Amplify Voices of the Global Majority | Words from Mia Park

On Authenticity in Yoga

By Mia Park

Is it authentic for a non-Indian to practice or teach yoga? Should we first understand our own cultural background and spirituality?

Authenticity in spirituality can be challenging. It’s all too easy to project devotion onto a “spiritual teacher” when we feel emotions from their teachings that are often confused as healing or spiritual development. Add in the complexity of current cultural conversations, and the path to authentic spirituality becomes even murkier.

One way to begin this conversation is by rooting ourselves in intention. For both teachers and practitioners alike, intention is key to helping us discern between cultural appropriation and walking an authentic spiritual path. It behooves us to remember that spiritual growth involves deeply understanding ourselves without trying to be liked, gain favor from a teacher, or appropriate. Authentic spirituality is a personal process that may involve lessons from other cultures taught by teachers of different backgrounds. Having a clear motive behind why you practice brings clarity and authenticity to your training.