Yoga

Yoga is one of the oldest forms of exercise on the planet (if you want to simplify it as merely an exercise). It is diverse as it is ancient with many, many forms of yoga developing over the centuries.  In Australia it is seen as a form of physical exercises to tone and stretch the body while relaxing the mind and controlling the emotions but it's origins depict a much deeper meaning aimed at spiritual enlightenment.

History of Yoga

The history of yoga is obscure and heavily debated.  Although the time frame varies many estimates are that yoga is around 5,000 years old.  The debate centres around ancient carvings and other historical factors that may or may not be yoga postures.  Regardless of this yoga is mentioned in the vedic shastras ( Hindu religious texts) going back 4,000 years. Yoga is mentioned in the Upanishads (which are principal texts of the Vedanta, considered the culmination of all Vedic philosophy). Teachings found in the Vedas are called Vedic Yoga.

Around 500 B.C., the Bhagavad-Gita was created. It is devoted entirely to Yoga and has confirmed that it has been an old practice for some time. The main point to the Gita is to be alive means to be active and r to avoid difficulties in our lives and in others (re-incarnation), our actions have to benign and have to exceed our egos.

Yoga Sutra was written by Patanjali in the second century as an attempt to define and standardise classical yoga. It is composed of 195 aphorisms or sutras that expound upon the Raja Yoga and its underlying principle, Patanjali's Eightfold path of Yoga (also called Eight Limbs of Classical Yoga).  His philosophy was the opposite of previous teachings in that it taught separating matter and spirit rather than creating a union of the two.

Early in the 19th century Yoga was introduced in the West as studies in Eastern Philosophy and began as a movement for health and vegetarianism in the 1930's. By the 1960's, there was an influx of Indian teachers who expounded on Yoga. Many styles and yogis spread the philosophy and techniques from that time.

Yoga Styles