Jiriki Yoga: Japan's New Self-Care Export

NEWS | September 14, 2020

Jiriki Yoga, an alternative to the famous Vinyasa flow, provides loads of benefits for both body and mind.

Yoga sutras tell us over and over that yoga calms the movements of the mind. Transcribed by the Patañjali, the sutras are drawn from the practice's oral tradition. But while this ancestral knowledge has long been passed from generation to generation, it was with the dawn of the early aughts and the Internet that yoga took center stage. With its varied forms and numerous advantages, yoga has helped build communities all over the world and shows no signs of slowing down.

Jiriki yoga was popularized in the 90s by Japanese acupuncturist, chiropractor, and yoga teacher Yu Yugami. At a crossroads between Eastern medicine, yoga, and Seitai techniques, the healer created a therapeutic model known as Jiriki that patients were able to apply independently at home. "This preventative medicine is both a way of thinking and a way of life that seeks to strengthen mind and body so that a person doesn't require medical treatment throughout their life," explains his daughter Marie Yugami. She has continued to share her father's teachings beyond Japan by giving classes in France, Spain, England, and Canada.

According to Yu Yugami, this physical self-treatment allows those who practice it to heal chronic aches and pains, as well as muscular tension, without the help of a practitioner. Indeed, the term "Jiriki" in Japanese means "self-power." Jiriki followers love the physical benefits, such as improved toxin elimination and increased flexibility. All in all, it's a great way to get ready for back-to-school season.