Wellness Culture and Commodification: When Sacred Practices Become Products

Wellness Culture and Commodification: When Sacred Practices Become Products

In recent years, practices like yoga, meditation, retreats, and even psychedelics have been marketed as lifestyle products. While these practices can be beneficial, commercialization often strips them of ethical context, cultural significance, and spiritual integrity.

Yoga and the $100 Outfit

• Yoga was originally a spiritual and physical practice with deep philosophical roots in India.
• Modern wellness culture often focuses on image, fashion, and expensive gear rather than the practice’s ethical and mental framework.
• Billion-dollar yoga industries profit from clothing, studios, retreats, and apps, sometimes without acknowledging its origins.

Retreats and Psychedelic Tourism

• Psychedelic retreats and “spiritual experiences” are increasingly packaged for profit.
• Many retreats operate outside traditional guidance, ignoring the ethical frameworks Indigenous communities have used for centuries.
• Outsiders may access sacred medicines without proper preparation, consent, or respect, which can harm both participants and traditional practitioners.

The Danger of Commodification

• Selling spirituality as a product can trivialize sacred practices.
• Communities and shamans may be exploited or ignored in the process.
• People seeking personal growth can be misled by marketing, rather than learning authentic practices.

Lessons for Young People

1. Understand the origins of spiritual and wellness practices.
2. Respect ethical frameworks—practices are not just trends.
3. Be aware of commercialization and marketing tactics.
4. Support authentic communities and teachers who honor tradition.
5. True wellness comes from understanding, respect, and mindful practice, not just consumption.

Through this series, we’ve explored the history of drugs, plant medicine, addiction, and wellness culture. Knowledge of the past can empower young people to make informed choices, respect sacred traditions, and critically view the systems around us. Awareness is the first step toward change.