A Brief Synopsis of Yoga History

A Brief Synopsis of Yoga History

Yoga has a rich and long history, tracing a dimming trail back to 8000 years or so ago.

Yoga is rooted deep in the traditions of Hinduism and Brahmanism, but Western contemporaries practice only a small portion of what Yoga encompasses, without bearing to any particular religion or belief system.

Yoga's blueprint is an obscure and somewhat sketchy one, as it's secretive teachings were passed along orally, and its sacred texts written on palm leaves, fragile and easily damaged, destroyed or lost.

Historical research indicates that Yoga was originally practiced by ancient Asian ascetics for religious and medical purposes. It was a communal practice, overseen by the community shaman. These ascetic monks, residing mostly in southern India, lived lives of discipline. They adhered to a philosophy of non-violence, respected and lived close to the earth, and subsisted as vegetarians. They were observant of animals and contemplated self and nature, living in harmony with their environment.They often imitated the actions and behavior of the animals they knew to incorporate the energy, strength or specific character of each animal into their own essence through special exercises and practices.

Throughout the ages, their body of knowledge for health and related exercise grew as these monks continued mastery of body to attain increased energy with which to pursue the 'ultimate truth'.

The word 'yoga', from the Sanskrit 'yug', was first mentioned in the oldest of the sacred Indian manuscripts, the 'Rig Vada'. The 'Vedas' are a collection of Sanskrit texts, songs and rituals used by the Vedic priests, or Brahmans. 'Yoga' is defined in these writings as meaning 'to yoke or bind together', or 'discipline' At this point in history, however, there is no systematic practice of yoga illustrated, although archeological artifacts dated to 4000 - 5000 years ago do show evidence of yoga poses.

The Vedic priests developed and refined Yoga over time, documenting their beliefs and practices in their sacred writings, the 'Upanishads'. The Upanishads consist of a body of more than 200 scriptures - the 'Bhagavad-Gita' - dating to around 500 BC, as the most most widely known.

The Upanishads transformed ritual sacrifice from the Vedas into a discipline of ego sacrifice through self-realization, wisdom (jnana yoga) and action (karma yoga).

The next major period of evolution came with the initial systematic discipline of Yoga, written by Patanjali -- the 'Yoga-Sutras'. With the proliferation of so many yoga styles, this work of 195 maxims brought standardization to the practice of yoga.

Often referred to as "Classical Yoga", this manuscript, written in the second century, concerns the path of Raja Yoga (The 8-limb path of Yoga), and was intended for memorization to internalize its wisdom. A major hallmark of this "Classical Yoga" system, which differentiated itself from other forms, is the advocation of the study of the sacred scriptures as part of the yoga practice.

The most striking difference imparted through this new system, however, was the new concept of practicing separation of the mind/body from the spirit in the process of purification of the spirit, a major departure from the teachings of pre-classical yoga, which adhere to the mind-body-spirit connection of practice.

Patanjali's system of yoga practice follows the "eight limbed path", or steps and levels toward gaining enlightenment, or 'Samadhi' - the sublime. This path includes (The 8 Limbs of Classical Yoga): ethics (yama) and self-restraint (niyama). It then incorporates yoga exercise postures (asanas), breath control (pranayama), sensual detachment (pratyahara), concentration (dharana) and meditiation (dhyana) to reach the self-actualized state of being - ecstasy, or the sublime (Samadhi).

Patanjali is predominantly considered the father of yoga and his Yoga-Sutras help define and influence all styles of modern yoga known today.

Patanjali influenced yogis of the following centuries, who placed more emphasis on meditation, abandoning emphasis on the asansas as the path to Samadhi.

Several hundred years after Patanjali, with the advent of alchemy, the zeitgeist shifted yogic thinking again. Their approach to achieve enlightenment reintroduced focus on the exercise of the physical body. Yogis sought now to prove that the body's biochemistry could be altered through yogic asanas, and dedicated their efforts to longevity through rejuvenation of the body. The focus on Asanas again became primary, and a circle back to some of the Pre-Classical and Vedic teachings was completed.

The Post-classical Yoga years saw the creation of many new branches or schools of holistic yoga practice. The abiding philosophy was no longer to escape reality, but to appreciate the present.

Tantra Yoga was created during this era, introducing radical procedures to cleanse the body and mind. This physical, body-spiritual orientation laid the foundation for the creation of Hatha Yoga.

After the Bhagavad Gita and Yoga Sutra manuscripts, the most reknowned and fundamental Yoga text is the 'Hatha Yoga Pradipika', attributed to Swami Swatamarama, a 15th century Indian yogic sage. This work provides detailed writings of the major asanas, pranayama, bandha and mudra that are recognized still today by students of yoga. The system of 'Hatha yoga' is primarily understood in the West to mean - or actually to be- "yoga", although it is but one of the many styles or disciplines.

Lord Adi Nath, another name for Lord Shiva, is believed to have whispered the secret of Hatha Yoga to Parvati, his divine consort, and this yoga discipline is dedicated to him.

The nineteenth and twentieth centuries find yoga still evolving. Hatha Yoga gained wide acclaim through the work of T. Krishnamacharya, who traveled throughout India, and started the first yoga school. Three of his student followers perpetuated his work and heightened Hatha yoga popularity.

Yoga masters, or swamis, then began traveling to the West in the latter 1800's to early 1900's, teaching and assuming followers of their disciplines there. Here, Eastern philosophy, filtered through the cultural prism of the West, further distilled yoga concepts and brought spiritual awareness, while slowly assuming Western influences.

In spite of its initial impact, yoga developed slowly in the West until Indra Devi opened a yoga studio in Hollywood in 1947, pioneering increased popularity, and enlisting millions more followers.

Some of the most reknowned yoga gurus, who helped spread yoga tradition in the West, and primarily the United States, include Ramakrishna, who sent his student abroad, Swami Vivekanada, and perhaps the best known, Swami Paramashansa Yogananda.

Yogananda, whose teachings are still widely popular today, founded the Self-Realization Fellowship and wrote 'Autobiography of a Yogi'. Other contributory yogis include Krishnamurt, best known for Jnana-Yoga, and Maharishi Mahesh Yogi. The latter guru is one of the most recent to spread his style of practice to the West, and perhaps the most widely recognized. His association with the Beatles popularized Transcendental Meditation (TM) in the 1960's.

Yoga continues to evolve today. The practice of yoga in the West has shifted from its sacred origins to the physical orientation of health improvement for the most part. The most widely practiced yoga style today focuses on exercise and breath control in the practice of Hatha Yoga, or just 'yoga', as is it most understand outside of Hindu culture. Learning to focus the energy of life and to enhance it is said to awaken the body's dormant psycho-spiritual energy.

The last century has documented the creation and evolution of many yoga styles: Bikram, Lyengar and Power Yoga to mention a few of the over ten styles now known. Each style was developed to accommodate different targets and trchniques, from slow, calming and restorative to highly energized exercises.

Yoga, the oldest system of personal development in the world, evolved over time through learned observation and scientific process. The idea of finding our "truth" through the unification of mind, body and spirit has evolved through time from strict, ancient, ascetic disciplines to the all-out more "modern" version of Tantric body-pleasing practices. But in each of the styles, the mind-body-spirit connection is pursued, and regardless of which type you may choose to suit you, the deepest aspects and benefits of Yoga will likely infiltrate your essence. Encompassing the whole of mind, body and spirit, yoga serves to unite one's own consciousness with the Universal Consciousness.

Yoga itself will change through the filters of time and cultures, but so, too, will cultures be influenced by the time-honored healing and heightened connection of Yoga, which has always been its main purpose.