At that time, many Americans, notably the hippies, were disenhanted with their own culture and sought the help of Oriental thought.
六○年代美國社會充滿反權威、富叛逆性的意識，許多人對自己的文化、文明質疑，就借助東方一些對心靈有助益的經驗，如瑜伽、打坐，來抒解精神上的不快樂。