from India...there's curiously no mention of Indra Devi and other leaders who literally brought yoga to the west (these leaders understood that they would need to introduce yoga primarily through asana, because of Western physical culture movements). Yoga has become contaminated by that Western physical culture (sun salutations are just burpees, basically, and none of the acrobatic poses like Scorpion appear in any of the original Pradipika or other texts), for sure, and I would have LOOOOVED to have learned more about how to 'decolonize' THAT aspect of yoga, but Barkataki literally never mentions any of that. Almost like she wrote a whole book about yoga's roots...without knowing yoga's roots?
So a brown woman is richer because thousands of dumb white women have bought her problematic book. And I'm one of them.
I wish this was the book I'd hoped it was.
January 25, 2022
This book contains a very important message, but it's a mess editorially. As others have mentioned it's incredibly repetitive, with the same points being brought up in the same ways in multiple chapters without delving more deeply into them. What's more egregious, in my opinion, is the sloppiness of the citations or the complete lack there of. The author offers a list of references at the end, but fails to link the references to specific sections/pages/chapters of others' works. Also the author often quotes herself, which is just weird. Overall, I really hope this book sees the hands of a more competent editor because the cultural history of yoga is very important to the modern practice, but as this book stands it's hard to get the message across when it is marred by poor execution.
July 23, 2021
I understand the message of the book and its importance, but the book in itself is written terribly. So many repetitions of basic concepts, no new information offered to deepen the inquiry in later chapters of the book, mistakes and, overall, a very unenjoyable read. Also, when the author speaks of watering down yoga, this is exactly what is done by this book. So many concepts are barely brushed upon, rather than analysed carefully. I feel bad writing this review, but this is yet another book that doesn't keep its promises.
August 11, 2021
4⭐️ - Good book for yoga bookshelf. I found it repetitive but had good key points I’ll come back to.
April 6, 2023
This book explores the roots of yoga and western cultural appropriation of Yoga, specifically attributing that Yoga's sole source is from India. It identifies a number of ways that yoga has been inappropriately appropriated in western yoga and indicates that you should not use the term 'Namaste' because it does not mean what we think it does.
The author quotes herself in her own book which is ego-centric. Others note her reference and raising up of Mahatma Gandhi, who struggle with very racist views early in his life. it also elevates the Sanskrit language, which according to some Indians, helped to separate the Brahman caste from lower castes in Indian culture. Some exploration of the racist roots in its own Indian tradition would be helpful to complete the story.
I agree that western culture has appropriated Yoga, just as it has appropriated ideas and concepts from many cultures. The Author did not mention that Yoga also has roots in Egypt (Kemetic Yoga) and from Buddhist circles.
The author had a nice section on the requirement for tension in yoga and compared it to a rubber band. Not enough tension and it sags, too much tension and it breaks. so it is important to have the happy tension (pleasant, unpleasant, neutral) to allow the wisdom of simply being there to let new actions and awareness unfold. "When you shift into discomfort, it allows me to shift out of pain."
She infers that Yoga conferences must include people of Indian origin in order to embrace Yogas roots and I think she feels bad that she has not been invited to some important Yoga festivals to which she should be considered.
Creating a container so that ALL are welcome in Yoga class, regardless of how your yoga poses look is an important feature of yoga.
The author did not spend any time at all on the specific Asanas and was much more focused on activism and social justice.
The author quotes herself in her own book which is ego-centric. Others note her reference and raising up of Mahatma Gandhi, who struggle with very racist views early in his life. it also elevates the Sanskrit language, which according to some Indians, helped to separate the Brahman caste from lower castes in Indian culture. Some exploration of the racist roots in its own Indian tradition would be helpful to complete the story.
I agree that western culture has appropriated Yoga, just as it has appropriated ideas and concepts from many cultures. The Author did not mention that Yoga also has roots in Egypt (Kemetic Yoga) and from Buddhist circles.
The author had a nice section on the requirement for tension in yoga and compared it to a rubber band. Not enough tension and it sags, too much tension and it breaks. so it is important to have the happy tension (pleasant, unpleasant, neutral) to allow the wisdom of simply being there to let new actions and awareness unfold. "When you shift into discomfort, it allows me to shift out of pain."
She infers that Yoga conferences must include people of Indian origin in order to embrace Yogas roots and I think she feels bad that she has not been invited to some important Yoga festivals to which she should be considered.
Creating a container so that ALL are welcome in Yoga class, regardless of how your yoga poses look is an important feature of yoga.
The author did not spend any time at all on the specific Asanas and was much more focused on activism and social justice.
January 10, 2023
As both a psychologist an American-born yoga teacher with many privileges (white, cis, hetero, etc.), I am very aware of the disparities that exist in the "wellness" culture in general and in the Westernized presentation of yoga in particular. I sought this book to expand my knowledge base as well as to help me to identify additional ways that I can keep my yoga teaching connected to the roots of the practice.
Author Susanna Barkataki is an Indian born yoga practitioner and social justice activist. She has a breadth of personal knowledge in addition to a wealth of research (she frequently cites people and works who have informed her own practice). The main thrust of the book is that yoga, a word that actually means to yoke or unity, has resulted in separation and disconnection. She provides meaningful information about the various relevant issues, including cultural appropriation, oppression, racism, and trauma. And although this isn't exactly a "how to" book, Barkataki also provides extensive suggestions for how we can move towards reconnection and joint liberation.
What I didn't like so much about the book was the format. There are many, many chapter headings and subheadings, resulting in diluting the important message through unnecessary repetition. Sections of the book end with useful "reflection questions," but these sometimes appeared as frequently as every 2-3 pages, causing the book to feel choppy. Also, Barkataki frequently quotes herself, which felt odd. This book definitely could have benefitted from better editing to make the messaging more clear and concise.
Still, I'm glad I read this, as it was useful to my own continued process of self-inquiry. I know I will further reflect on many of the concepts that Barkataki presented here; I am committed to improving my yoga teaching via being a lifelong student.
Author Susanna Barkataki is an Indian born yoga practitioner and social justice activist. She has a breadth of personal knowledge in addition to a wealth of research (she frequently cites people and works who have informed her own practice). The main thrust of the book is that yoga, a word that actually means to yoke or unity, has resulted in separation and disconnection. She provides meaningful information about the various relevant issues, including cultural appropriation, oppression, racism, and trauma. And although this isn't exactly a "how to" book, Barkataki also provides extensive suggestions for how we can move towards reconnection and joint liberation.
What I didn't like so much about the book was the format. There are many, many chapter headings and subheadings, resulting in diluting the important message through unnecessary repetition. Sections of the book end with useful "reflection questions," but these sometimes appeared as frequently as every 2-3 pages, causing the book to feel choppy. Also, Barkataki frequently quotes herself, which felt odd. This book definitely could have benefitted from better editing to make the messaging more clear and concise.
Still, I'm glad I read this, as it was useful to my own continued process of self-inquiry. I know I will further reflect on many of the concepts that Barkataki presented here; I am committed to improving my yoga teaching via being a lifelong student.
August 29, 2024
DNF - I thought there was going to be a bit more history and in exploration of the different types of yoga. Instead this read like a negative review of yoga studios this person had visited in the state they lived in. It is possible that where I’m located and through years of progress the area where I live just doesn’t disrespect the practice the way it has been disrespected in the earlier 2000s. I don’t really see that marketing choice as much anymore where it’s expressed as exercise only to get people to try it. So, it kind of just felt like unnecessary negativity because my experience with my yoga studios has been very respectful and healing.
I also found it to be a bit grating that they were using their book to promote their side hustles. Or used the “oral tradition” as an excuse to try and stretch the reader for more money after they likely bought the book to get information only to be directed someplace else. It left an even worse taste in my mouth and made me feel like the book was kind of a scam. Returned it to the library without finishing. The author seemed like she wanted to just jab her finger at people which left little space for the places that are doing it right to exist. Just felt like instead of getting some deeper knowledge I got a venting session. Not great.
I also found it to be a bit grating that they were using their book to promote their side hustles. Or used the “oral tradition” as an excuse to try and stretch the reader for more money after they likely bought the book to get information only to be directed someplace else. It left an even worse taste in my mouth and made me feel like the book was kind of a scam. Returned it to the library without finishing. The author seemed like she wanted to just jab her finger at people which left little space for the places that are doing it right to exist. Just felt like instead of getting some deeper knowledge I got a venting session. Not great.
November 27, 2020
Embrace Yoga’s Roots is a transformative reading that has the power to (re)shape the Western yoga industry by amplifying South Asian, Indian, BIPOC, Desi, and Queer voices and challenging white supremacy, cultural appropriation, and other systems of oppression. The book is accessible and applied, offering readers a chance to deeply reflect on our own actions and perspectives. With direct honesty and compassion, Susanna Barkataki offers deep insight to help readers practice and teach yoga in ways that more deeply recognize its cultural and historical roots—and unlearn the implicit and explicit biases that get in the way of doing so.
This book is a must read for yoga practitioners, teachers, and yoga teacher training programs. It offers transformative insights and practices for both people who are just beginning this journey of reflection and those who have been on this journey for some time. Susanna Barkataki’s work plays a critical role in making the yoga world more inclusive, and this book offers readers many practical tools for playing our own role in that process as well….thereby living yoga both on and off our mats.
This book is a must read for yoga practitioners, teachers, and yoga teacher training programs. It offers transformative insights and practices for both people who are just beginning this journey of reflection and those who have been on this journey for some time. Susanna Barkataki’s work plays a critical role in making the yoga world more inclusive, and this book offers readers many practical tools for playing our own role in that process as well….thereby living yoga both on and off our mats.
February 12, 2021
I have been practicing and studying yoga since 2014 (consistently — off and on for much longer!). It has been so healing for me, I became a teacher in 2016.
This book opened my eyes and really made me think about some of our yoga practices here in the West. The focus on asana and primarily featuring able-bodied, cis, white, skinny females is not truly representative of what yoga is. Barkataki speaks to this and more, and she does it in such a loving but accountable way.
I think this book is a must for anyone who wants to practice or is interested in the life changing practice of yoga. Susanna discusses how yoga is a huge part of social justice, gives an overview of the history of yoga, offers ideas and things you can do to be true to the practice, and provides multitudes of reflection questions and journaling prompts.
Yes, I finished reading it. But I am by no means done with this book. I know that I will be going back to it again and again to continue my learning. Highly highly recommend, and this should be mandatory in all yoga teacher trainings, in my opinion.
This book opened my eyes and really made me think about some of our yoga practices here in the West. The focus on asana and primarily featuring able-bodied, cis, white, skinny females is not truly representative of what yoga is. Barkataki speaks to this and more, and she does it in such a loving but accountable way.
I think this book is a must for anyone who wants to practice or is interested in the life changing practice of yoga. Susanna discusses how yoga is a huge part of social justice, gives an overview of the history of yoga, offers ideas and things you can do to be true to the practice, and provides multitudes of reflection questions and journaling prompts.
Yes, I finished reading it. But I am by no means done with this book. I know that I will be going back to it again and again to continue my learning. Highly highly recommend, and this should be mandatory in all yoga teacher trainings, in my opinion.
May 3, 2024
There is something missing here with this book, almost like the point of the story is missing, like the repeating of the same stuff in different ways, it feels bitter, honestly. Some parts are inspiring, I admit, but to honour yoga and the roots of yoga is to be sincere in our practice, with an open heart and clear in intention, perhaps I've just not experienced yoga been practiced in another way, expect to honour its rich and vast array of teachings and knowledge, but how do we talk about union in one breath and then say that it needs to be practiced in a certain way in the other? where is the union in that? I truly am trying to understand. What is it we are honouring? The divine or a concept of yoga? Is there no room for flexibility and expansion? arnt we all unique individual expressions of the divine, and isn't that what yoga is about, coming home to that? why all the need for labels.
August 26, 2024
I debated buying this book for some time after following Barkataki on Instagram. I am a white non-Hispanic female who recently began her yoga teacher journey and I have so much to learn beyond my initial 200 hours. I am grateful for a few things about this book:
1. The author has a clear intro that introduces what reading it may be like for different audiences. You may be fooled into thinking this is a fast read but there is a lot of digesting, I anticipate this being a book with many re-reads and new realizations.
2. Content is well defined. The organization is clearly thought out.
3. Clear guidance for embracing and honoring yoga and the routes in South Asian culture are shared while also setting the expectation for continued work.
Some of the links recommended don’t work anymore but it seems like that may be related to encouragement to explore new content or classes which makes sense. I can’t yet afford to pursue her classes… but will strive for that in the future.
1. The author has a clear intro that introduces what reading it may be like for different audiences. You may be fooled into thinking this is a fast read but there is a lot of digesting, I anticipate this being a book with many re-reads and new realizations.
2. Content is well defined. The organization is clearly thought out.
3. Clear guidance for embracing and honoring yoga and the routes in South Asian culture are shared while also setting the expectation for continued work.
Some of the links recommended don’t work anymore but it seems like that may be related to encouragement to explore new content or classes which makes sense. I can’t yet afford to pursue her classes… but will strive for that in the future.
January 12, 2021
This is an absolute must-read for all students and teachers of yoga. Yoga in the west has so often caused harm and separated us, when the purpose of the practice is to unite and connect us. Barkataki reminds us that cultural appropriation causes harm, that honoring the roots of the practice deepens our relationship with yoga and begins the process of healing the harm that has been caused. She provides meaningful contemplations and journaling prompts along the way, and shares concrete steps to decolonizing your yoga practice and sharing the eight limbs of the practice.
This book needs to be required for all teacher trainings. Thank you, Susanna, for this incredible offering to the yoga community worldwide.
This book needs to be required for all teacher trainings. Thank you, Susanna, for this incredible offering to the yoga community worldwide.
July 16, 2024
Just wow... This book has inspired me to really dig deep and teach yoga beyond what | have been doing all this while.
And to some extent, teaching yoga authentically & honouring its roots can be a challenge in gyms and in communities that are religious here in Malaysia.
But why did I continue my practice, and why did I begin teaching? Why was I called to teach?
Anatomy & movement is one thing, but the deep philosophy underpinning the practice is what helps us move beyond the walls that has been erected within us (which often ends up manifested outside of us).
Yoga is not only about asana or movement, and not honouring the entire system causes incongruence in our teachings.
Read this if you are ready to teach beyond handstands!
And to some extent, teaching yoga authentically & honouring its roots can be a challenge in gyms and in communities that are religious here in Malaysia.
But why did I continue my practice, and why did I begin teaching? Why was I called to teach?
Anatomy & movement is one thing, but the deep philosophy underpinning the practice is what helps us move beyond the walls that has been erected within us (which often ends up manifested outside of us).
Yoga is not only about asana or movement, and not honouring the entire system causes incongruence in our teachings.
Read this if you are ready to teach beyond handstands!
April 9, 2021
This book is so important and should be a must in every single YTT programs. That said, I wish it had been a bit broader for all yogis in the west (so it's not just more for teachers). At times, the book can feel a bit repetitive, but it's so important. There's a structure around Pantajali's yoga sutras, which was a nice touch. Would have loved to get perspectives of more teachers in India, but I think Susanna is on an important path and will hopefully create more change in yoga. After studying in India, and coming back, I have seen a lot of appalling behavior by "yoga" studios (and I put yoga in quotes for a reason).
January 3, 2021
This is a must read for anyone who practices or teaches yoga. I learned a lot from reading this book, including the idea that sterilization of yoga, i.e. removing the Indian roots to pacify Westerners who may be afraid of erroneous religious implications, is not the right way to go.
Indian culture and terminology (not to mention inclusion of all types of students) need to be present in all yoga classes. Cherry picking poses, fashion or the accoutrements of yoga without acknowledging and honoring the roots is a form of neo-colonization, and needs to end.
Indian culture and terminology (not to mention inclusion of all types of students) need to be present in all yoga classes. Cherry picking poses, fashion or the accoutrements of yoga without acknowledging and honoring the roots is a form of neo-colonization, and needs to end.
February 3, 2021
I think this was a fantastic overview of how social justice, power, and oppression play into the practice of yoga today. Really, I think it is essential reading for Western yoga instructors, specifically white yoga instructors. That said, I sometimes found that the chapters were more quantitative than qualitative. Many, many topics, without much depth. I imagine this is due to an urgent need for social justice writing around yoga! Overrall, I highly recommend, and look forward to more of the radical work that Susanna Barkataki will contribute to our world.
June 23, 2021
This was a really wonderful and practical read. I love learning about the ways in which yoga and social justice are deeply connected, so I knew that I wanted to read this book with the rest of the staff at the yoga studio where I work. Some amazing conversations and learning came out of working through this material together. This is an essential read to learn about how to decolonize yoga spaces and yoga practices of Western culture, and how to transform your understanding of yoga into one that creates intersectional unity as opposed to separation.
November 17, 2020
Susanna Barkataki has crafted a beautiful easy to follow book filled with authentic tools for the yoga practitioner to engage in the work of “deep listening and speaking up” to center the true practice of yoga and those to whom this practice traditionally belongs to.
You will walk away with a new deeper appreciation of yoga’s roots and why it is so important for all of us to engage in authentically deepening our yoga practice on and more importantly, off the mat.
April 18, 2021
I've been working my way through this text after asana practice since receiving the book in June. Through taking small pieces and reflecting, the book functions well in that context, with built in discussion/reflection questions at the end of each section. I reviewed this book in one of my newsletters --> you can access that review by signing up www.tinyletter.com/ArtofKCF (see new handle - I've changed it recently to align my handles a bit more fluidly across several platforms).
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