Friday Frivolity - Yoga and the Modern Mother

The tendency of suburban mothers to partake regularly in yoga classes has been noted by marketers, scoffed at by some, defended by others, and by most accounts become a fixture of the suburban motherhood experience, much like taking up tennis, taking on home renovations, or subjecting oneself to hours at a hockey rink/indoor pool/soccer field for the sake of youth sports. So, when the New York Times published an article describing the tantric sex cult origins of yoga, and claiming that unknowing practitioners might become victims of "libidinal surprise," those of us who haven’t done a downward-facing dog in years had to wonder, Wow, maybe all those other mothers trotting about in yoga pants are on to something. Then again, maybe they’re not. Maybe they’re just too tired or too late to put on some actual pants. After all, no one has documented what percentage of people wearing yoga pants actually participate in yoga.


*image from someecards

5 comments:

Anonymous said...

I have lots of yoga pants that have never been to yoga! And that article is spot on. I actually went to a yoga camp in AZ in the early 90's and there was the stereotypical sexual predator swami/yogi guy with his teenage harem.

EHP said...

Kate - yoga camp, wow. That's pretty serious. I used to go a lot in the 90's (before kids) but never made it that far and never encountered that kind of yogi guy. Creepy. I actually just thought the term "libidinal surprise" was so funny that I had to post something.

Anonymous said...

Going to yoga camp was just a lark! Probably not the smartest thing I ever did. I know plenty of yoga teachers now who are completely above reproach, but then again, they are female!

Julia said...

I have a few yoga pants, but I have been to yoga once in my life. I understand that going around in yoga pants is awkward, but they are so comfortable :)

Unknown said...

Nice website with good information and I am pleased to have read some of them on your blog. I agree with your opinion yoga are very essential for healthy body. Yoga poses put moderate weight on the arms and shoulder bones and build good isometric strength in the pectoral muscles (chest), deltoids (cap of shoulder), and triceps (back of upper arm).
Life coaching for women

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