Everything you wanted to know about yoga: 5 interesting facts about this ancient spiritual practice

Yoga is an important trend in Indian culture, which means a set of different spiritual, mental, and physical practices. It is closely related to Hinduism and Buddhism and is aimed at managing the mental and physiological functions of the body.

SSPDaily writes: "The main goal of yoga is to break the endless cycle of rebirth (samsara) and achieve enlightenment – the highest point of spiritual and mental state. In this article, we will briefly tell the story of this ancient practice, which continues to inspire millions of people around the world to self-improvement."

The pre-Vedic and Vedic period

The word "yoga" is first mentioned in the Rigveda, a text dating back to about 1500 BC.

The Atharvaveda, dating from 1200-1000 BC, emphasized the importance of breath control.

Even before that, during the Indus Valley Civilization, around 2700 BC, artifacts and seals depicting people practicing yoga were discovered.

These findings prove that yoga has existed for many thousands of years.

Pre-classical period

The pre-classical period is the time of the appearance of the Upanishads, an ancient Indian religious and philosophical treatise considered to be a supplement to the Vedas.

The Upanishads explored the mind and spirit through personal studies, with a special emphasis on meditation and mantra recitation to achieve enlightenment.

According to The Art of Living, 20 of the 108 Upanishads are devoted to yoga. They discussed various yogic techniques, such as breathing exercises (pranayama), distraction of the senses (pratyahara), the use of sound, and the practice of meditation.

The classical period

It began around 2000 years ago when a sage named Patanjali organized and documented the practice. His work, known as the "yoga sutras," became the foundation of traditional yoga.

The sutras provide valuable guidance on how to gain inner peace and achieve self-realization.

Post-classical period

During this era, sages and philosophers such as Adi Shankaracharya made remarkable contributions to Raja Yoga and Jnana Yoga, expanding the principles and practices of yoga. Hatha yoga was also popularized during this period.

What is Raja Yoga?

Raja Yoga, known as the royal path of meditation, teaches us to gain power over our own minds, just as a king maintains control over his kingdom. In Raja Yoga, we use our mental faculties to realize the Atman, our true self.

What is Jnana Yoga?

Jnana yoga is one of the four classical schools of yoga, along with bhakti (devotion), karma (action), and raja (meditation), each of which offers a path to moksha (spiritual liberation). Jnana yoga involves the study of scriptures and introspection, which is seen as a direct but challenging path to spiritual growth.

The modern period

Swami Vivekananda played a key role in introducing yoga to the Western world, emphasizing its physical benefits. Tirumalai Krishnamacharya is considered one of the most important gurus of modern yoga and its father.

Other influential figures include Ramana Maharshi, Ramakrishna Paramahansa, B.K.S. Iyengar, K. Pattabhi Jois, and Paramahansa Yogananda, who significantly expanded the scope of this ancient science.

Yoga now

These days, the understanding of yoga is mainly centered around asanas. The yoga that we practice today in studios, gyms, and homes around the world is based on hatha yoga.

What is hatha yoga?

Hatha yoga includes a set of postures and breathing techniques. They are usually performed more slowly and with more static postures. Almost all texts on hatha yoga belong to the nath siddhas. Early works teach yoga based on raising kundalini through energy channels and chakras.