The Evolution of Modern Yoga
An Accessible History
Part of a series from the Oxford Centre for Hindu Studies
How much has yoga changed over the past 2,000 years? What comes from where? This book gives an engaging and authoritative overview of shifts in priorities that shaped new techniques, which made yoga more appealing to contemporary practitioners.
To quote the back cover:
Before the modern era, most yogis were men who renounced worldly life. Non-seated postures – first mentioned in texts about a thousand years ago – served as warm-ups for subtler techniques, and the ultimate goal was to sit like a stone. The average modern yoga class, by contrast, is predominantly female and centred on postural sequences for health and well-being. How did an ancient approach to renouncing the world become a branch of the globalised wellness industry?
In The Evolution of Modern Yoga, scholar-practitioner Daniel Simpson offers a lucid and accessible guide to how the aims and methods of yoga have transformed over the centuries. Drawing on the latest research in the rapidly-growing field of yoga studies, Simpson examines key trends, influential teachers who shaped the development of contemporary forms, issues of authenticity, concerns about cultural appropriation, and questions of ownership.
Bringing clarity to a complex history, The Evolution of Modern Yoga presents a compelling account of how the most prevalent forms of yoga taught around the world today relate to earlier traditions, in an engaging style that will be equally appealing to dedicated students of yoga and curious readers.
Pre-Order
For delivery when published (October 2026). There will also be an ebook and audiobook.
Endorsements
A selection of comments from early reviewers.
“One of the brightest voices in yoga scholarship today...”
“A fantastic, well researched, and much needed contribution...”
“An exciting detective quest and journey back in time...”
“A sensible and intellectually entertaining overview...”
Excerpts
See below for a podcast and the table of contents.
From the Ancient Futures podcast (July 15, 2026)
Find out more from the publisher’s website.