An important share that you should hear, and this one isn’t only for white people, but also for anyone else who is committed to questioning my integrity in this space

I shared this on my Instagram page last week, but thought it would be useful to also have within this community.

I’ve been noticing a pattern recently with people in this community who seem to have a lot to say about my calling out of whiteness or white people who continually culturally appropriate, mock, exclude, or disrespect yoga and Indian people.

To be honest, it makes me uncomfortable even having to say this for many reasons. For a space that claims to be about spirituality, wellness, and self awareness, the wellness world can be incredibly narcissistic and toxic. Because of the work I do, I face backlash and hate regularly, sometimes subtle, sometimes very loud. I’m not sharing this to ask for sympathy, but I do want to set a few things straight. It is honestly exhausting as someone from the source culture to constantly be talked down to and gaslit by white women about how I choose to speak up about a sacred tradition that my ancestors fought to protect.

Everything I want to say about this probably wouldn’t even fit into a few slides or stories. If you genuinely want to understand the ways systemic racism operates within yoga spaces, and why I feel so strongly about calling these issues out, I encourage you to read my book where I go into this in much more depth. If you follow my journey, resonate with my teachings, or have taken the time to read my work, I truly appreciate that support in whatever form it comes. But one thing I want people to understand is that I’m not here for numbers. I’m here to share a message and raise awareness.

Given the history of colonisation in India, I think Indians deserve a little more grace when it comes to why we feel protective over our sacred traditions. When I was writing my book I spent days researching the British Raj because I felt it was important to dedicate a chapter to it. It didn’t make the book, but the insights I gained were truly disturbing. The British ruled India for around two hundred years, and during that time many yogic traditions were mocked, ridiculed, and suppressed to the point where Indians could not openly practice in their own ways. That history matters.

For two hundred years Indians were made to feel inferior in their own country while white people were positioned as superior. Imagine being physically, emotionally, and psychologically controlled by another group of people for centuries. How long do you think it would take to heal from something like that? Now add assimilation into the mix, and you start to understand why the wounds are still present. So when people ask why I call out whiteness or why I name these patterns directly, this is part of the reason. These histories did not disappear. They shaped the way yoga is practiced, taught, and consumed today.

At its heart, yoga is a path of self realisation. When you truly look at it through that lens, you realise that everyone is at a different stage of their journey. Some people are willing to examine their conditioning and grow. Some are not. I’ve had to make peace with that in many ways as I watch this tradition being pulled further and further away from the people it comes from but Not everyone will get it.

I also want to acknowledge that there are white allies who are deeply committed to protecting authenticity in yoga. They do exist and I appreciate the work they do. I have also called out my own people when necessary because this work is not about attacking one group and protecting another. It is about truth and accountability. The work I do is bigger than me, and it’s bigger than you. If you’re here looking for someone quiet, tame, and non confrontational, this probably isn’t the space for you. This page goes beyond my personal circle. The message I share is not meant for everyone, but it is something that everyone should at least be willing to contemplate.

I am not for everyone, and that’s okay. If you don’t want to hear about the inequality and harm that Indians still experience in yoga spaces, you are free to leave. I will not shrink myself or my truth to make people more comfortable in their ignorance. We are all here to learn. And just as quickly as people learn the meaning of the word ahimsa, they should also practice it when it comes to the harm caused toward the very people who are keeping this tradition alive. Authenticity is not a trend. The work I do is not about popularity. Yes, there have been beautiful opportunities that have come from sharing this message, but what makes them meaningful is the intention behind them, whether it’s writing my book or holding teacher trainings.

Integrity is becoming harder and harder to find, but you will always find it here 🙏🏼✨

Much love,

Nikita 💕