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History of Yoga

The exact date of the practice of Yoga is unknown.  It is believed to predate written history.  Stone carvings depicting figures in Yoga positions have been found in archeological sites in the Indus Valley dating back 5,000 years or more.

Yoga is not rooted in Hinduism.  Hinduism religious practices developed later and  incorporated some of the practices of Yoga. It appears that other religions modified and incorporated Yoga practices. 

Traditionally,  Yoga has always been passed on individually from teacher to student through oral teaching and practical demonstration. With the advent of technology it is now possible to practice yoga in the privacy of one's home.  Many businesses encourage all employees to practice yoga routinely in order to remain focused, relaxed and calm. 

Today the techniques, schools or forms of Yoga are a collection of the teachings and practices of many individuals over thousands of years.  How Yoga techniques are taught and practiced depends on the understanding of numerous teachers supporting the individual practitioner.

One of the earliest texts written regarding Yoga was compiled by a scholar named Patanjali.  Patanjali.  He recorded the most prevalent Yoga theories and practices of his time in his writing  called Yoga Sutras (“Yoga Aphorisms”).  He is believed to have accomplished this as early as the 1st or 2nd century B.C. or as late as the 5th century A.D.

The system that he wrote about is known as “Ashtanga Yoga,” or the eight limbs of Yoga.  Today this is recognized as Classical Yoga. Most current schools of Yoga practice some variation of Patanjali’s system.

The eight steps of Classical Yoga are 1) yama, meaning “restraint” — refraining from violence, lying, stealing, casual sex, and hoarding; 2) niyama, meaning “observance” — purity, contentment, tolerance, study, and remembrance; 3) asana, physical exercises; 4) pranayama, breathing techniques; 5) pratyahara, preparation for meditation, described as “withdrawal of the mind from the senses”; 6) dharana, concentration, being able to hold the mind on one object for a specified time; 7) dhyana, meditation, the ability to focus on one thing (or nothing) indefinitely; 8) samadhi, absorption, or realization of the essential nature of the self. Modern Western Yoga classes generally focus on the 3rd, 4th, and 5th steps.

Yoga may have migrated to America in the late 1800s.  It gained national recognition and popularity in the 1960s.  As more became known about the beneficial effects of Yoga, it gained acceptance and respect as a valuable method for helping in the management of stress and improving health and well-being. Many physicians now recommend Yoga practice to patients at risk for heart disease, as well as those with back pain, arthritis, depression, and other chronic conditions.