Yoga Communities in New Zealand – A new study – NZ Yoga Centre

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FINAL Ali Hale Tilley, Yoga Communities in New Zealand, MA Thesis submission (1)

This ethnographic study by Ali Hale Tilley looks at the Aotearoa/ New Zealand (NZ) yoga industry, examining the ways that spirituality, secularism, and consumerism influence modern yoga practices. Tilley argues that people in New Zealand choose yoga practices for different ethical, physical, and social reasons, reflecting their diverse sociocultural values. More specifically, data gathered during fieldwork shows that the Wellington yoga industry contains at least three community subcultures, which she refers to as: 1) moral communities, 2) corporate communities, and 3) brand communities. This means that at the level of local culture, the NZ yoga industry represents a wide range of yoga practices, which in turn reflect the diverse needs, consumer expectations, and imagined ideals of resident populations. Yoga in NZ is currently under-researched, making this study a starting point for further inquiry.