In this article, we will discuss the Ancient history of yoga and meditation – Why is yoga different from other exercises?
The word Yoga derived from the Sanskrit word Yuj means union of individual consciousness with the universal consciousness or spirit.
“Yoga is a group of physical, mental, emotional & spiritual practices or disciplines that started and originated in ancient India.“
Yoga is an important part of ancient India! Understanding of yoga and complete knowledge of yoga was the strong foundation of India’s indescribable progress.
Yoga was of great importance in ancient India. But with time, the understanding of yoga and awareness of yoga in people became less and less!
Every yogi man and yogi woman should know the complete ancient history of yoga and the importance of yoga in the present lifestyle!
So let’s take a brief look at the beautiful glimpse of a short ancient history of yoga.
Ancient History of Yoga
In the beginning, there was darkness, and darkness was covered with darkness, then came the “light with the sound” and “ohm” (🕉) giving rise to words or knowledge which got compiled as the Vedas in the hierarchy of Vedic knowledge.
There are four Vedas: 1. Rig veda, 2. sama veda, 3. Yajur veda and 4. Atharva veda.
Rig Veda is one of the most sacred and oldest books of human history, It is about 8-10 thousand years old.
Yoga is a part of this Vedic literature Mocchi Patanjali is considered to be the authority on yoga and propounded yoga nearly 5000 years ago. Lord Krishna and many saints of India have also spoken about yoga in the Middle Ages.
Yoga is a very beautiful thing that not only keeps your soul as well body fresh and healthy there is a wide assortment of yoga schools, practices, and objectives in Hinduism, Buddhism, and Jainism.
There are several types of yoga as well like Gnana yoga, Bhakti yoga, Karma yoga, Hot yoga, Raja yoga, Mantra yoga, Shiva yoga, Nada yoga, Laya yoga, and many more.
Among the most well known understood kinds of yoga are Hatha yoga and Rāja yoga.
Origin history and development of yoga:
In initial days of yoga has been conjectured to go back to pre-Vedic Indian customs which is already mentioned in the Rugveda, however, it all developed around the 6th and fifth century BCE, in ancient India’s ascetic and śramaṇa developments.
The order of earliest texts depicting yoga-rehearses is unclear, varyingly credited to Upanishads.
The Yoga Sutras of Patanjali, date from the first half of the 1st millennium CE, but gained popularity in the West in the twentieth century.
Ancient yoga has been open to the common man and to each and every human being on this planet.
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Ancient History of Yoga Timeline by the Scriptures:
Yoga is the “union of body mind and spirit”. The individual to the universal yoga is realizing the connection between the finite and the infinite, the manifest, and the unmanifest.
Yoga is bringing harmony in thought word and deed Marisha Patanjali elucidated eight limbs of yoga, namely Yama social ethics NEMA personal ethics asana postures “pranayama” directing the life force of practical learning.
The senses in words “dharna” one-pointed focus Dhyana meditation and “Samadhi” merging with the self somehow.
“Pranayama and Meditation” take the mind deep within uniting diverse aspects of the life of existence is yoga. see every baby is you the postures definitely the baby does but its attitude the way it breathes the perceptual ability, the sharpness all these qualities of a “yogi”.
The word, “Yoga” first appears in the Hindu scripture, Katha Upanishad, in Chapter 3 verse 11. The verse tells us the meaning and purpose of Yoga, it says,
“(10) When the five senses are stilled when the mind
Is stilled, when the intellect is stilled,
That is called the highest state by the wise.
(11)They say YOGA is this complete stillness
In which one enters the unitive state,
Never to become separate again.
If one is not established in this state,
The sense of unity will come and go.”
Origin history and development of yoga philosophy recognizes that as there are many different types of individuals so there are many different paths to the Brahman, an individual may follow a path based on their temperament.
Yoga by Krishna in Bhagavad Gita:
In today’s age yoga has become associated with only physical postures whereas. The central teaching of yoga is maintaining an equine-immersed state of mind.
The “Bhagavad-Gita” says ‘yogaha karmasu kaushalam‘ meaning yoga is a skill in action and expression!
Yoga is not just exercise, it is how skillfully we communicate and act in any given situation.
So here Yoga is described more as a mind skill it means you could be watching a sunset, doing your work in a kitchen or doing something at home!
“Krishna,” says in the “Bhagavad Gita” sama – am yoga Chitta equanimity in the mind is a sign of yoga the ability to remain centered in adverse situations is yoga whatever brings us back to our nature which is harmony and joy is yoga while postures make the body healthy.
Why is yoga different from other exercises?
Some practice Yoga to help deal with the day-to-day stress of a hectic life while for others it’s a means of physical wellbeing.
The health benefits of Yoga are numerous, helping some people lose weight and others breathe properly to improve their attention.
Yoga has become the tool to help your mind and body stay healthy.
All these paths are categorized in four practices, Gnana Yoga, Karma Yoga, Bhakti Yoga, and Raja Yoga.
Here is
History of yoga and meditation by Swami Vivekananda
Learn the importance of yoga at present lifestyle and its usefulness with true history and spread it in society as much as possible! It is necessary.
Gnana Yoga (aka Jnana Yoga):
First: hearing the truth — that the Atman is the only reality and that everything else is Mâyâ (relativity).
Second: reasoning upon this philosophy from all points of view.
Third: giving up all further argumentation and realizing the truth.
This realization of Yoga comes from:
- Being certain that Brahman is real and everything else is unreal;
- Giving up all desire for enjoyment;
- Controlling the senses and the mind;
- Intense desire to be free.
Meditating on this reality always and reminding the soul of its real nature are the only ways in this Yoga.
Karma Yoga:
Karma-Yoga is purifying the mind by utilizing work.
The watchword of the Karma-Yogi is “not I, but Thou”, and no amount of self-sacrifice is too much for him. But he does this without any desire to go to heaven or gain name or fame or any other benefit in this world.
Bhakti Yoga:
Bhakti or worship or love in some form or other is the easiest, most pleasant, and most natural way of man.
The natural state of this universe is attraction, and that is surely followed by ultimate disunion.
Even so, love is the natural impetus of union in the human heart; and though itself a great cause of misery, properly directed towards the proper object, it brings deliverance.
The object of Bhakti is God. Love cannot be without a subject and an object. The object of love again must be at first a being who can reciprocate our love.
Therefore the God of love must be in some sense a human God. He must be a God of love. Aside from the question of whether such a God exists or not, it is a fact that to those who have love in their heart this Absolute appears as a God of love, as personal.
Raja Yoga:
As each science has its particular method of investigation, so is this Raja-Yoga the method of religion. This science also is variously applied according to various constitutions.
The chief parts are the Pranayama, concentration, and meditation. For those who believe in God, a symbolical name, such as OM (🕉) or other sacred words received from a Guru, will be very helpful.
OM is the greatest, meaning the Absolute.
Meditating on the meaning of these holy names while repeating them is the chief practice of Raja Yoga.
The practice of yoga was confined only to the Royal and the scholarly class. It was taught to students in gurukuls after passing a “rigorous test” meaning each style links every movement to breath, in recent years by the effort of many spiritual and religious leaders of India.
The science of Yoga imbibes the complete essence of the way of life. International Day of Yoga or Yoga day is celebrated annually on the 21st of June since its inception in 2015.
It is important to know the history of yoga but more importantly how and why we can implement yoga in our lives!
A beautiful and happy life is the result of a grip on the breath through yoga!
Learn the importance of yoga at present lifestyle and its usefulness with true history and spread it in society as much as possible! It is necessary.
With the change of time, the understanding of yoga has diminished in this world.
The beautiful ancient history of yoga is memorable again, let us spread the message of this yoga more and more in this one world while breathing.
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So… This article is all about the history of yoga timeline, the Origin history, and development of yoga, A short history of yoga and meditation, The ancient history of yoga, the Importance of yoga in present lifestyle, Why is yoga different from other exercises
Every yogi man and yogi woman should know the complete short ancient history of yoga and the importance of Yoga in the present lifestyle. Why yoga is necessary in terms of physical, mental, and health!
Keep Breathing! Until the last Breathe of Life – Just Breathing 🙏
