Kudos to Mr. Gumucio for founding Yoga to the People and taking control of the yoga ‘brand’. A ‘brand’ that has been spiraling out of control with its recent focus on fashion and luxury.

Here’s more from the New York Times’ article A Yoga Manifesto:

Well, maybe it is the recession, but some yogis are now saying “Peace out” to all that. There’s a brewing resistance to the expense, the cult of personality, the membership fees. At the forefront of the movement is Yoga to the People, which opened its first studio in 2006 in the East Village on St. Marks Place, with a contribution-only, pay-what-you-can fee structure. The manifesto is on the opening page of its Web site, yogatothepeople.com: “There will be no correct clothes, There will be no proper payment, There will be no right answers … No ego no script no pedestals.”

This manifesto restores brand identity by focusing on authentic ideals. Though based in New York, Yoga to the People even delivers on its promise globally by making classes available online.