Yoga was first developed as a spiritual practice in the Indus Sarasvati civilization. Its evolution was recorded in the Upanishads, a series of Hindu philosophical-religious sacred texts.
The yogis of this period focused on meditation and contemplation to attain a state of nirvana. This approach to yoga was later incorporated into hatha yoga.
Origins
The earliest shreds of evidence for yoga come from the Indus-Sarasvati Civilization, and have been dated to around 5,000 years ago. It was a part of the Hindu religious and cultural tradition at this time.
The first yogic scriptures were written during this period. These ancient texts on spiritual teachings and Hinduism were called the Vedas. They were refined and developed by Brahmans and Rishis, enlightened mystic seers. Around 500 BCE, one of the most well-known yogic scriptures, the Bhagavad Gita, was created. It encouraged a life of self-sacrifice and focused on karma yoga (action) and jnana yoga (wisdom).
Up until the 19th century, most of the practice was taught by men. Swami Vivekananda was one of the first to popularize Yoga in the Western world, through his lectures at the Parliament of Religions in Chicago in 1893.
Development
Yoga was developed as a spiritual practice by the Indus-Sarasvati civilization in Northern India over 5,000 years ago. It was slowly refined and developed by Brahmans and Rishis (mystic seers) who documented their practices in the upanishads, a huge work that contains over 200 scriptures.
The upanishads delved deeper into the philosophy of yoga, exploring different paths to enlightenment such as Karma Yoga, Bhakti Yoga and Jnana Yoga. The most renowned of these upanishads is the Bhagavad Gita, which presents a dialogue between Prince Arjuna and Lord Krishna on how to achieve enlightenment through devotional, selfless action and wisdom.
Throughout the ages, Yoga continued to develop into several distinct forms including Bhakti and Hatha Yoga. The latter is the form that has become most familiar to Westerners, incorporating physical postures into a holistic practice.
Dissemination
In the 1800s and 1900s, yoga became more widely known as a practice when several Indian spiritual teachers and gurus started spreading the word. Swami Vivekananda spoke at numerous world conferences and popularized yoga in the West when he wrote over 200 books on it.
He promoted a philosophy that incorporated meditation and physical postures. He also emphasized the use of kriyas and pranayama to cleanse the body and mind.
The use of the term ‘yoga’ reflects the yoking or joining together of self and universe as expressed in the Rig Veda, one of the earliest Hindu scriptures. Yoga grew into a global cultural force, shaping literature, religion and even art and science.
Influence
Yoga has become a unifying force in the world. From the bustling streets of Syracuse to serene ashrams in India, yoga has embraced the diversity of cultures and backgrounds to foster a community that is united by its core principles.
This is especially true in the West, where yoga has exploded in popularity as a form of mind-body health. It is now a common practice in many different settings, and the discipline continues to evolve as more research proves its efficacy.
Yoga’s roots can be traced back to the Indus-Sarasvati civilization over 5,000 years ago when it was developed by the Rishis (mystic seers). The oral wisdom of this time was later documented in the Vedas which consists of five parts containing chants and rituals performed by Brahmin priests. These texts were augmented by the Upanishads which are gnostic scriptures expounding the path to Self-realization.
Conclusions
The pre-classical period was a jumble of ideas and practices, and it wasn’t until Patanjali ushered in the classical period that yoga began to take shape. This is when the practice started to become more organized, and it’s during this time that many of the meditative aspects of yoga were developed.
At this point, most yogis and yoginis were focused on transcending the body and merging with formless reality (Samadhi). They were highly dedicated, and they would only practice as long as it was necessary to achieve their goals.
Throughout the years, yoga’s evolved into several different styles and approaches, but its authentic core has never left the scene. With yoga studios and retreats all over the world, its popularity continues to rise as more people seek ways of connecting mind, body, and spirit.