The online yoga community is grappling with a growing concern: the ethical implications of content creation and consumption, particularly regarding the practice of “asteya,” or non-stealing. A recent article published by Yoga Journal on February 27, 2026, highlighted the issue, detailing how the principle extends beyond physical theft to encompass the appropriation of time, ideas, labor, and credit within the digital space.
Renee Marie Schettler, a senior editor at Yoga Journal and a writer and editor with experience at publications including The Washington Post and Outside Online, detailed her own experience with a studio that requested she record portions of a yoga teacher training. Schettler requested a licensing agreement to protect her intellectual property – material she had “spent thousands of dollars learning and decades cultivating” – but the request was denied, and the work was offered to another instructor. This incident, she wrote, underscored a troubling pattern: ethical exchange is often viewed as disruptive rather than integral to the practice of yoga.
The article identifies several common forms of “stealing” within the online yoga world. These include the unauthorized reposting of content, rebranding of methods without attribution, requests for content creation in exchange for mere “exposure,” and the repeated sale of recorded classes or workshops without fair compensation to the instructor. Schettler’s piece specifically calls out the practice of replicating community-centered offerings for private profit without acknowledgment or reciprocity.
Schettler acknowledges the complex history of yoga itself, noting its appropriation and dilution by Western cultures. However, she argues that this history does not excuse unethical behavior within the community. “If anything, history calls us to a higher standard of care,” she wrote. She frames the issue as one of extraction, where individuals are asked to “subsidize” businesses or platforms with their expertise and emotional labor.
The article emphasizes the need for crediting sources and honoring intellectual lineage, particularly as social media has become a primary platform for yoga instruction and business. It challenges practitioners to consider whether their success is achieved at the expense of others, advocating for reciprocity over convenience and payment for value created. The core message is that ethical conduct within the yoga community requires conscious effort and a commitment to protecting dignity, trust, and the collaborative spirit of the practice.
Schettler concludes with a stark assertion: “We own nothing in yoga. And we are responsible for everything we do with it.”
