History of Yoga

Yoga is a physical,Mental, and spiritual practice or discipline that express a variety of practices and goals. Yoga is a technique to control the body, weight loss , boost the mind as well.

Origin of yoga is already the part of debate. Yoga may have pre-Vedic elements. There is no adaptation on its chronology or specific origin other than that yoga developed in ancient India. There is no any specific date mentioned the origin of yoga. Our best evidence to date suggests that practices developed in the same ascetic circles as the early sramana movements (Buddhists, Jainas and Ajivikas), probably in around the sixth and fifth centuries BCE.

According to the Rig-Veda the first use of the root of word “yoga” is in hymn 5.81.1. A dedication to rising Sun-god in the morning, where it has been interpreted as “yoke” or “yogically control.To understand the origin of yoga we have divided into four periods: The Vedic period, Pre-Classical Period, Classical Period, and post classic period.

Vedic PeriodDuring this time, the Vedic people relied on saints or dedicated Vedic Yogis to teach them how to live in divine harmony. Saints were also gifted with the ability to see the ultimate reality through their intensive spiritual practice. It was also during this time that Yogis living in seclusion (in forests) were recorded.

Pre-Classical YogaThe formation of the Upanishads point the Pre-Classical Yoga. The 200+ scriptures of the Upanishads describe the inner vision of reality resulting from faithfulness to Brahman. These explain three subjects: the ultimate reality (Brahman), the transcendental self (atman), and the relationship between the two. The Upanishads further explain the teachings of the Vedas.

Right now Yogis attempted to use Yoga techniques to change the body and make it immortal.

Classical Period

The Classical Period yoga is pointed by another formation – the Yoga Sutra. Written by Patanjali around the second century. It is composed of 195 aphorisms or sutras (taken from the Sanskrit word which means thread) that expound upon the Raja Yoga and its their underlying principle, Patanjali’s Eightfold path of Yoga (also called Eight Limbs of Classical Yoga).

Post-Classical Yoga

At this point, we see a generation of biography as well as the practice of Yoga. Post-classical Yoga differs from the first three since its focus is more on the present.

It no longer strives to liberate a person from reality but rather teaches one to accept it and live at the moment

The most prominent of his works is his modified Five Principles of Yoga which are:

And the Yoga continues with the generation and increases its teachings, crossing the boundaries of culture and language for fight with the different types of disease.

Proper relaxation (Savasana)Proper exercise (Asans)Proper breathing (prayanam) Proper diet and lastPositive thinking and Meditation