A Word That Has Come to Mean Many Things
Few words have stretched to hold as many meanings as yoga.
For some, it refers to a spiritual path rooted in ancient texts and ascetic, contemplative practices. For others, it means fast-paced movement in a heated studio. For others still, it may look like restorative practices supported by blankets and bolsters.
Yoga Has Never Been Static
Numerous scholars have pointed out that "there is no singular yoga, only yogas" (quoting Andrea R Jain's "Selling Yoga"), meaning that:
there has never been a single, static, universal form of yoga.
Yoga has taken many forms across different historical periods, religious communities, and cultural contexts
Yoga has evolved across centuries, cultures, teachers, and traditions. Modern postural yoga itself emerged through many influences and is a result of cross-pollination with, for example, Indian martial arts, European physical culture movements, and changing social and political contexts etc.
Should we be bothered by purity?
Because of this, the answer to the title question varies from person to person. Rather than spending my time and energy in finding out whose yoga is the "purest", I'd rather practice and teach the version of how I approach yoga, also the version of which that is most suitable for this stage of my life right now. And the intention is to help people cultivate awareness, presence, connection, and a meaningful relationship with themselves.
The Question that Matters
That being said, there are some denominators which yogas across different traditions and contexts still share, like the emphasis on connecting with your "self" on a more conscious and deeper level, and ultimately paving the way for self-realization.
I'd summarize my views that what is being offered here is still yoga because:
My classes are movement-based experiences deeply inspired by postural yoga and informed by somatic principles.
Many of the values that guide my work over the years—self-inquiry, presence, compassion, and devoted action—are deeply indebted to yoga philosophy.
Everything I teach has been shaped by my biography and journey in self-realization
If I had to describe my work in one sentence, it would be this: it is yoga viewed through a somatic lens.
Last but not least, I will hav to be frank that the title question cannot actually be answered because somatic yoga is not one single method or lineage. I can only speak for my case.
Related posts:
When Yoga Became a Conversation with My Body (my personal story)
What Motherhood Taught Me About Nervous System Regulation (lived experience)