When it comes to identifying as a member of a particular religion, many Americans seem unwilling to commit to a singular practice. Instead, the marketplace has become a lively place for shoppers to try on different spiritual elements and religious practices - whether buying a candle or an entire retreat. Yoga in particular has been caught up in this trend - among both dedicated asana practitioners or people who buy tank tops with the term ‘spiritual gangster.’ This paper explores this trend - both the appropriation of eastern religious philosophy and the trend of mixing religious practice to start to understand why yoga has become one of the leading movements in both the religious and fitness communities. This paper is part of a large dissertation which focuses on asana and the physical props (including clothing) that surround the practice.
About the presenterDanie Greenwell
Danie Greenwell is a graduate of Drexel University’s Communication, Culture, & Media doctoral program. Her dissertation explored the way in which mental and physical health messages are communicated: whether in the yoga studio, in mass media, or on social media. Her other research interests are focused on health, fitness, wellbeing, and sustainability and how these are related to promotional culture and consumer decision making.