Yoga History Has Seen Many Developments

Yoga history is extremely long and complex, dating back to well before the time of Christ and possibly into pre-history. There have been several significant period of time in which new developments and enhancements were added to the already long and distinguished past which yoga practice has, and each period of time is well documented and extensively cataloged. By looking back over the history of yoga it is possible to see how the modern day practice evolved, and also how it be brought into modern life effectively and with the greatest benefit.

The first significant period for yogic development is known as the Vedic Period, and this is when the Vedas first appeared. These are the earliest known teachings of the principles of yoga, and they were used to help followers go beyond the limitations of the human mind. The yogis themselves were able to show people how to live in harmony with the divine, and were regarded as superiors or tribal elders. Even though there is little recorded evidence of how people lived at that time, we know from what we do have that the yogis were at the center of life and seen as spiritual leaders.

The Upanishads and the Bhagavad Gita are the sacred yogic texts of the pre-Classical period, during which the importance of the principles outlined in the Vedic texts was greatly expanded upon. The doctrine of reality and the self which can transcend it is the focus of these teachings, and these have been emphasized in future texts throughout history. It was also at this point that the first mention of the law of karma appears, a law which is becoming more understood throughout the West, even if it is by no means universally accepted. This period has had the greatest influence on the development of modern day yoga.

Yoga Teacher

The Classical period of yoga history brought more innovations and more developments upon what had already been stated. There were specific attempts made to control certain functions of the body, especially the mind and the breathing. These remain vitally important to those practicing yoga today. In the modern era where the pace is far faster than could be imagined at the time, the need to quieten and relax the mind is paramount. Meditation was also strongly featured at this time, and this is something else which has been brought forward into the present time.

After the Classical period yoga was introduced to the West, and while there have been few changed or developments since the Classical age there has been much thought about how to integrate the principles of the East into Western life. The theories of the body and mind functioning as a whole have led to the development of other disciplines which link the two. There are more people following diets which they believe will help them to remain pure in body and spirit, and there is more interest in the West than ever before in using meditation for spiritual and mental benefits.

Yoga School

Although yoga history is extremely long and well documented, many of the concepts are relatively new to the majority of people in the West. There has been a surge of interest in recent years, but new people are still being introduced to the concepts every day. The future is likely to see an integration of yogic principles into much of Western culture, if not at group level at least among many individuals. The West is now involved in yoga to the extent that it will be there to help write the next chapter in yoga history.

Author: Marc Knox

 

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