The History Of Yoga - An Overview

The history of yoga can be traced back as far asmind in preparation for meditation in the pursuit of
1500 BC to the Vedas. These are literary texts thatenlightenment .
lay down the framework of the Hindu religion and areYogis on the other hand focused almost exclusively on
divided into four main groups.Meditation and neglected the Asanas. They were
Patanjali is often considered as the father of yoga andattempting to exit the mortal coil and merge with the
his yoga-sutras still strongly influence all styles ofultimate reality through contemplation. Yogis usually
modern yoga. In Patanjali, the art of yoga is divided intothink of God as an impersonal, spiritual substance,
an "eight limbed path" that contain the steps to obtaincoexisting with all of reality. This doctrine is called
the enlightenment. Patanjali is considered to be thepantheism which is the view that everything is God.
father of yoga.Yogi Matsyendranath taught that before taking to the
Hatha Yoga was then created because of thispractices of meditation, the body and its elements
exploration on the physical-spiritual connections as wellneed purifying. One of the most outstanding authorities
as body centered practices. Hatha yoga is one of theon hatha yoga, Swami Swatmarama wrote the Hatha
styles of yoga that the westerners of today areyoga pradipika, or 'Light on yoga' in Sanskrit, which
practicing. It is a very good style of yoga to start ondescribes the various Asanas and breathing exercises,
the path of yoga. Hatha Yoga is perhaps about 1000which forms the foundation of the modern practice of
years old. Its purpose is also beyond the body, it tooyoga.
has a spiritual purpose.Yogic attitudes, simple Asanas, Pranayama, relaxation
Hatha Yoga masters also later utilized the yoga sutrasand health orientated techniques were systematically
for still meditation. Hatha yoga is only one of the twodevised to help people solve the problems of daily
concepts of yoga that concentrates on the physicalliving. Yogi is not a religious title. Most modern people
culture and the other yoga is the Raja yoga but bothassociate the word "yoga" with Hatha yoga, in one of
of these are referred to as Ashtanga yoga. The mainits many style variations.
difference is that the Raja yoga concentrates moreAshtanga, which means 8 limbs in Sanskrit, is a
on the "asanas" or postures to get the body ready forrhythmically fast, intense set of yoga practice always
a prolonged meditation that concentrates mainly on theperformed in the same order. Ashtanga Yoga is
meditative "asana" poses. Hatha Yoga follows in thatphysically demanding and it is meant for people
vein and thus successfully transcends being particularlyseeking body strength, flexibility and workout including
grounded in one religion.challenging series of postures with Ujjayi Breathing and
The hathayoga developed mostly during the period ofvinyasas. Ashtanga is the Sanskrit name for what is
14th century. Hatha and tantra yoga , the majorreferred to as the eight fold path of yoga. Ashtanga
branches of yoga, were both developed in theYoga is another type of yoga which is also known as
Post-Classical Period, around 1000 CE. Tantra taught'power yoga'. This type of yoga comprises push ups,
students how to cleanse the body, mind and spirit andwhich increases strength and stamina in human body.
to break the ties that bind us to any form of physicalModern evolutionary approaches to yoga have
existence. Hatha yoga attempts to balance mind andcreated clear delineations between the Hindu religion
body via physical exercises, or "asanas", controlledand the practice of yoga. Modern yoga positions and
breathing, and the calming of the mind throughprinciples have evolved from these earliest meditative
relaxation and meditation. Asanas teach poise, balancepractices and continue to be fused by modern
& strength and were originally (and still) practicedpractitioners.
to improve the body's physical health and clear the