History of yoga

Yoga origin and yoga information

The history of yoga is at least 5000 year old. Yoga is a part of India's philosophy. It is one of the great contributions made by India to the world health, physical, mental and spiritual. You may also like to read origin of yoga.
 
Yoga predates history. Stone carvings with figures in yoga postures were found in archeological sites, Mohenjo-Daro and Harappa, in Indus valley, dating more than 5 thousand years back.

The early writings related to yoga were done on palm leaves. The ancient written records, Vedas and the Upanishads contain references to spiritual yoga.

 

Tradition of yoga

The tradition of yoga was passed on from teacher to student through personal instruction. The present day yoga techniques are the collective teachings of many teachers in thousands of years.

Bhagvad Gita, the very popular Hindu literature (about 500 B.C.) contains the conversation which takes place on the battlefield (that is our life). It is about the inevitable turbulent life experiences that everyone has to go through.

Krishna, the great yogi, instructs Arjuna( who is reluctant to fight his family and friends on the battlefield). Krishna explains how Arjuna can attain moksha (spiritual freedom) by following the different yogic paths. How one can get release from the life and death cycle

• by following the path of devotion - Bhakti yoga,
• path of wisdom - Jnana yoga,
• by giving up ego and not expecting the fruit of action - Karma yoga.

No wonder Bhagvad Gita is one of the most read books in the world.

 

Patanjali Yoga

Patanjali an Indian rishi (sage) wrote yoga sutras (yoga aphorism - words of wisdom). He wrote about ashtanga yoga (eight limbed yoga) which is known today as classical yoga.

Patanjali Yoga sutra is in Sanskrit language and is presented in a very systematic way and all serious and enthusiastic yoga practitioners study it. There are many translations in different languages with commentaries.

 

Yoga outside India

Yoga became popular in the western countries after 1960. As people started experiencing the benefits of yoga, more and more people started practicing yoga.

Many visited India to learn from the yoga masters themselves and got teacher's training too. They opened their own yoga training centers in their own countries.

Many Indian origin yoga teachers went to other countries and opened their own yoga school. These new teachers are spreading the light of yoga throughout the world.

The yoga history continues in this way. Hope you find this yoga information useful and it encourages you to take up and  continue doing yoga practice for physical, mental and spiritual benefits.