Liberating Yoga
From Appropriation to Healing
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Yoga teacher Harpinder Kaur Mann shows yoga practitioners a path to reclaim yoga from appropriation and recenter the practice where it belongs.
In the West, the practice of yoga comes to us stripped of cultural context. Colonized and appropriated by capitalism, dominant culture, fitness trends, and body shaming, yoga in America today is associated with expensive classes, trendy athleisure products, Corepower, Lululemon, and white women. However, yoga is not a one-hour fitness class aimed at stretching and flexibility. Yoga is a spiritual practice from South Asia with the ultimate goal of connection, self-realization, and liberation.
In Liberating Yoga, yoga teacher Harpinder Kaur Mann draws from her own perspective as a Sikh-Punjabi woman who was alienated by the way yoga is practiced in the United States but found her way toward reclaiming the spiritual practice for herself. Mann demonstrates that moving away from appropriated forms of yoga and back to yoga's roots is the only true path to healing--both for yoga practitioners who desire to engage responsibly in the practice with cultural appreciation, and especially for folks who have been marginalized who wish to reconnect with their ancestral spiritual practices and reclaim their full identity.
About this Author
Reviews
"Harpinder Kaur Mann writes with humility and grace, sharing complex topics on marginalization with great skill. She draws the reader in: her story is also my story. As a 1.5 generation Indian American, yoga therapist, and Ayurvedic doctor, I resonate with Harpinder's calling in of yoga as an inclusive, life-affirming, home-coming, transformative practice. I hear her stories of how Western yoga has commodified Indian cultures, and I appreciate her skillfulness in weaving narrative with theory to help us move forward with more love and liberation collectively. Thank you, Harpinder, for your magnificent contribution. May we heal legacies of generational and cultural trauma in our selves and our communities. Lokah Samastah Sukhino Bhavantu (May all beings in all the worlds be liberated)." ---Vinita Prachi Murarka, Ayurvedic Doctor, Author, Visionary
"Liberating Yoga by Harpinder Kaur Mann is a deeply personal and thought-provoking exploration of yoga as a path to healing, self-acceptance, and cultural reclamation. What sets this book apart is its honest examination of modern yoga, which often exclude marginalized voices and overlook the full spectrum of yoga. Her writing invites readers to reimagine yoga beyond exercise, positioning it as a tool for personal and collective liberation. Harpinder's reflections encourage all of us to embrace our whole selves and engage in the practice of yoga as an act of inner transformation, community healing, and reconnection with ancestral wisdom. Whether you are a long-time practitioner or someone looking for more depth in your practice, Liberating Yoga is a timely and inspiring read." ---Manoj Dias, Meditation Teacher author of Still Together
"Harpinder's pure heart and sense of devotion are evident in this honest telling of her spiritual journey. The reader is treated to a story written with such sincerity and generosity of spirit that you cannot help but read more. I am grateful this story is being shared with the world." ---Reggie Hubbard, Founder and Chief Serving Officer, Active Peace LLC; Activist, Strategist and Teacher
"In Liberating Yoga, Harpinder offers insights, guidance, and clarity to trace a path to yoga free of modern day white-washed commercialization. From personal experience, the wisdom of those who came before, and the illuminating truths of the practice, Harpinder lovingly calls on every single reader to join the cause of redirecting yoga from a gimmicky fitness exercise to a holistic, contemplative discipline." ---Tejal Patel, organizer of Tejal Yoga & abcdyogi, co-creator of Yoga is Dead
"Liberating Yoga is a bold, necessary offering for all who care about the integrity of yoga. Harpinder Kaur Mann weaves her intimate knowledge of yoga, Sikh heritage and personal journey with a deep respect for yoga's roots, reminding us that yoga is not just a practice--it's a path of connection, liberation, and healing. In a world where yoga has been commodified, she beautifully reclaims its authentic essence, showing us how to honor both its cultural and spiritual heritage with compassion and respect. This book is an essential read for those who wish to engage with yoga responsibly, while embracing its true purpose." ---Susanna Barkataki, author of Ignite Your Yoga and Embrace Yoga's Roots
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