A History of Yoga: How Yoga Became The Worlds Favourite Movement
A History of Yoga: The abridged version
Yoga is one of the most popular forms of physical and mental exercise in modern life.
Where once humans pounded the streets on long runs as their primary form of exercise, you are now far more likely to find them in various poses in a yoga class.
Yoga is a physical activity that is as mentally rewarding as it is physically. Yoga is ideal for boosting mental well-being and is a great tool in life with which to find balance, whilst maintaining strength and flexibility.
It involves various poses and stretches that will help to untie the knots in your body and numerous breathing exercises to make you feel calm and relaxed.
While there's no doubt about the growing popularity of this form of exercise, many people are unaware or confused regarding the origins of yoga.
Therefore, we have decided to dive deep into the history of yoga, which hopefully will inspire any of you reading that are thinking about starting yoga, or fill in the blanks for experienced yogis!
The Early Beginnings of Yoga
Yoga is an exercise that dates back five thousand years.
The Physical aspect of the activity was combined with philosophy, and religion and therefore became a practice with various different facets, pathways and methods of execution.
There are some claims that link it all the way back to the Indus Valley Civilization in South Asia, while others suggest it originated even before that in 500 BCE.
However, one thing that is for sure is that Yoga has its origins in Hinduism and Buddhism in the main.
Yoga - amazing for flexibility, take your mat anywhere!
Key Periods in the ancient History of Yoga
The history of yoga dates back centuries, yet it has evolved in myriad ways throughout the years. The following is the brief description of yoga during various periods:
Vedic Period
The Vedic Period is the earliest known period for Yoga.
This was the time when the Hindu scripture known as Vedas was created, which is why this period is termed the Vedic Period. This scripture contains different hymns that contain the earliest knowledge regarding yoga.
The term yoga originates from a Sanskrit word, Yuj.
The lessons learned from the Vedas are also known as Vedic yoga, and they are performed during rituals and ceremonies to improve human mental capacity and help people excel mentally.
Furthermore, this was the time when the first known yogis began to appear.
They mostly lived on their own, in seclusion, and preferred to stay close to nature as it offered them the perfect place to perform yoga.
They also liked staying in the jungles and forests and away from civil society. This is one reason why many of the yoga centres today are located deep within forests or close to nature.
Pre-Classic Period
The pre-classic period came after the Vedic period, and this period revolved around different spiritual concepts.
The first concept, which is based on the universe is known in Hindu philosophy as Brahman, and the second concept that goes beyond oneself is Atman.
The Pre-Classic period of yoga evolved as a combination of both of these concepts.
This period also involves the formation of the Bhagavad Gita.
This is an ancient Hindu scripture that is undoubtedly the most famous Hindu scripture of all time, and this text repeatedly talks about yoga and how it improves our way of life.
Classical Yoga
The history of yoga claims that it has been around for around 5000 years; however, it was given a proper order only 2000 years ago.
The author behind this noble task is known as Patanjali. He organized the content in the form of Yoga Sutras, making it easier for others to follow this practice.
These Yoga Sutras gave birth to Classical yoga and assisted several yogis in achieving ultimate peace and enlightenment.
Patanjali's work was so beneficial that it was made compulsory for all yogis to go through his texts.
The Eight limbs of Yoga
The arrival of the eight limbs of yoga also worked as a breakthrough during the period of classical yoga. These eight limbs are based on certain principles that involved the following:
1. Yama
Following certain rules of ethics to maintain discipline in society. This practice was called Yama.
2. Niyama
Being kind and considerate towards your own self to help yourself flourish. This practice was called Niyama.
3. Asana
Performing various poses, also known as Asana. This is the most famous part out of all the eight limbs.
4. Pranayama
Another famous limb is controlled breathing, also famous as Pranayama.
5. Pratyahara
You are also required to master control over your senses through Pratyahara.
6. Dharana
One must improve their focus and concentration through Dharana.
7. Dhyana
Another aspect is meditation, and it is also known as Dhyana.
8. Samadhi
If you seek ultimate enlightenment, then you should practice meditation through Samadhi.
The 8 limbs of Yoga
Post-Classical Yoga
As the name suggests, this yoga preceded the era of Classical Yoga, and it also made its way to Western countries.
These slowly became westernized. Furthermore, during this period, many yogis chose to move to the West to teach curious Westerners a thing or two about yoga.
Swami Sivananda is a fine example of a guru who wrote more than 200 books related to yoga practices and helped yoga flourish in this period.
Another yogi, Maharishi Mahesh Yogi, helped in the generation of Transcendental Meditation that took over the Western world by storm, and millions of people started practising it across the world. Many celebrities joined this practice as well.
Modern Yoga
As you can see, yoga has evolved a lot over the decades and centuries, and yoga today is quite modernized.
However, it's still super effective as it retains its core essence of connecting the mind, body, and soul. This yoga is a famous physical activity that is performed in various gyms and yoga centres worldwide.
However, the latest yoga practice is in the form of hatha yoga which originated from the early Yoga Sutras. Some famous types of Hatha Yogas include Sivananda yoga, Iyengar yoga, Bikram yoga, and Kundalini yoga.
Yoga has an Ever-Evolving History
Yoga is a physical activity that has been around for centuries, and it is constantly evolving over time.
There are now many different variations of yoga, but what unites them all is the ultimate purpose handed down from generation to generation of yogi.
This exercise has its origins in India and South Asia, but it's slowly made its way to the Western world, and it's being practised by millions of people every day since it is the perfect solution for several physical and mental ailments.
It also offers mental clarity, improves health, and can help you feel relaxed as well as calm.
Find more on our fitness blog
