Yoga, and Its Evolution Down the Ages
Yoga, as we know it, has evolved down the centuries from its ancient pure form, to the modern version that we practice today.
In order to really understand and appreciate Yoga, you have to get to its roots which came into being more than 4 to 5,000 years ago in India.
According to some scholars, it is as old as civilization itself, although, there is no actual evidence to prove this.
Although no one really knows who the first Yogi was, references to yoga were first discovered when archaeological excavations were carried out in the Indus valley.
Among some of the findings in the two largest cities in the Indus Valley, there was a portrait of either a God or human being in Yoga like pose.
Different Yoga postures, also known as the Rig-Vida works is said to be dated as far back as 3000 to 5000 years BC.
Evidence of its existence has also been found in stone seals depicting various yoga poses.
It is believed that Yoga Sutras which are generally referred to as Classical Yoga were most probably written in the years 100-200AC and is mostly studied by serious Yoga practitioners even today.
Followers of Classical Yoga concentrated all their energies on thought and meditation in order to leave their bodies and the world and unite with the soul.
The evolution of the Post Classical Yoga took place a few hundred years after the Classical Yoga period when it took an interesting turn.
In the Post classical Yoga era, the focus of attention was directed towards the human body; the physical aspect of it, as opposed to the mind and soul which was the early form of Yoga.
That is why the word "Yoga" now means a union of the mind, body and spirit or soul.
Modern Yoga evolved in 1893 in Chicago when a young Indian swami who became a Member of Parliament introduced Yoga to America.
His form of Yoga exercise became so popular that many followed Swami Vivekananda on his tours across the continent spreading Yoga throughout America, although for reasons unknown it never really caught on in Europe.
However, it was in the 1950s that Yoga as it is known today, was introduced to the world of sports when the book "Sports and Yoga" was written by "Selvarajan Yesudian" a popular teacher of Yoga at that time.
This book is said to have been translated into 14 languages and believed to have sold more than half a million copies.
Today, of course Yoga has become extremely popular and almost a way of life for most Americans who swear by it.
It is even said that the Dalai Lama is a great believer of Yoga, practicing a Tibetan form of Yoga which has been one of the reasons for many westerners to want to learn more about this amazing form of exercise known as Yoga, which connects the mind, body and spirit.
Yoga indeed has come a long way from even before our great great grandma's days and the mystique attached to it will go on making human beings want to learn more about this ancient and rich tradition.
In order to really understand and appreciate Yoga, you have to get to its roots which came into being more than 4 to 5,000 years ago in India.
According to some scholars, it is as old as civilization itself, although, there is no actual evidence to prove this.
Although no one really knows who the first Yogi was, references to yoga were first discovered when archaeological excavations were carried out in the Indus valley.
Among some of the findings in the two largest cities in the Indus Valley, there was a portrait of either a God or human being in Yoga like pose.
Different Yoga postures, also known as the Rig-Vida works is said to be dated as far back as 3000 to 5000 years BC.
Evidence of its existence has also been found in stone seals depicting various yoga poses.
It is believed that Yoga Sutras which are generally referred to as Classical Yoga were most probably written in the years 100-200AC and is mostly studied by serious Yoga practitioners even today.
Followers of Classical Yoga concentrated all their energies on thought and meditation in order to leave their bodies and the world and unite with the soul.
The evolution of the Post Classical Yoga took place a few hundred years after the Classical Yoga period when it took an interesting turn.
In the Post classical Yoga era, the focus of attention was directed towards the human body; the physical aspect of it, as opposed to the mind and soul which was the early form of Yoga.
That is why the word "Yoga" now means a union of the mind, body and spirit or soul.
Modern Yoga evolved in 1893 in Chicago when a young Indian swami who became a Member of Parliament introduced Yoga to America.
His form of Yoga exercise became so popular that many followed Swami Vivekananda on his tours across the continent spreading Yoga throughout America, although for reasons unknown it never really caught on in Europe.
However, it was in the 1950s that Yoga as it is known today, was introduced to the world of sports when the book "Sports and Yoga" was written by "Selvarajan Yesudian" a popular teacher of Yoga at that time.
This book is said to have been translated into 14 languages and believed to have sold more than half a million copies.
Today, of course Yoga has become extremely popular and almost a way of life for most Americans who swear by it.
It is even said that the Dalai Lama is a great believer of Yoga, practicing a Tibetan form of Yoga which has been one of the reasons for many westerners to want to learn more about this amazing form of exercise known as Yoga, which connects the mind, body and spirit.
Yoga indeed has come a long way from even before our great great grandma's days and the mystique attached to it will go on making human beings want to learn more about this ancient and rich tradition.
Source...