Yoga in Spain. Professional Regulation Process

Abstract

New approaches to spirituality go hand in hand with emerging physical, psychological and spiritual movements that have had a clear impact on many areas, and in particular on health and well-being. It is increasingly common to find nurses teaching yoga or doctors prescribing mindfulness. Use of socalled Complementary and Alternative Medicine (CAM) is becoming mainstream. Health centres, medical practices and even schools are offering a growing number of alternative therapies, resulting in the need for effective legal regulation of these activities, both in terms of professional recognition and training. In Spain, recent legislation represents a significant breakthrough in the regulation of yoga instruction, while in Catalonia legislation has been passed on licencing processes and the training of yoga teachers. This article focuses on these processes, raising some key unanswered questions, points of contact and divergence between governments and this services sector, and substantive differences among stakeholders themselves.