Overview of Yoga
Origin and Meaning
Yoga is an ancient practice that originated in India over 5,000 years ago. The term “yoga” derives from the Sanskrit word “yuj,” meaning to yoke or unite. The goal of yoga is to unify the body, mind, and spirit, fostering a connection with our inner selves and the universe.
Historical Context
The earliest references to yoga appear in the Vedas, ancient Hindu scriptures composed between 1500 BCE and 1000 BCE. These texts include hymns and rituals integral to early Hindu practices, with yoga initially incorporated into these spiritual rites.
Evolution of Yoga
Over the centuries, yoga transformed into a more diverse system encompassing:
- Physical postures
- Breathing exercises
- Meditation
- Ethical guidelines
The sage Patanjali is recognized for authoring the Yoga Sutras around 400 CE, which is the first comprehensive text on yoga. The Yoga Sutras delineate the eight limbs of yoga, offering a structured approach to practice.
Introduction to the West
Yoga gained traction in the West during the late 19th and early 20th centuries as Indian teachers traveled to Europe and North America. One notable figure was Swami Vivekananda, who introduced yoga to American audiences at the World Parliament of Religions in Chicago in 1893.
Goals of Yoga
Throughout its history, yoga has been practiced in various forms, but a common consensus is that its ultimate aim is liberation from suffering. Different schools and traditions may emphasize unique practices, yet they typically focus on harmonizing body, mind, and breath to shift energy and enhance well-being.consciousness.
Modern forms of Yoga
Modern yoga is most commonly associated with the physical practice of asana, a series of postures often weaved together in styles such as Vinyasa Flow or Ashtanga. Asana practice is generally intended to build strength and stamina, to improve flexibility, coordination and balance, and to relax the body. However, this provides only one small aspect of the tradition of yoga as a whole.
Patanjali’s Yoga Sutras provide the traditional foundation of yoga, in which he outlines an eightfold path of the practice. Known as the ‘Eight Limbs of Yoga,’ this path offers a guide to individuals who are dedicated to creating a union between body, mind and spirit.
Each of the Eight Limbs offers a means of living with more integrity, self-discipline, respect for nature and connection with the spiritual aspects of life. These eight practices are intended to be carried out in a holistic and integrative manner:
- Yamas – Five universal, ethical and moral observances to live by (nonviolence, truthfulness, non-stealing, continence and non-covetousness)
- Niyamas – Five spiritual and self-discipline observances (cleanliness, contentment, spiritual austerities, study of scriptures and surrender to God)
- Asana – physical posture, originally intended only for seated meditation, but more recently adapted to encompass all physical yoga practices
- Pranayama – breathing exercises to control the flow of prana (vital life force)
- Pratyahara – Withdrawal of the senses
- Dharana – Single pointed concentration
- Dhyana – Meditation
- Samadhi – Liberation or blissful union with the Divine
The four traditional paths of yoga are:
- Bhakti (devotion)
- Karma (action/selfless service)
- Jnana (knowledge/self-study)
- Raja (self-discipline/practice).
Although modern schools of yoga such as Jivamukti, Bikram, and Sivananda offer alternative interpretations, most are rooted in the same philosophical concepts and practices as Patanjali’s Eight Limbs.
Yoga is also used as a therapeutic tool for many physical and mental conditions, and mind-body research is now demonstrating its effectiveness as a treatment for chronic pain, anxiety, depression, cardiovascular disease and diabetes, to name but a few.
source: https://www.yogapedia.com/definition/4/yoga