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In this episode of the Enlightened Anatomy Podcast, Matthew Huy explores the myth of the “pure yogi” — the unspoken belief that spiritual integrity and financial success are somehow incompatible. This episode steps slightly outside anatomy and physiology to look at how yoga shows up in our everyday lives as teachers, particularly in how we relate to money, pricing, and worth. The conversation is still research-informed, drawing on yoga history, sociology, and psychology to unpack where these ideas come from and why they persist in modern yoga culture.

Matt discusses how colonial reinterpretations of yoga, Western romanticisation of asceticism, and modern wellness culture have collectively stripped yoga of its social and economic context, leaving many teachers feeling guilt or shame around charging for their work. This episode also connects to a free workshop Matt is hosting on Thursday, February 12th, Why Making Money Feels Weird. You can learn more at matthewhuy.com or via the show notes. If you’re listening after that date, the workshop is available as an evergreen resource at matthewhuy.com.

References & Further Reading

Bunderson, J. S., & Thompson, J. A. (2009). The call of the wild: Zookeepers, callings, and the double-edged sword of deeply meaningful work. 

Brown, B. (2012). Daring greatly.

De Michelis, E. (2004). A history of modern yoga. 

Flood, G. (1996). An introduction to Hinduism.

Singleton, M. (2010). Yoga body: The origins of modern posture practice.

White, D. G. (2014). The yoga sutra of Patañjali: A biography.

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