Here&rsquo;s one to ponder:</p><p>Should yoga practiced in a health club be taxed as a service, while yoga done in a studio get a free pass as a spiritual, healing act? Many yoga devotees are claiming &ldquo;yes.&rdquo;</p><p>They&rsquo;re making the wrong argument, but I&rsquo;ll grant that many are operating with misinformation. Some misleading reporting and people&rsquo;s penchant to abhor taxes caused more furor than this recent state action deserves.</p><p> The so-called &ldquo;yoga tax&rdquo; is not so much a new tax, as it is Missouri enforcing collection on an old statute. And contrary to initial reports, a few other states also tax yoga studios. </p><p> A series of court cases bolstered the Missouri Department of Revenue&rsquo;s view that yoga and pilates&rsquo; classes are taxable as services offered in &ldquo;places of entertainment, amusement and recreation.&rdquo; Last month, 140 yoga and pilates studios were told to start collecting and remitting a 4.225 percent sales tax by Nov. 1.</p><p> First, yoga studios are businesses. I expect to pay a fee when entering one. And at this point in yoga&rsquo;s popularity, it would be impossible to determine where the practice is meditative and linked to its origins and where it is a poorly orchestrated fad. Studios exist with untrained instructors barking directions, wired to headsets. This is neither calming, nor meditative.</p><p> The larger question is which services are best taxed, and which should be given a break, especially for the betterment of society? Why is it that the work the mechanic does on your car, the advice of an architect, the consultation of a lawyer are all untaxed services?</p><p> Missouri&rsquo;s tai chi instructors are likely keeping their heads down. And what about yoga practiced in a corporate office as a wellness program? </p><p> Yoga advocates wish to differentiate their practice from recreation based on its spiritual, meditative and health benefits. They are correct in that argument. Yoga is phenomenal in this regard.</p><p> But the tax gurus didn&rsquo;t come after the yoga studios, some of which were collecting the tax, from that perspective. They saw the locations as being legally taxable.</p><p> I predict the yoga community will prevail. A similar backlash caused Washington state to back off from collecting new and back taxes on yoga studios. A Facebook page is up, organizing instructions are being sent, and a few state representatives have been lobbied.</p><p> Peel away the &ldquo;taxes are bad&rdquo; sentiments, and a worthwhile theme emerges. Tax unhealthy habits heavier, and pass the break to the healthy ones.</p><p> My favorite, yet least feasible post: <em>&ldquo;The State should encourage healthy living by subsidizing yoga, funded by a tax on McDonalds, Burger King, Taco Bell, Dairy Queen, CocaCola, candy, beer, etc. Judging by Missouri&rsquo;s consumption of these items, Yoga would end up being free!&rdquo;</em></p><p>Namaste to that.