About the Episode

In this episode, Rachel invites Susanna Barkataki to discuss the topic of cultural appropriation.

The conversation begins with Susanna speaking on her personal history of experiencing racism and marginalization growing up in an Indian-British family in the UK and US. Using this as a starting point to discuss what has happened to yoga culture in the Western world, Rachel and Susanna then dive into a deep conversation on this topic.

What is cultural appropriation? Where do we draw the line between cultural appreciation and appropriation?

Rachel opens up to share her fears and past behaviours while Susanna offers true heartfelt advice on how westerners can continue practicing with deep respect for this ancient practice.

Join Rachel and Susanna as they discuss these difficult but important questions and open the door for a shift in mindset to take place.

More about Susanna Barkataki

Susanna Barkataki is a teacher, inclusivity promoter, yoga culture advocate and the author of the original article, “How to Decolonize Your Yoga Practice” that was widely circulated across social media. She has an Honors degree from UC Berkeley, a Masters in Education, is an E-RYT 500 hour Master Teacher, a 500-Hour Certified Ayurvedic practitioner and a C-IAYT Yoga Therapist.

Susanna helps others bridge the gap between yoga as an exercise and yoga as a lifestyle and believes in a world where yoga supports us in dissolving separation and creating unity.⁣⁣ ⁣⁣Her work explores how we can decolonize, reclaim and honor our own yoga practice while continuing to centralize yoga as the main teacher for healing ourselves and each other.⁣⁣

Susanna frequently shares on her Instagram different ways we can honor the roots of the yoga practice and how to move forward with it in the modern Western world, while provoking deep reflection on how the yoga practice has morphed over the years.

Susanna is also a yoga teacher on the Yoga Girl platform. Learn more about her and find her classes here.