The Future of Yoga
Yoga Journal US|Summer 2022
Yoga has been evolving for thousands of yearsfrom a mind-and-body spiritual practice to a billion-dollar "lifestyle" practice. What's next? We asked futurists, teachers, and thinkers what to expect in the next decade and beyond.
DEANNA MICHALOPOULOS
The Future of Yoga

We do our best to plan for the future. We chop our weekly allotment of veggies on Sundays, save for an epic trip, and even map out five-year goals. But when we think about big shifts that will happen in the world at large, our concept of the distant future can get a bit hazy. [If we're fans of dystopian sci-fi, things might be scary, too.) Will we still have mobile devices to check as soon as we wake up? (Or a sibling to Alexa that will check on us?] What foods will be available at the market? Will Venice still be a destination or the next Atlantis?¶ And what about the future of yoga? Will yoga classes be taught by robots? Will every studio be virtual? Who will be our leaders and game changers? What will a yoga class look like? Just where does yoga go from here?

WHAT IS "THE FUTURE"?

There are professionals who spend their days chipping away at these sorts of questions. They are futurists.

"Usually futurists explore some specific aspect of the future where are certain things headed for a community, an audience, a demographic, a product?" says Jacob Ellenberg, founder of the meditation program The Curious Self and facilitator for the Guild of Future Architects (GofFA), an organization of experts who envision just and equitable futures. The futurist's job is to help amplify opportunities and mitigate risk.

They forecast scenarios that may take place in the next 10 years and beyond, but they don't claim to "predict" the future. They look at trends and map out plausible options based on probability. And they're the first to admit that they may get it wrong. There's always the chance that a wild card can come along and either disrupt everything or accelerate innovation. (COVID-19 did both.)

HISTORY RHYMING WITH ITSELF

This story is from the Summer 2022 edition of Yoga Journal US.

Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.

This story is from the Summer 2022 edition of Yoga Journal US.

Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.

MORE STORIES FROM YOGA JOURNAL USView All
Learning to Hear the Voice of Self-Care
Yoga Journal US

Learning to Hear the Voice of Self-Care

How to discern what really matters.

time-read
6 mins  |
Summer 2022
Inclusive Yoga for All
Yoga Journal US

Inclusive Yoga for All

A Down syndrome diagnosis set this family on a path to make yoga accessible to everyone.

time-read
4 mins  |
Summer 2022
For the Joy of Practice
Yoga Journal US

For the Joy of Practice

Doing yoga without attachment to the outcome can bring unexpected gifts.

time-read
4 mins  |
Summer 2022
Be Kind to Your Spine
Yoga Journal US

Be Kind to Your Spine

Your vertebral column is a series of complex, interconnecting parts that support your every movement. Here's how to keep it safe.

time-read
5 mins  |
Summer 2022
A Skeptic of Chakra Balancing
Yoga Journal US

A Skeptic of Chakra Balancing

The experience helped me make peace with things that can't be explained.

time-read
6 mins  |
Summer 2022
Are We Having Fun Yet?
Yoga Journal US

Are We Having Fun Yet?

Bring play back into your practice with three styles of yoga that can get you out of your head and bring a smile to your face.

time-read
9 mins  |
Summer 2022
12 Ways to Use Blocks You've Probably Never Tried Before
Yoga Journal US

12 Ways to Use Blocks You've Probably Never Tried Before

The beauty of blocks? They not only meet you where you are in your practice, they take you beyond where you ever thought you could go.

time-read
10+ mins  |
Summer 2022
THE SCIENCE OF AWE
Yoga Journal US

THE SCIENCE OF AWE

THOSE MOMENTS IN LIFE THAT STOP YOU IN YOUR TRACKS IN ASTONISHMENT? RESEARCH SAYS EXPERIENCING MORE OF THEM CAN CHANGE YOUR LIFE.

time-read
8 mins  |
Summer 2022
What Your Doshas Say About Your Dharma
Yoga Journal US

What Your Doshas Say About Your Dharma

Ayurveda can explain so much more than what's out of balance.

time-read
4 mins  |
Summer 2022
The Future of Yoga
Yoga Journal US

The Future of Yoga

Yoga has been evolving for thousands of yearsfrom a mind-and-body spiritual practice to a billion-dollar "lifestyle" practice. What's next? We asked futurists, teachers, and thinkers what to expect in the next decade and beyond.

time-read
10+ mins  |
Summer 2022