How yoga originate?

(July 3, 2010)

Yoga is an Indian form of physical and mental exercise. The origin of yoga traces back to ancient times in India, a country where the art has been practiced for thousands of years. Yoga continues to be practiced in India and, in the modern world, is being used as a form of therapy to relieve a person from stress and physical pain. The word Yoga comes from the roots of a word which means ‘to join’. The ancient art of yoga was performed so that yogis could achieve spiritual enlightenment and liberate themselves from the problems of mortal beings around them. The yoga origins trace back to the gurus and sages of India who used to practice this art as a means of gaining spiritual enlightenment. This is why, even now, yoga is often associated with the Holy Spirit and is practiced by most spiritual gurus.

The origin of yoga as we know it can be traced back to the sage Patanjali. Patanjali was responsible for cataloguing the various different actions required to perform yoga. These actions included physical poses, breathing techniques and concentration exercises. The aim of all yoga is to release the tension in the body, thus releasing the tension in the mind. A person who is relieved of such tension is likely to have a better frame of mind. The phrase ‘Om’ is chanted as it has a relaxing effect both mentally and physically. When chanted properly and continuously, the sound resonates in the body and provides a physical relief to the body.

Patanjali’s contribution to yoga origin is immense. Using various creatures and mathematical shapes, Patanjali was able to give names to the various poses practiced in yoga. Modern yoga poses are all a direct link to this catalogue of yoga positions created by Patanjali. In ancient times, yoga was used even for military warfare, where the soldiers would meditate and perform various yoga positions so that their minds and bodies were completely tuned and ready for the physical and mental stresses that lay ahead.

Another thing established during the origins of yoga is that yoga is inclusive. After Patanjali’s thorough documentation of yoga, it was no longer restricted to sages and royalty. The positions were taught to anyone who wished to understand the art of yoga and the practice became spread far and wide amongst the general public which is one of the reasons why yoga remains established today.

Submitted by A on July 3, 2010 at 10:40