Yoga in the 1990s: Madonna, Modern Mats, and the Mainstream

"Throughout America's obsession with yoga the last half century, our perception and interpretation of it has changed considerably with each decade. The 1990s saw yoga transition from an increasingly popular part of the country's fitness craze to yoga being everywhere, endorsed by celebrities, and forever changing fashion with the introduction of leggings. As what was once considered woo-woo shifted to the latest workout craze, our culture's limited absorption of the ancient tradition veered into appropriation."

"As a teenager walking around New York City in platforms and baby tees during the 1990s, I didn't know anyone who practiced yoga. Sure, I had experimented with a Rodney Yee VHS tape, attempting my first Tree Pose in my living room as he balanced stoically on a mountain, but yoga mostly felt distant and mysterious. I was familiar with meditation, spiritually inclined, and vaguely knowledgeable about Eastern philosophy from books I'd read, but the dots weren't connecting."

"Ultimately, yoga found me-and millions of other Americans-during this decade. Previously associated with pretzel poses, ashrams, and esoteric spirituality, yoga began to show up on gym class schedules alongside dance and boxing and became increasingly linked with secular inner exploration. The 1990s introduced a broader audience to the practice, and as more studios opened, the burgeoning Internet helped spread the word."

Perceptions of yoga in America shifted dramatically over decades, culminating in mainstream adoption during the 1990s. The practice evolved from ashrams and esoteric spirituality into an accessible fitness trend appearing in gyms, classes, and fashion, notably popularizing leggings. Celebrity endorsements and media exposure accelerated public interest while the burgeoning Internet expanded reach. Many Americans encountered yoga through home videos, studios, and secularized classes, which broadened participation but also led to cultural appropriation as aspects of an ancient tradition were absorbed by popular culture.

Read at Yoga Journal