Documentary on 3sat - A sport for rich people? TV documentary about yoga
Yoga is more than just a trend. Yoga has established itself in the western world. A movement practice with a multitude of possible interpretations such as spirituality, meditation, breathing techniques, strengthening, pain therapy and lifestyle.
Regardless of whether someone practices yoga for sports, spiritual or health reasons: It is also a huge business and has dark sides, as filmmaker Franziska Mayr-Keber shows in the documentary "Yoga – Lifestyle with Side Effects."
For her research, Mayr-Keber met numerous interviewees who give insights into their respective understanding of yoga. The 50-minute contribution can be seen on a Wednesday (3. July) at 8:15 pm on 3sat.
People with a yoga mat under their arm have become a common sight on the street. Yoga books, yoga courses, yoga clothing, yoga equipment, yoga schools, yoga holidays: With the teaching from India, many people associate an image of a healthier, modern and happier life. Yoga has partly taken on the image of a panacea.
Doctors Holger Cramer from Tübingen and Judith Schäfer from Prien am Chiemsee report on the health effects. The doctor treats a pain patient who is amazed by the positive effects. He had never imagined doing yoga, he confesses. But the exercises did him good.
People take on postures in yoga that they are not used to in their daily lives. That's wonderful, says the doctor. However, it's important to perform the exercises correctly to avoid negative side effects.
Yoga teacher and influencer Marcel Clementi from Tyrol offers courses and wants to introduce his customers to yoga as a mindfulness practice. He finds it important that it is not only accessible and affordable for a wealthy bourgeoisie, but for everyone. With his offerings, he primarily focuses on men, as they have more reservations about engaging in yoga.
British yoga expert Nadia Gilani also criticizes the yoga trend. She believes that it is mainly practiced by certain social classes. That's why she views the ongoing yoga boom critically.
When young, elastic women take spectacular poses in front of impressive landscapes, it's intimidating and excluding, finds Gilani. Yoga is like a performance sport for people without financial worries. In addition, the cultural roots of yoga are being lost, Gilani says, and speaks of "cultural appropriation."
Religion scholar Jens Augspurger critically observes the yoga scene. The researcher has practiced yoga for many years and now dedicates himself to clarifying cases of sexual misconduct in yoga schools.
Documentary filmmaker Mayr-Keber visits a "Sivananda Center" in Austria. In the community, yoga is lived spiritually. The teachers also bear spiritual names. Mantra singing for world peace is part of the common practice. And there were allegations of sexual misconduct against a already deceased teacher in the community in India.
A young yoga teacher offers courses: In her school, there is yoga to pop music and disco light. It is one of many yoga facets.
- The TV documentary "Yoga – Lifestyle with Side Effects," airing on 3Sat on July 3 at 8:15 pm, sheds light on the dark side of the yoga business.
- The TV outlook for leisure time enthusiasts includes a 50-minute documentary that critiques the yoga trend, featuring insights from various practitioners.
- Despite its growing popularity in Germany and other western countries, yoga has been criticized for being associated with certain social classes and cultural appropriation, as noted in a media discourse.
- The media has portrayed yoga as a panacea, with books, courses, clothing, and equipment promising a healthier, modern, and happier life.
- In India, where yoga originated, some practitioners are concerned about the commercialization of the practice, as seen in a German TV documentary.
- The media coverage of yoga has often focused on its health benefits, with doctors and patients reportedly experiencing positive effects from the exercises.
- The 3Sat documentary "Yoga – Lifestyle with Side Effects" comes at a time when the TV outlook for audiences is filled with stories about yoga, sport, and health, reflecting its growing prominence in culture and leisure time.
