The "Om Industry"

Leave it to the West to commercialize one of the world's most ancient spiritual traditions: yoga. I tried out a new yoga studio today, and its website boasts of the "most extensive selection of yoga wear" in the area, or something. Honestly--is that why we do yoga? So we can show up to class wearing $100 coordinated yoga outfits (that really look like just about any other exercise wear) and bear overly cute, pseudo-chic, "yoga specific" brand names?

There is an entire industry of yoga gear out there that I'm sure would have the original yogis in India scratching their heads (or in deep meditative confusion). It's just so indicative of where unbridled capitalism and the decline of real spirituality in our lives have taken us.

What one could practice for free, just about anywhere, at any time, Americans can spend hundreds of dollars on before even "coming to a comfortable seated position" on our $80 yoga mats!

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