Yoga is a group of physical, mental and spiritual practices that originated in India with roots linking it to pre-vedic Indian traditions. The ultimate goal of the practice is Moksha or liberation, and in the classical Astanga yoga system, it is to achieve the state of Samadhi. Yoga is primarily a spiritual discipline that concentrates on subtle science that focuses on achieving harmony between an individual’s mind and body. The word Yoga first appeared in the oldest sacred texts, the Rig Veda and is derived from the Sanskrit root “Yuj” which means join or unite. According to the Yogic scriptures, the practice of Yoga leads an individual to the union of consciousness with that of universal Consciousness. It eventually leads to a great harmony between the human mind and body, man and nature.
Yoga cultivates the ways of maintaining a balanced attitude in day-to-day life and endows skill in the performance of one’s actions.
History of International Yoga Day:
Since 2015, the day has been celebrated annually all over the world on June 21 with an aim to bring about awareness about the health benefits of yoga and its various practices. Its aim is also to educate people about the physical, mental and spiritual benefits one can derive from practicing it. PM Modi had proposed the date June 21 as it is the longest day of the year in the Northern Hemisphere and shares a special importance in many parts of the world. On September 27, 2014, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, during his speech at the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA), made a proposal for an International Yoga Day to be held on June 21. In his speech, PM Modi stated that Yoga embodies unity of mind and body; thought and action; restraint and fulfillment; harmony between man and nature; a holistic approach to health and well-being. Following the proposal, the UNGA held informal consultations on the draft resolution and came to an agreement.
The Yoga Day celebrations in 2015 at Rajpath in New Delhi, with Modi and other dignitaries in attendance, had created two Guinness World Records, performing around 21 yoga asanas. The first record was set for housing 35,985 people and being the world’s largest yoga session. The second was for having the most number (84) of nationalities participating in it.
The Beginnings:
The practice of Yoga was started during the Indus-Sarasvati civilization in Northern India over 5,000 years ago. It was first mentioned in Rig Veda, a collection of texts that consisted of rituals, mantras, and songs which was mainly used by Brahmans, the Vedic priests. Yoga was slowly developed by Brahmans who eventually documented their practices and beliefs in the Upanishads that has over 200 scriptures.
Yoga in Vedas means a yoke. In some early writings, Yoga was mainly used in describing a warrior dying and transcending into the heavens while at the back of his chariot to the gods and the higher powers of being.
During the Vedic times, Vedic priests were generally self-disciplined and avoided any forms of indulgence instead; they performed sacrifices which were known as yajna and used poses that most researchers believe are the precursor of the kind of Yoga poses we use today in the modern world.
The Spread:
In the 3rd Century BCE, the word “yoga” became common in other religions like Jain, Hindu, and Buddhist writings. In Mahayana Buddhism, the practice of yoga for both spiritual and meditative use was known as Yogachara which consisted of eight significant steps of meditation called “insight”.
In the 5th century, yoga was meant for meditation and religious use, but not as a form of workout. At around the same time, the concept became even more established among the Jains, Buddhists, and Hindus. The first versions of yoga were meant for spiritual practices and revolved around several core values.
The first value involved analyzing one’s own perception and cognitive state, understanding the root of suffering and using meditation to solve it. The mind was to “transcend” bodily pain or suffering in order to reach a higher level of being. The second aimed to uplift or broaden consciousness, and the third involved using yoga as a path to transcendence. The fourth was using yoga to enter other bodies and act supernaturally — perhaps the strangest and most mystical one.
For thousands of years, the term “yoga” encompassed many things, most of them religious and/or spiritual. But in the mid-19th century, yoga came to the attention of Westerners, who at the time seemed intrigued by Indian culture. We can attribute yoga’s popularity in the West to Swami Vivekananda, a Hindu monk who toured Europe and the U.S. in the 1890s to spread knowledge about Hinduism among intellectuals.
Yoga later became widely valued because of the Indian nationalist movement as a way of building up pride and cultural identity. Surprisingly, the practice of Yoga was widely promoted by powerful families, institutions, and activities until India attained its independence in 1947.
Today, Yoga is practiced worldwide by millions of people in many forms and variations.
10 Benefits of Yoga:
⦁ Yoga improves strength, balance and flexibility.
⦁ Yoga helps with back pain relief.
⦁ Yoga can ease arthritis symptoms.
⦁ Yoga benefits heart health.
⦁ Yoga relaxes you, to help you sleep better.
⦁ Yoga can mean more energy and brighter moods.
⦁ Yoga helps you manage stress.
⦁ Yoga boosts your immune system functionality.
⦁ Yoga Keeps allergies and viruses at bay.
⦁ Yoga Helps keep you drug free.
Always remember, Yoga is the journey….. of the self….. through the self….. to the self!