The origin of yoga: This is how yoga came into being
Yoga is an extremely popular leisure activity, but few know how it came about. We'll tell you the origin of physical exercise, which is probably more recent than you think.
The origin of yoga
Yoga began around 700 years ago. Back then, however, it was far from what we understand by the term in the western world today. In the earliest philosophical texts of Hinduism, the Upanishads, the first notes of yogic breathing exercises and meditation techniques already fall. The actual concept of yoga already falls into the middle Upanishads. At that time, however, it was still used with the Sanskrit meaning of the word: "unity".
It is only 300 years ago that yoga was first mentioned as a practical contrast to the theoretical search for enlightenment. Between the 2nd and 4th centuries after our era, the person who laid the foundation for yoga as we know it today appears: Patanjali.
Little is known about him, apart from the fact that he summarized the yogic wisdom of his time in a book. He wrote these wisdom down in 194 verses - the so-called Yoga Sutras. These are mandatory reading for every yogi.
Patanjali divided yoga into four categories: Raja Yoga, Jnana Yoga, Karma Yoga and Bhakti Yoga. All of these described another way to achieve enlightenment.
Raja Yoga described the so-called eight-part meditative path - in Sanskrit "Ashtanga". This is the basis of modern yoga. Originally it was purely meditative practices. The few poses it contained should only prepare the body for long hours of meditation. Only gradually did the physical part, which is known today as asana, develop.
Hatha yoga
Hatha Yoga is known today as a separate style of yoga, in which the poses are held longer. In fact, it is a generic term for any form of physical yoga. Over time, practitioners realized the positive effects of physical yoga on the human body. In addition, according to her own statements, she was able to lead the practice to enlightenment.
In the 14th century, Svatmarama wrote the Hatha Yoga Pradipika. This work was based on Tantrism and was a manual of practical yoga, in contrast to the philosophical yoga sutras.
Among other things, they describe in detail asanas, i.e. poses, as well as the hand signals referred to as mudras. The book also contained practical instructions on breathing techniques and certain cleaning practices. The goal was to create a balance between body and mind. By capturing and directing the various energies in the body, one should get enlightenment.
A modern teacher who had an enormous influence on yoga was Tirumalai Krishnamacharya. Between 1924 and 1989 he traveled through India and presented his students and himself in impressive poses. These demonstrated the strength and elasticity of the yogis, thus increasing the interest in yoga. Krishnamacharya's philosophy was that each student was unique and needed a different kind of yoga. So it was that he prescribed different exercises and practices for each student. This explains why two of his students eventually founded yoga styles that could not have been more different.
Yoga in the west
Krishnamacharya's students Sri K. Patthabi Jois and B.K.S. Iyengar left for the west in the second half of the 20th century. Their goal was to establish yoga there.
B.K.S. Iyengar was very sick and weak as a child. This was reflected in the yoga that his older brother-in-law Krishnamacharya taught him. The Iyengar Yoga developed by Iyengar therefore works with many aids, such as chairs, pillows or the wall.
In 1952, he traveled to the United States for the first time to teach there. During this time he also published "Light on Yoga" and "Light for Life", philosophical texts that are among the most read modern yoga books.
Patthabi Jois, on the other hand, was a strong, athletic boy. So it happened that Krishnamacharya instructed him in a sweaty, physically demanding yoga style:
Vinyasa Yoga. This flowing style combined the breath with the movements.
It was Patthabi Jois who ultimately founded the Ashtanga Vinyasa style, on which the majority of modern yoga is based. His students include Madonna, Sting and Gwyneth Paltrow.
Over the years, yoga has developed into what is practiced and taught in most western studios: for many, the focus is now on physical training.
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