I recently heard about the ‘Take Back Yoga’ movement started by the Hindu American Foundation, so I was really interested to read what BKS Iyengar had to say on the issue:

“Yoga is an Indian heritage, not a Hindu property.  Patanjali’s Yoga Sutra, which forms the basis of the system, addresses all humanity not just Hindus.  Just because yogis did not travel as widely as they do today does not imply that the practice belonged to one community or place.  Patanjali calls yoga sarva bhauma, a universal culture. And yoga is an individual’s evolutionary journey as a sadhaka (seeker) from the body to the self.  Where is the room for doubt here?”

You can read the full interview from the Times of India here.  Thanks to Cora Wen (@CoraYoga) for sharing.