Yoga and inclusivity

Yoga offers physical and mental health and wellbeing benefits, and NHS patients can be referred as part of social prescribing. However, socially marginalised groups are under-represented and UK students and teachers have been found to be 91% white, 71% university educated and 87% female*.

My qualitative research study explored the yoga access experiences of people with a broad and intersectional range of marginalised identities who practiced yoga in northern British cities and did not hold positions of seniority within UK Yoga. These included people who were Black, Brown or other people of colour; disabled; older (later life); LGBTQIA+; of a larger body type; from a religious faith or background; or on a low income. I analysed my data using thematic analysis and also using an intersectional approach that I developed with reference to critical race and critical disability theories as they function to surface underlying narratives and ideologies in relation to power and equality and shift focus away from what is said and towards what is not said and why.

My findings were that multiple barriers to yoga access were experienced and these were grouped into three types – practical, perceptual and cultural. Practical barriers were aspects such as where a class was held, how easy it was to get there, how much it cost and the buying of clothing and equipment. Perceptual barriers related to feelings of discomfort such as a perceived ‘un-coolness’ or ‘inappropriateness’, anxiety around the physical requirements and impacts including trauma responses, the perception of needing to be slim and athletic and ‘alien’ aspects such as chanting of mantras.

Cultural barriers were linked to the culture of the social institution of UK Yoga and the people within it. These included the ‘not seeing’ of access barriers or attributing overcoming them to luck – thereby avoiding acknowledging or addressing the problem. Not encountering anyone like oneself when accessing yoga was a barrier as it resulted in feelings of not belonging. Lack of recognition of yoga’s South Asia’s cultural and spiritual heritage had barrier effects on participants from related backgrounds. A ‘belief in loveliness’ of yoga people and a reluctance to criticise also acted to discourage acknowledgement and addressing of access barriers.

I believe these findings provide actionable insights to help public health and yoga delivery organisations and individuals enhance diversity and accessibility in yoga, increase wellbeing and reduce health inequalities.