Yoga branding, fashion and delusions
In a big anonymous market you need to be seen. You need to stand out or you risk being squeezed out by stiff competition. As any marketing executive knows: branding is important. Branding is about associating a product with symbols, fantasies, meanings, values and emotions. A brand name creates in this way a profile in the market – an identity. It makes you visible and different, which is a competitive advantage. The yoga sign was also sent through the process of branding, often connected to new efforts of re-contextualising the product.
So within yoga there has been an explosion of yoga styles and names – sometimes indicating real differences (in practising and in signification) sometimes not. Some examples: Ananda-, Bikram-, Vinyasa/Flow-, Ansuara-, Integral-, Jivamukti-, Svaroopa-, Vini-, , Ishta-, Kripalu-, Power-, Synergy-, Pilates-, Dynamic- and Gentle-yoga to mention some. If one looks from a distance at the services actually offered there is not much diversity. Basically most of them offer different varieties of asanas and dissimilar ways of performing them. Often what distinguishes the brands is the context and the specific signs (meanings) they attach to asana. However all the brands will maintain that their style of asana yoga is significantly different from the rest, making it deserving of its own name.
At this point the right thigh slants downward away from the Garland Pose Yogaleft thigh. After sliding the right leg out until the knee is straight, lift the Garland Pose Yogaentire right leg until the right thigh is parallel with the left. Maintain parallel thighs while bending the right knee and returning the right foot to its place beside Repeat five to ten times.
Repeat with the left leg. To reduce the intensity, from the initial sitting position, slide the right heel out about halfway. The knee will not straighten fully. Raise the right thigh until it is parallel to the left, even though the knee is still somewhat bent. Lower the foot back directly under the knee, keeping the thighs the left.
