Has yoga changed to fit our culture?

Yoga may have roots tracing back many centuries but two authors have suggested modern versions of the activity have adapted themselves to our way of life.

Stefanie Syman, who wrote The Subtle Body: The Story of Yoga in America, and Mark Singleton, author of Yoga Body: The Origins of Modern Posture Practice, suggest that athletic nature of the pastime is a relatively new phenomenon, the Weekly Alibi reports.

The pair, whose tomes both showcase lean individuals wearing yoga clothes on the front covers, are interested in the history of the discipline.

Commenting on the topics covered in their offerings, the news source said: "[They] explore how yoga went from ashrams to the suburbs by way of everyone from 19th-century scholars to rock stars such as The Beatles, Madonna and Sting."

Indeed, it is true that many celebrities have been pictured wearing their yoga clothing over the years, with the trend consistently rising in prominence.

And, as the Alibi notes, a considerable amount of money is spent by consumers each year on yoga clothes, mats, books and videos, among other things.

These days, the emphasis for those engaged in the activity is often health and the publication noted: "Just as yoga offers a way to connect with the ultimate reality, it has always been touted as a way to perfect the body."

According to Ms Syman, it is women who have embraced the physical side of the practice with most fervour and in many ways they are the ones who spend the most on it.

The article concludes by suggesting yoga has proved extremely adept at evolving to whatever its practitioners have needed from it and, at present, this appears to be beauty and strength. It remains to be seen how the pursuit will adapt to the desires of consumers in the future.