Introduction
Imagine an activity that increases your flexibility, strengthens your muscles, s your thoughts, and relaxes and calms you. Yoga does all that and more!
How does yoga function?
Yoga is an ancient physical and spiritual discipline and a branch of philosophy with roots tracing back more than 5,000 years to India. The term 'yoga' originates from the Sanskrit word yuj, which signifies the act of yoking, uniting, or joining. According to the Iyengar school of yoga, 'yuj' represents the "integration of all facets of the individual—harmonizing the body with the mind and the mind with the soul—to attain a content, harmonious, and purposeful existence." They affirm that yoga's ultimate goal is to attain kaivalya (emancipation or ultimate liberation).
Who Pioneered the Art of Yoga?
The origins of yoga remain shrouded in the mists of time, with no written record of its inventor, as it was cultivated by yogis (yoga practitioners) long before the advent of the written word. Over millennia, yogis transmitted their wisdom to successive generations, leading to the evolution of diverse yoga schools. The earliest known documentation of yoga, and one of the most ancient texts in existence, is commonly attributed to Patanjali, an Indian yogic sage who graced the world around 2,000 to 2,500 years ago. Patanjali is acclaimed for penning the Yoga Sutras (sutra meaning "thread" in Sanskrit), which encapsulate the foundational principles, philosophy, and practices of yoga, still adhered to today. While numerous yoga traditions have emerged over the ages, they remain rooted in the timeless tenets expounded by Patanjali over two millennia ago. Buddhism and other Eastern spiritual traditions have also adopted various yoga techniques or their adaptations.
How Does Yoga Function?
Yoga employs asanas (postures), directed focus on specific bodily areas, and pranayama (breathwork) to unite the body with the mind and the mind with the soul.