US TikTok user Queen of the Ratchet, pointed out that a quick search for the word ‘yoga’ on the popular app came up with countless clips of women recreating graphic poses while wearing little to no clothes.
While many of us will be searching popular channels like Yoga With Adrienne in January, instructors have warned that less reputable teachers are taking the practice away from its spiritual and mindful roots.
Former Strictly professional Kristina Rihanoff, who co-owns the UK’s biggest yoga and wellbeing centre Soo Yoga, told Femail she fears the sexualisation of the practice might turn people away from yoga.
Many users were shocked to find the explicit videos lurking around the tag ‘yoga’; on TikTok. User nimay.ndolo went viral with a video where she asks her followers to ‘type in the word “yoga” on this app,’ before revealing ‘they are showing p****, they are showing p*****. P***** and buttocks, 4K buttocks.’
Yoga instructor Nikita Desai said in a video reacting to Nimay’s clip: ‘It still amazes me how the algorithm allows this to be the spectacle of yoga.
‘I guess that’s what happens when an ancient, deep, meaningful spiritual practice that was intended for the purpose of our mental and emotional wellbeing becomes overly sexualised and heavily whitewashed.’
Giving her opinion on the spread of the videos, Miss Rihanoff said she has seen how social media has changed the practice over the years.
‘As someone who has been a yoga devotee for 20 years, I can see how the social media trends shifted the focus of yoga from holistic to being something of a ‘showcase’ of slim physiques, sexy outfits and ridiculously complicated poses,’ she said.
‘The purpose of yoga is to build strength, awareness and harmony in both the mind and body.
‘It’s a philosophy and step-by-step guide toward spiritual enlightenment.
‘Sexualising yoga takes us away from what this ancient philosophy is really about. It takes us away from authentic roots of yoga.’
The dancer added that she believes the sexualisation of the practice is also encouraged by yoga brands and social media channels promoting it online.
‘Instagram and TikTok took over our world and we now see quite the opposite in yoga. I don’t believe it’s purely because yoga started to be seen just as a fitness trend,’ she said.
