This paper explores several intersecting themes regarding the complex social forces that have shaped modern yoga. The first section highlights the dissemination of South Asian religion and culture via the yoga tradition, and focuses strongly on the adoption and adaptation of these cultural and religious practices in the West. In examining this critical East-West exchange, several themes recur, such as cultural commodification, evolving ideals of health and wellness, and changing conceptions of religiosity/spirituality. The second section of the paper takes a different perspective, offering...