Yoga and celebrities

Yoga Discussion General Yoga
#1

I have been practising yoga for almost a year now and have chosen to write my university dissertation on the subject. I aim to investigate how and why yoga has become so popular in the West, in particular, the extent to which celebrity endorsement has contributed to it.

Ever since the Beatles studied yoga and meditation with guru Maharishi Mahesh, in the 60?s, many high profile celebrities including Sting, Madonna, Barbara Streisand and Gwyneth Paltrow have taken up the practice. These celebrities are constantly in the public eye giving yoga publicity and exposure it may not have otherwise received.

I?d like to hear your thoughts on the subject. Has celebrity endorsement of yoga affected your ideas and perceptions of it? Do you think celebrities encourage people to take up the practice?

Thanks. I look forward to hearing from you.

#2

I think everything that celebrities touch/wear/do/endorse becomes a huge trend, because we live in a culture that is so preoccupied with “celebrity” and “famous people”. To the extent that anybody who is culturally and socially famous is looked up to and emulated.
Yoga has been around for way longer than Madonna, Gwyneth Paltrow, and all those other celebs who claim to be big yogis, so I’m sure it has always had its followers.
However, when people see or read that celebrities are doing yoga they are probably more drawn to try it themselves and those who really get into it will do it regularly.
It seems that yoga really has taken over the celeb world though…
you should check out this hilarious video of comedian Nick DiPaolo trying out some yoga moves! Nick DiPaolo does Yoga! - blogTV :smiley:

#3

Unfortunately the celeb status which was imposed on yoga by the celebs attracted some very unsavoury characters over the years to yoga as well, I think there are some people in the world who wouldn’t have even considered yoga, but because Sting et al is doing it, now they are doing it as well, with disaterous effects.

On the other hand when Swami Sivananda Saraswati sent his main disciple Swami Vishnu Devananda in 1957 to the West with these words: “many souls in the East are reincarnating in the West. Go and reawaken their consciousness and bring them back to the path of yoga…”, has most probably paved the way for yoga to become exposed to celebs in the West. So in a sense the celebs might just fulfil their role by raising awareness about and interest in yoga.

#4

I was hesitant to try yoga for so many years as my perception was that it would be too boring. Of course I now understand that it is anything but that. I certainly don’t feel that a celebrity talking about or endorsing the practice has even entered my mind while practicing, although seeing Sting practice while in Toronto wouldn’t be so terrible!
Best of luck with your paper!

#5

It’s only influential on those who follow such people, read such magazines, and watch the telly. Not all “people” do.

While I welcome everyone to find and explore themselves through yoga it is “very interesting” when someone comes to yoga because someone they never met, know nothing about, and have no connection to in reality is doing it or selling them to do it.

But this is marketing in a capitalistic society, is it not.
So yes, oddly enough, some people do take up yoga because it is the flavor of the month.

Odd though that you mention the Beatles. They were uber popular but yoga did not really take during their time. Though we live in a tighter global community where today there’d likely be a web cam in Yoko’s room.

#6

if yoga was not so “popular” I might not have ever heard of it. I started yoga in a “wal mart” class so to speak. I am glad I did and I am glad it is popular and I am glad there is wal mart yoga. IMO It is up to the seeker to take it to a deeper level. No one can ever lead us down the wrong path, we can only choose to follow down the wrong path. A friend of mine did a “yoga” class at a gym the other week. She really enjoyed the experience and it seeked to be the perfect class for her at the moment. Celeberties have a big influence on many people, tiger woods has a dog named “yogi” but tiger does not talk at great length about exactly what he does but he has put it out there the power of the mind, how he learned to meditate at an early age, etcl… Seeing the focus that he has is encouragement for me, so I am greatful that he has choosen to share what he has. I also read a book by his caddie, steve williams, and he talks about yoga there.

for me everyone is my guru and I am greatful that they share their experience. Talking about physical fitness, meditation, breathing, etc… I am glad that celebirties use their influence to spread a good thought
just thoughts
seeker

#7

Perhaps it is because many of the celebrities {or others} endorsing Yoga are very fit and good-looking. People associate good-looks with heath - and want health and good-looks for themselves.

Celebrities just look like they are having SO MUCH fun, you know? I mean, for those of us stuck in an office job - the idea of being on-set with creative minds, and stunt people, shooting at fabulous locations - well, it sounds like a dream. You know?

Certainly that can be looked at as very “shallow” - but there is a psychology behind it - I think on the surface, the idea of celebrity sounds like Bliss. Though in reality - it is not so, in many cases.

I think, in the movie industry {or music, or whatever} it would be so important to be grounded - and Yoga can really provide that. Perhaps that is why many celebrities go seeking for Yoga.

Maybe it is the surface benefits that attract, and the spirituality and deeper meaning and healing that keeps us all coming back :slight_smile:

#8

Namaste,
While i feel its good that these celebs are raising awareness of yoga, i dont think yoga should be done because they are doing it. Practicing yoga for those reasons will not bring about the wonderful benefits that yoga has to offer. I believe that we each have our calling and when yoga invites us to walk that path, we should follow but only if that calling comes from within. It is dangerous to DO yoga because someone else is doing it because competition arises and awareness diminishes.

#9

I remember that Nehru (and his MP’s ?) used to practice yoga.

Years back I watched a movie with the practice of yoga. The guy looked very young and fit. He actually was 92 yrs old and the yoga teacher of Nehru.

Yehudi Menuhin was sick, very sick, almost paralyzed. He started yoga and recovered, according to his own testimony.

#10

i dont really think celebrities draw that much attention to yoga. most of them talk about their pilates or their fad obsessions like “s-factor”. people who enjoy yoga generally do so because they took the initiative to learn about it, not because celebrities introduced it to them.

#11

I talked a friend into learning yoga from me by listing off a few male athletes that were open about practicing. Now he practices, does breathing exercises on his own when he is stressed, and listens to me when I relate yogic philosophies to issues in his life. Can’t argue with results!

#12

And the other side is ‘celeb yoga teachers’ who, within the community, are easily recognized; they merit high fees or long distance travel to study with them.
(might be worth an appendix in your thesis, or might not.)

#13

I think it certainly encourages people to take up Yoga. It atleast make them believe that yoga can do wonders. It is exactly like any other branding of products. If it can work for a toothpaste then why not for Yoga?