Yoga Journal at 50: Reflecting on a Half-Century of Evolution and Accessibility
(Photo: Getty; Vanessa Compton)
For 50 years, Yoga Journal has served as a vital touchstone for practitioners and teachers alike, charting the evolution of yoga from a niche practice to a global phenomenon. updated October 21, 2025, the publication’s ongoing commitment to exploring the complexities of yoga – both ancient and modern – remains as relevant as ever.
Launched in the pre-internet era of the 1970s as a modest newsletter, Yoga Journal initially catered to a small community of yoga instructors. The first issue, a humble 10-page photocopied creation stapled in the upper left corner, signaled the beginning of a journey to understand and share the multifaceted world of yoga. It quickly became a crucial resource,offering alignment cues,personal reflections,mantras,and explorations into the more esoteric aspects of the practice – the subtle body,such as – all within the context of modern life.
As both yoga and the publication grew, Yoga Journal navigated periods of rapid change and occasional controversy, yet with unwavering effort.
Today, marking its 50th anniversary, Yoga Journal is embracing a new visual identity and reaffirming its commitment to accessibility, authenticity, and community.These values now serve as guiding principles for both its journalism and its practice. The publication is not simply looking back, but actively looking forward, offering context for its past and a vision for its future.
To mark this milestone, Yoga Journal is offering a deep dive into the history of yoga’s rise in the United States, broken down by decade. this exploration reveals both the advantages of increased popularity – millions more people practicing – and the difficult lessons learned along the way.
A Decade-by-Decade Look at Yoga’s Evolution:
- The 1970s: Marked by an awakening of awareness, a fascination with astrology, and the influence of figures like Alice Coltrane.
- The 1980s: Focused on precision, the use of props, and a lesser-known approach to the practice.
- The 1990s: Saw yoga enter the mainstream, propelled by cultural icons like Madonna and the emergence of modern yoga mats.
- The 2000s: Witnessed the rise of the “yoga industry,” with in-crowds and influential figures shaping the landscape.
- The 2010s: emphasized accessibility,the rise of athleisure wear,and a growing sense of agency among practitioners.
- The 2020s: Shaped by the pandemic, a surge in personal practice, and continued progress toward inclusivity.
Beyond the historical timeline, Yoga Journal is also exploring the evolution of yoga fashion, acknowledging that while attire doesn’t define the practice, it reflects the sociocultural context of each era. From the short shorts of the 1970s to the leggings and matching sets of today, the publication invites readers to consider how our clothing choices reflect and shape our yoga experience.
Readers are also invited to explore a curated selection of standout articles from the Yoga Journal archives, featuring contributions from esteemed writers like Sally Kempton, Anne cushman, and Richard rosen. Furthermore, the publication has undertaken a important project to digitize its earliest issues, making decades of wisdom accessible to a wider audience. “Wisdom does no one any good when it’s relegated to a dusty box in the basement,” the publication notes.
An editor’s personal journey through 50 years of Yoga Journal offers an anthropological perspective on the interplay between culture, yoga, and the unavoidable merging of the two. the publication is revisiting recurring themes from its past, examining how perspectives have evolved over time while the core conversations remain remarkably consistent.
Thank you for being part of this unfolding story. Yoga Journal eagerly anticipates continuing to share this practice – sometimes revelatory, sometimes quietly reassuring – for the next 50 years.
