India Tries to Patent Downward Dog and Warrior Two
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Looking for signs that the entire notion of copyright has simply gone too far? You’ve come to the right place:
If you’re one of the millions of people practicing yoga for mental and physical health, you may soon run into legal trouble: a lot of the traditional poses are being patented and trademarked by Western yoga teachers.
So, India is fighting back: it has set up a team of yoga gurus and scientists to identify and patent all ancient yoga positions or asanas to stop “patent pirates.” (via)
Think about this for a moment. People are fighting over the right to “own” the positions in which you might choose to hold your body. It is difficult to imagine how anyone might actually enforce this kind of copyright and the idea that Indian officials would want to suddenly put legal limits on the spread of their own ancient form of physical expression is equally baffling.
As to how/why Western Yoga teachers are able to claim some sort of copyright, you’ve got me. I’d love to hear the legal arguments that have allowed this to happen.
What’s next? Baseball players patenting their swings? New York City Ballet patenting a pirouette? Celine Dion owning the rights to a high-C?
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Tags: Asana, Celine Dion, copyright, India, Intellectual Property, Law, New York City Ballet, Yoga
Uncategorized | admin | 
February 24, 2009 9:06 am
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By DJ, February 24, 2009 @ 4:38 pm
If India gets to patent Yoga moves, then the US should get to patent the Five Finger Discount and the Wedgie.
By admin, February 24, 2009 @ 8:30 pm
Obama is copyrighting “Stimulus Package” for future film adaptation rights.