Before the modern era, most yogis were men who renounced worldly life. Non-seated postures—first mentioned in texts about a thousand years ago—served as warm-ups for subtler techniques, and the ultimate goal was to sit like a stone. The average modern yoga class, by contrast, is predominantly female and centred on postural sequences for health and well-being. How did an ancient approach to renouncing the world become a branch of the globalised wellness industry?

In The Evolution of Modern Yoga, scholar-practitioner Daniel Simpson offers a lucid and accessible guide to how the aims and methods of yoga have transformed over the centuries. Drawing on the latest research in the rapidly-growing field of yoga studies, Simpson examines key trends, influential teachers who shaped the development of contemporary forms, issues of authenticity, concerns about cultural appropriation, and questions of ownership.

Bringing clarity to a complex history, The Evolution of Modern Yoga presents a compelling account of how the most prevalent forms of yoga taught around the world today relate to earlier traditions, in an engaging style that will be equally appealing to dedicated students of yoga and curious readers.