History Of Yoga

Yoga began in India 3,000 to 4,000 years ago. Yoga comes from the Sanskrit language and means, to join or integrate, or simply union. Yoga started, as far as we know, as part of India's philosophical system, but not everyone practiced yoga, and it has never been a religion.

About 5 million people in the United States do some yoga. Dance and stretching exercise classes usually have parts and pieces directly from yoga. If you ever go to a physical therapist, he or she may give you therapeutic exercises that are yoga postures.

There are several types of yoga. The yoga you may have seen on TV or taught at your local Y or an adult education class is called hatha yoga, or physical yoga. Sometimes it's known as yoga for health. You may also find yoga being taught in a hospital or medical setting. Many health professionals today feel yoga can be part of a treatment plan.

Much of yoga was taken from ancient tests called Hatha (the physical body). Hatha yoga has three parts: a series of exercises or movements called asana (poses or postures in English), breathing techniques of all kinds, and relaxation.

Many philosophers enjoyed the activity and a variety of styles you could choose. Although yoga is practiced for practical purposes, it can also help to relieve stress and help you relax after a busy day. Yoga can be done by anyone. You can sit in a chair or on the floor. The stretching helps the stiff muscles and the breathing helps to calm.

Yoga is, however, associated with Buddhism. It predates the religion by several centuries. Ancient seals have been found that depict the gods doing the poses from yoga. These were found in the Indus Valley which is one of the first known civilizations here on Earth. The area is located where Pakistan and India are now. The seals suggest that yoga was around before 3000 BC and shows drawings of figures that are in yoga or a meditative-like posture.

There is a great deal of evidence supporting the idea that these pictures depict a form of ritual discipline
which suggests a precursor of yoga. This was pointed out by the archaeologist Gregory Possehl.

He also points out that there is sixteen other “yogi glyptics”. These images point to the fact that the yoga pose may not only have been used by deities but also by humans. Possehl suggests that yoga dates back to the early civilization in the Indus Valley.

here is a very widely known image named the Pashupati seal and it was discovered by John Marshall. He believed that this was a representation of a “proto-Shiva” figure.

Most modern authorities do not believe that this so-called “Pashupati” represents a Rudra or Shiva
figure. Gavin Flood states that these views are merely “speculative”.

He feels that it is not clear from this seal whether the figure is seated in a yoga posture. He does not even know if this shape is supposed to represent a human figure.

Some authorities do support the idea that this ‘Pashupati’ figure does indeed depict a figure in a meditation or a yoga posture. This idea is supported by noted archaeologist Jonathan Mark Kenover.

In 2007, terracotta seals were found in the Cholistan Desert which is located in Pakistan. One of these
seals had three pictographs on one side. When the seal is turned over, there is a “yogi” on the other side.

Yoga is a system of breathing, stretching exercises, and meditation that helps the individual join with the Universal Self. Yoga is widely accepted as a relaxing and healthy practice. Studies have shown that it lowers blood pressure and heart rate, and will help to suppress other body functions so that you can achieve a state of total relaxation.

Yoga means to yoke or unite. Anyone seeking to promote or get their health back to the best state is welcome to try a class. It is said that yoga helps to strengthen and cleanse the body while allowing the mind to focus on connecting with the Universal Self. It is not a creed and does not oppose any world religion.

Meditation is a necessity of yoga. To get all you can out of the exercises, you need to quiet your mind and focus on uniting the body, spirit, and mind. Yoga is a common activity and you get out of it what you put into it. So do your exercises and deep breathing, the results will sow themselves off.

Tina Rose

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