The origins of Yoga

Spiritual Traditions of Prehistoric Civilizations

• According to archaeologists, seals depicting people meditating and sitting in specific postures were unearthed in the ruins of the Indus Valley Civilization (approximately 3300 BC to 1300 BC), which is considered one of the earliest pieces of evidence of yoga activities.
• These early spiritual practices, which combined the exploration of nature, the universe and human self-awareness, laid the foundation for the later yoga system.

Vedic Period (1500 BC to 500 BC)

• The word yoga first appeared in the ancient Indian Vedas, especially in the Rigveda, where “yuj” was mentioned, meaning connection, combination or unity.
• Yoga in the Vedic period was mainly about achieving unity with the divine and cosmic power through poetry, rituals and meditation.

Upanishads and Inner Yoga

• In the Upanishads, written between 800 and 200 BC, yoga thought was further deepened, emphasizing the realization of the unity of the individual soul (Atman) and the cosmic origin (Brahman) through meditation (Dhyana) and knowledge (Jnana).
• The Upanishads put forward the concepts of mind control and self-awareness, providing a philosophical basis for the various yoga schools of later generations.

Classification of Yoga in the Bhagavad Gita

The Bhagavad Gita, a major text in the ancient Indian epic Mahabharata, systematically outlines the three main forms of yoga:

Patanjali and the Yoga Sutras

Between the 2nd century BC and the 4th century AD, the sage Patanjali compiled the Yoga Sutras, which systematically organized the scattered yoga practices and philosophical theories.

The Yoga Sutras proposed the famous Ashtanga Yoga (Eight Limbs) system, which includes:

1. Yama — moral restraints.
2. Self-discipline (Niyama) — personal observances.
3. Asana — physical posture.
4. Breathing Control (Pranayama) — regulation of the breath.
5. Pratyahara — withdrawal of the senses.
6. Dharana — concentration.
7. Meditation (Dhyana) — sustained focus of the mind.
8. Samadhi — absorption or enlightenment.

The Eight Limbs of Yoga became the fundamental framework for yoga practice in later generations.

Hatha Yoga in the Middle Ages

• From about the 9th to the 15th century AD, Hatha Yoga emerged, emphasizing the transformation of body and mind through postures (Asana), breathing control (Pranayama) and energy control (Kundalini).
• The development of Hatha Yoga further integrated elements of physical exercise into the purely spiritual level of yoga.

The Globalization of Modern Yoga

• In the late 19th and early 20th centuries, Indian yoga masters such as Swami Vivekananda introduced yoga to the Western world.
• In the 20th century, legendary masters such as T. Krishnamacharya, B.K.S. Iyengar and Pattabhi Jois promoted Asana Yoga around the world, giving rise to various schools (such as Iyengar Yoga, Ashtanga Yoga and Flow Yoga).