Origin of Yoga

"Yoga is a light that, once lit, will never dim, and as your practice becomes stronger, the flame becomes brighter."

What does the Word ‘Yoga’ Mean?

If we go by the dictionary definition, then yoga can be defined as a set of physical and mental exercises intended to give control over the body and mind (1^✔ ✔Trusted Source
Exploring the therapeutic effects of yoga and its ability to increase quality of life

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But the word ‘yoga’ is beyond this definition; it is a spiritual discipline based on a highly subtle science that focuses on bringing mind and body into harmony. It is the art and science of living a healthy lifestyle.

Looking at the etymology of it, ‘Yoga’ is a term derived from the Sanskrit root 'Yuj,' which means "to join," "to bind," or "to unite," as according to Yogic texts, it is the union of individual consciousness with that of the universal consciousness, implying complete harmony between the mind and body; man and nature (2^✔ ✔Trusted Source
Yoga: Its Origin, History and Development

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Origin and History of Yoga: Tracing Back to the Ancient Roots of Yoga

Due to the oral transmission of sacred texts and the esoteric nature of its teachings, yoga's past is riddled with mystery and confusion. Early literature on yoga was recorded on delicate palm leaves, which were easily damaged, destroyed, or lost.

Yoga's origins may date back over 5,000 years, but other researchers believe it may be as old as 10,000 years or even more years old. The lengthy and illustrious history of yoga can be split into four major periods of innovation, practice, and progress(3^✔ ✔Trusted Source
Yoga: Past and Present

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1. Pre-Classical Yoga
2. Classical Yoga
3. Post-Classical Yoga
4. Modern Period Yoga

Satya Yuga: The Golden Age of Yoga 

This age of yoga went undocumented, but it is believed that the origin of yoga in India happened almost 20,000 years ago, when the first Yogi appeared in the upper Himalayas and taught yoga to the seven sages, named Saptha Rishis.

But who was this first yogi who taught the seven sages?

Shiva was regarded as the first yogi, or Adiyogi, as well as the first Guru, or Adi Guru, in yogic literature. He was the one who infused vast knowledge into the Saptarishis, or "seven sages," some thousand years ago on the banks of the Himalayan lake Kantisarovar.

Thus, it can be said that yoga has been in practice since the origin of civilization, even before the birth of the first religions or belief systems (2^✔ ✔Trusted Source
Yoga: Its Origin, History and Development

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Pre-Classical Yoga

Knowledge about the origins of yoga in India did not surface until the discovery of the Indus Valley civilization, the largest civilization known to have existed. Excavations provide evidence of yoga's existence during this period, with yogi-like figures engraved on soapstone seals having been unearthed. 

Knowledge about the origins of yoga in India did not surface until the discovery of the Indus Valley civilization, the largest civilization known to have existed. Excavations provide evidence of yoga's existence during this period, with yogi-like figures engraved on soapstone seals having been unearthed.

Over 5,000 years ago, the Indus-Sarasvati civilization in northern India developed the foundations of yoga. Yoga was originally adapted from the Rig Veda, the earliest religious literature (4^✔ ✔Trusted Source
Discuss evidence of the Yoga practices in the Pre-Vedic Indus-Saraswati Valley

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The First Documentation of Yoga

The Vedas were a collection of books that included hymns, mantras, and rituals for use by Brahmans, or Vedic priests. The Brahmans and Rishis (mystic seers) gradually improved and extended yoga by documenting their practices and beliefs in the Upanishads, a massive compilation containing over 200 scriptures. 

The most famous of the Yogic scriptures is the Bhagavad-Gita, which was written approximately 500 B.C.E. The Upanishads internalized the Vedic concept of ceremonial sacrifice, teaching ego sacrifice through self-knowledge, action (karma yoga), and wisdom (jnana yoga) (5^✔ ✔Trusted Source
Vedic Yoga: The Path of the Rishi

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Classical Yoga

During the pre-classical period, yoga was a mishmash of various ideas, beliefs, and techniques that frequently clashed and contradicted one another. Which is when the legendary sage, Patanjali presented Patanjali's Yoga-Sutras, the earliest systematic presentation of yoga, which characterize the classical period.

  This treatise, written somewhere in the second century, defines the way of Raja Yoga, sometimes known as ‘classical yoga (6^✔ ✔Trusted Source
Yoga - an ancient solution to a modern epidemic. Ready for prime time?

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Patanjali, the Father of Yoga

Patanjali organized yoga practice into an "eight-limbed path," encompassing the steps and stages to achieving Samadhi, or enlightenment. Patanjali is widely regarded as the father of yoga, and his Yoga Sutras continue to have a profound influence on most modern yoga systems (7^✔ ✔Trusted Source
Clinical hypnosis and Patanjali yoga sutras

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Post-Classical Yoga: The Shift to Tantra Yoga

They abandoned the traditional Vedic teachings and embraced the physical body as the way to enlightenment. They created Tantra Yoga, which includes radical procedures for cleansing the body and mind in order to untie the ties that bind us to our physical lives. This research on physical-spiritual linkages and body-centred practices resulted in the development of what we commonly refer to as yoga in the West: Hatha Yoga (8^✔ ✔Trusted Source
Yoga - an ancient solution to a modern epidemic. Ready for prime time?

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The Modern Era of Yoga: The Inception of Hatha Yoga

Hatha Yoga was heavily promoted in India during the 1920s and 1930s thanks to the work of T. Krishnamacharya, Swami Sivananda, and other Hatha Yoga practitioners. In 1924, Krishnamacharya established the first Hatha Yoga school in Mysore, and in 1936, Sivananda established the Divine Life Society on the banks of the sacred Ganges River.

The emphasis on physical poses, or asanas, as well as the addition of meditation and mindfulness practices, distinguish modern yoga from yoga from other periods (2^✔ ✔Trusted Source
Yoga: Its Origin, History and Development

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Yoga Travels to the West: A Move to Historical Evolution

Yoga gurus began to travel to the West in the late 1800s and early 1900s, gaining attention and disciples.

Yoga's introduction to the West remained slow until Indra Devi founded her Hollywood yoga facility in 1947. Many more western and Indian teachers have followed in their footsteps, popularizing hatha yoga and gaining millions of followers. Hatha yoga now has a plethora of schools or styles, each emphasizing a distinct aspect of the practice.

Yoga has been evolving, with fresh approaches and forms being developed and improved throughout time. Yoga was brought to the Western world in the twentieth century, when it gained popularity as a unique form of physical, mental, and spiritual practice. It has built-in methods of relaxation and provides relief from stress (9^✔ ✔Trusted Source
Acute and Chronic Effects of Tantric Yoga Practice on Distress Index

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From Origin to Evolution of Yoga Over the Years

Yoga, like any other science, is always changing. But yoga is more than science. It's a philosophy and way of life that appears to be becoming increasingly open to interpretation as it grows in popularity around the world, which is the main reason why it has come a long way since its mention in the Rigveda, around 5000 years ago (10^✔ ✔Trusted Source
A century of ‘The science of yoga’ (1921–2021): Revival, renewal and renaissance

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Different Forms of Yoga

Yoga grew and varied over time into numerous forms such as Karma Yoga, Bhakti Yoga, Jnana Yoga, Raja Yoga, and Hatha Yoga, Yoga has grown in popularity around the world, not solely as a means of exercise but also as a way to promote general well-being and achieve spiritual and mental equilibrium (11^✔ ✔Trusted Source
A glimpse of Ayurveda - The forgotten history and principles of Indian traditional medicine

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Recognizing the Yoga Day Internationally

The biggest milestone in the history and evolution of yoga was its recognition. On December 11, 2014, the UN proclaimed June 21 as International Yoga Day. Authorities chose the date because it is the longest day and is considered an important day in many parts of the world (12^✔ ✔Trusted Source
Report of the committee on yoga education in universities

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Yoga Has Evolved into a Million Dollar Asset

Developments in health care and science, shifts in lifestyles and society, and the introduction of new technology have all had an impact on modern yoga. Yoga is now practiced by millions of human beings worldwide, and meets many needs related to chronic diseases and mental health. It has slowly shaped into a multibillion-dollar business (13^✔ ✔Trusted Source
International Day of Yoga 21 June

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Yoga Paves its Way into Medical Science

Yoga has made its way not only into Western society, but also into Western medicine in the last decade. The more we understand about this ancient practice, the clearer it seems that its advantages extend far beyond improved flexibility and muscular tone.

Although Hatha Yoga, or the physical practice of yoga, does emphasize appropriate postural alignment, musculoskeletal strength and endurance, as well as balance, the study and practice of yoga incorporate mindfulness-based practices such as mindful breathing techniques, focused concentration, meditation, and self-reflection (14^✔ ✔Trusted Source
Medical Yoga Therapy

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Benefits of Yoga with Medical Evidence

Modern medicine has so far been able to heal physical diseases and, to some extent, alleviate psychological disorders; however, there are short-comings with the current medical way of healing as it fails to heal the emotional, intellectual, and personality layers of the human entity. The discipline of yoga offers individuals a timeless and holistic path of healing (15^✔ ✔Trusted Source
Modern Medicine: Towards Prevention, Cure, Well-being and Longevity

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Yoga- A Union between Physical and Mental Health

Yoga connects the physical with the mental health and helps provide inner peace and well-being. Yoga effectively suspends the fluctuations of the mind, and by making the mind act consciously, it helps a person to live better and suffer less (16^✔ ✔Trusted Source
Exploring the therapeutic effects of yoga and its ability to increase quality of life

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A Comprehensive Review of Yoga Research in 2020 in Medical Literature found 1149 citations that referred to yoga, and 46 studies met the eligibility criteria for this research review to look at benefits from yoga.

It was found that most studies were predominantly on mental health and neuropsychology, addressing various issues such as anxiety, postural balance, migraine, academic performance, and childhood neglect.

Other Health Benefits of Yoga

Anxiety, stress, and depression were other common denominators. Eight studies were found to be on cardiorespiratory systems, including exercise capacity, cardiac rehabilitation, myocardial infarction, and hypertension. Three studies were on diabetes, evaluating the effect of yoga.

Five studies focused on cognition, health status, and autonomic regulation and a few others included cancer, infertility, ulcerative colitis, urinary incontinence, restless leg syndrome, rheumatoid arthritis, chronic pain, and metabolic syndrome (17^✔ ✔Trusted Source
A Comprehensive Review of Yoga Research in 2020

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Some of the benefits of Yoga for which there is medical evidence available are as follows:

1. It increases balance and flexibility
2. It alleviates anxiety and stress
3. It improves endurance and strength
4. Improves cognition and mental clarity
5. Enhances immune system activity
6. Cholesterol levels and blood pressure are reduced
7. Increases the quality and duration of sleep
8. Helps to alleviate inflammation and chronic pain
9. Encourages good weight control
10. Improves general feelings of well-being