Yoga means addition -the addition of energy, strength, and beauty to the body. It is well said, “Body is a temple, keep it calm, clean for the soul to reside in”. “Yoga aasan’s” are the best ways among all to do it. Yoga can be seen as a source of inner energy that empowers our body mind and soul. In this article, we will discuss how yoga came into existence and the benefits of Yoga.
“Yoga” is the journey of the self through the self, to the self. However, it is a light that once lit will never dim. On the other hand, the more you will practice, the better will be your inner flame.
Benefits of Yoga
Yoga is a perfect way to find what you are. It can also be said that Yoga is a path to get the whole universe inside oneself.
Yoga is solely adopted for achieving the attachment of the soul to God. Above all benefits, Yoga helps in supplying rich blood to the brain and various parts of the spinal cord. They all are necessary to take a breath, to relax and to concentrate.
Yoga Asan’s for meditation include sitting in a steady and relaxed body. Secondly, perform Hatha Yoga followed by Modern Yoga. It includes bending, twisting, standing, inverting or balancing and steady poses.
Patanjali calls it’s for sitting in the 8 Limbs of system. Hatha Yoga asserts that there are 84 Asan’s.
The Eight Limbs of Yoga are:
- Yamas (codes of social conduct),
- Niyamas (self observance),
- Asanas (postures),
- Pranayam (breathwork),
- Pratyahara (sense of non-attachment),
- Dharma (concentration),
- Dhyana (meditation),
- Samadhi (realization true self or atama and unity Brahma).
Read about 8 limbs in detail: Click here
Existence of Yoga
But have you ever get an idea about how this beautiful sense of self-exploration came into existence?
The term “yoga asana” came into origination from Indus-Saraswat Civilization in Northern India, over 5,000 years ago. Yoga’s rich long history can be categorized into mainly four different periods.
1. Pre-classical Yoga:-
Pre-Classical Yoga is mentioned in the ancient hallowed text with the name “Rig Veda”. This Veda is a rich collection of mantras, songs, and rituals used by the Brahman tribe. Brahma’s and Rishis slowly brought Pre-Classical Yoga up-to constant refinement. Their documentation is known as “Upanishad”, which is a collection of 200 or more scriptures. The most esteemed among all yoga scriptures is “Bhagvat -Gita”, composed of 500 B.C.F. It teaches the knowledge of letting go one’s Ego and begin the self-knowledge, through our own action and deeds also known as KARMA.
2. Classical Yoga:-
In the “Pre-classical Yoga” the above stage is misleading to various Beliefs, ideas, and Techniques. The ‘Patanjali yoga’ sutras are the first systematic presentation of yoga and which brings into existence “Raja Yoga”. The “Patanjali Yoga” organized this Yoga in the “eight-limbed path”.
3. Post-Classical Yoga:-
After Patanjali’s Yoga Guru’s created a system of practicing and redesigning the life or body. They focused on the physical body to the means of Enlightenment. In the same vein, they developed Tantra Yoga, which helps the knots that bind Minds to physical existence and cleans the body. It led to the creation of Yoga called “HATHA YOGA”.
4 Modern Periods:-
Then by Travelling to Northern to western areas Yoga master in late 18’s and 19’s. In 1893 Swami Vivekananda vowed lectures in Chicago. Later, in 1930 the HATHA YOGA was prominently come into existence by the promotional work of T.Krishnamacharya, Swami Sivananda and other Yogis. He opened the first Yoga school is 1936 and in Mysore. Sivananda founded the divine life society on the banks of holy GANGA. He appointed a student who brought further the legacy of Hatha Yoga.
However, B.K.S Iyengar, T.k.v Desikachar and Pattabhi Jois Sivananda were prolific authors who wrote 200 Books on Yoga. They also established Ashram and numerous Yoga centers which are located all around the world.
India Devi opened a Yoga studio in Hollywood in 1947, then Hatha yoga becomes much more popular with different styles and emphasis on different practices.
