When Cape Verde held Spain to a goalless draw at the FIFA World Cup, global attention briefly turned to the tiny island nation. Beyond football, a word sparked curiosity: Morabeza — the country’s unofficial cultural philosophy rooted in warmth, hospitality and a calm acceptance of life.
More than a social custom, Morabeza represents a state of mind: taking life one day at a time, resisting the pressure to rush and finding contentment in the present.
Thousands of kilometres away in Kerala, a growing number of young people appear to be searching for something similar. Their path, however, runs through yoga.
This International Yoga Day, the ancient discipline finds itself in a new cultural moment. No longer confined to exercise routines or traditional wellness circles, yoga is increasingly being embraced as a tool for mental clarity, emotional balance and creative renewal in an age defined by speed, anxiety and digital overload.
A quick scroll through Instagram reveals the shift. Alongside fitness content, spirituality-inspired yoga practices that combine gentle stretching, meditation and mindful living are attracting growing attention.
Youngsters are gravitating towards breathwork, flexibility and relaxation rather than dramatic physical transformations, reflecting a wider pursuit of a calmer, more ‘zen’ lifestyle.
At the same time, yoga is being paired with other movement systems, giving rise to hybrid formats that blend strength, mobility, balance and recovery.
In Thiruvananthapuram, Pilates, Kalaripayattu, animal flow and specialised wellness programmes are increasingly being merged with yoga, creating practices that sit between classical tradition and contemporary fitness.
Among the most visible examples is Yogalates, a combination of yoga and Pilates that has been gaining followers among young professionals, older adults and those seeking low-impact exercise.
“Core strength is what we mainly build in Pilates. Along with that, we combine mobility and flexibility, which are the main focus areas in yoga,” says Gopika Krishnan, founder of Mouve and a certified Pilates expert.
Unlike conventional workouts that often target larger muscle groups, Pilates works on deeper stabilising muscles that support posture, balance and movement control.
Combined with yoga’s breathwork and mindful approach, it creates a format that is challenging yet accessible across age groups, including beginners, seniors and those recovering from injuries. Mouve is conducting a Yogalates session in association with Trivandrum Club on Yoga Day.
Beyond fitness, hybrid yoga is also finding space in specialised wellness programmes. At EEka Yoga, instructor Aswini S R works with women dealing with PMOS, hormonal concerns and postpartum recovery by combining the foundations of Hatha Yoga with targeted strengthening exercises.
“PMOS and PCOD are hormonal issues, and yoga can help improve metabolism, reduce inflammation and support better hormonal balance when practised consistently,” she says.
For postpartum practitioners, the emphasis shifts to rebuilding strength, particularly around the lower back and core.
Alongside yoga postures, she incorporates exercises that aid recovery from conditions such as diastasis recti, a condition where abdominal muscles separate during pregnancy.
“The aim is not just strengthening the body, but also focusing on mental wellbeing and stress relief. Yoga helps bring both together,” she adds.
For Gurukkal S Mahesh, author and principal investigator of a Centre for Indian Knowledge Systems, yoga’s evolution into hybrid formats is not a departure from tradition but an extension of it.
“What we call yoga is much more than physical postures. It is a process that strengthens the mind,” he says. “Kalaripayattu works in a similar way. We can call it moving yoga.”
That connection will be highlighted on International Yoga Day through ‘Prana’, a programme at the Trivandrum Golf Club that combines Kalaripayattu with pranayama and is expected to draw nearly 200 participants.
The pairing of yoga and ‘animal flow’ offers another example of how different movement philosophies can complement each other. While yoga focuses on control, breath and stability, animal flow introduces continuous movement and dynamic mobility.
Together, they create a practice that develops flexibility, coordination, balance and body awareness.
“Yoga is largely posture-based, while animal flow focuses on continuous movement. But both improve stability, flexibility and joint mobility,” says Joseph Lawrence of Zero Fitness Performance Studio.
According to Joseph, such combinations allow practitioners to explore movement beyond fixed formats. “By combining yoga’s mindful approach with movement-based training, hybrid practices help develop better control over the body, improve reflexes and build a deeper connection between movement and awareness,” he says.
Globally, experimentation is extending even further. Trampoline yoga combines traditional poses with bouncing movements, while stand-up paddleboard yoga takes the practice onto water, challenging balance and concentration.
Dance yoga blends movement and rhythm, while core yoga incorporates conditioning techniques drawn from Pilates and functional training. Some of these niche formats are beginning to make appearances in Indian fitness circles as well.
“Yoga has been adapted to fit people’s changing needs. It complements everything from Pilates to strength training,” says Gopan J F, a yoga instructor from Thiruvananthapuram.
“As life becomes increasingly fast-paced and stressful, yoga offers a way to regulate the body and mind. It is a practical solution backed by science.”
Perhaps that explains yoga’s enduring appeal. Like Cape Verde’s Morabeza, it offers a counterpoint to the pressures of modern life — an invitation to slow down, breathe deeply and reconnect with oneself. In zen mode.
Gentle Reminder
Benefits of Yoga include:
Helps relieve anxiety
and stress
Lowers heart rate and activates the parasympathetic nervous system
Supports emotional and social well-being
Reduces tension and related health issues
Aids weight loss and weight management
Improves sleep quality
This story was reported by Parvana K B and Niveditha Sreejith for TNIE – Kerala, with inputs from Smriti Saraswati, Anoopa Mathew, and Karthika Bipin.