The History of Yoga

Ashley McNair

The Establishment of Yoga

• the roots of Yoga can be traced as long as 5000 years back

• earliest reference to Yoga was found when archeological excavations where made in the Indus valley

• Archeological findings revealed a portrait of a human being or god meditating in what looks like a Yoga posture

The 6 types of Yoga

1.) Vedic Yoga2.) Pre-classical yoga

3.) Classical yoga4.) Post-classical yoga

5.) Modern Yoga6.) Yoga Today

Vedic Yoga The Vedas is the sacred

scripture of Brahmanism that is the basis of modern-day

Hinduism The Vedas is a compilation

of hymns and rituals over 3000 years old

Revolves around the thought of reuniting the visible material world with the invisible spiritual world by sacrificing certain things.

Pre- Classical Yoga

• The creation of the Upanishads marks the Pre-Classical Yoga.

• The 200 scriptures of the Upanishads describe the inner vision of reality resulting from devotion to Brahman.

• These explain three subjects: the ultimate reality (Brahman), the transcendental self (atman), and the relationship between the two. The Upanishads further explain the teachings of the Vedas.

Classical Yoga

• The eight-limbed Yoga described in the Sutras by Patanjali is usually referred to as Classical Yoga.

• The Yoga Sutras where most likely written around year 100-200 A.C. and consists of about 200 aphorisms

• Many yogis see it as an important source of yogic understanding

Post- Classical

• Post-classical Yoga differs from the first three since its focus is more on the present. It no longer strives to liberate a person from reality but rather teaches one to accept it and live at the moment.

• As opposed to Patanjalis's Yoga, the Yoga of this era was, very much like the post-classical and Vedic traditions, characterized by an non-dualistic nature.

Modern Yoga

• Began at the Parliament of Religions in Chicago, 1893

• Swami Vivekananda made his historic address that proliferate the movement of yogic concepts to the West

• Yoga schools where founded and increasing numbers of people fell in love with the yogic forms of exercise

Yoga Today

• Gained tremendously in popularity during the last few years, and today over 30 million people practice Yoga on a regular basis

• Most rapidly growing health movement of today, despite having existed for thousands of years already

• Yoga helps people to gain control over the stress that exists in their everyday lives