Human beings have gradually turned into a creature that is weak, has low memory, and is disconnected from the universe. As his memory was weakened, mankind needed written information, ie books. Consequently, the first books called Veda were created in the world, on average 5-6 thousand years ago. The word “Veda” in Sanskrit means “knowledge”. Thus, the first books written on the planet Earth were called ‘knowledge books’.
The most important part of the original Veda science is given in these books in encrypted form. There is also Yoga science in these books. Therefore, the teaching of Yoga is not a technique developed by people for thousands of years. This teaching has been given to humans at the beginning of the universe, and has come from language to language and then in writing to the present day. Here, yoga is originated from these books called Veda, in India 6,000 years ago.
The information contained in today’s Yoga books is only basic simple information. To progress on the path of yoga, one must receive training from the Yoga master, who is in Parampara (master student chain). Because the important part of Yoga information is kept secret. In some “yoga” books, the history of Yoga is divided into four periods: Vedic, Pre-Classical, Classical, and Post-Classical. This grouping is based on the books of some British historians. These historians were not experts in Yoga but made assumptions based on speculations. Unfortunately, these unrealistic speculations were later moved to “yoga” books on the market by amateur people on the Yoga path.
We have to bring light to this issue. According to these “yoga” books in question, “Vedic yoga”, also known as “archaic yoga”, concentrates around ritualistic ceremonies; these ritual activities form the roots of yoga. Unfortunately, the priests who use Yoga techniques are confused with the Yogis (who practice Yoga), which is not associated with ritual ceremonies. The difference between the so-called true Yoga Masters is well known, of course, an English historian cannot understand this difference.
The Books Where Yoga Is Originated
In these “yoga” books, nothing clear is said about the Pre-Classical period. It is stated that the classical period is related to the book of Yoga Sutra written by Patanjali. These authors call the Original Yoga System described in the book of Yoga Sutra as “classical yoga”, “raja yoga” or “eight-arm yoga”. However, Patanjali originally gave a summary of the Yoga information given in various books called Upanishads up to that date in the Yoga Sutra book. Patanjali briefly explained the philosophy of the Original Yoga System without going into technical details.
Finally, it is stated that the Post-Classical period covers “many different schools of” yoga “that emerged after Patanjali. Of all said, only this part is based on facts. Indeed, after Patanjali, many people took something from the Original Yoga System to satisfy their ego and introduced their own “developed” types of “yoga”. This ego race continues until today. Individuals’ egos are so swollen that they even give their own names to the “yoga” methods they make up. Watching the ongoing comedy show about these “yoga” schools or genres is a lot of fun. As a result of all research, only two periods of Yoga history emerge. The period when the Original Yoga System was applied and the “yoga” types or schools were produced using this system.
The philosophy of yoga is like an organism that has been transferred to the student from Master, breathing, and living without disturbing its integrity since the creation of the universe. After the time when the student’s memory was too strong not to forget about the knowledge once the master said, the need for written information increased with the Kali-Yuga era, so the first books were written on average 5-6 thousand years ago. These books were written in Sanskrit. The word Sanskrit means ‘knowledgeable’ or ‘noble’.
First of all, four Vedas are written:
- Rig Veda
- Sama Veda
- Yacur Veda
- Atharva Veda
After that Brahmana, Aranyaka and Upanishad books were written, which explained the subjects given in the four Veda books in more detail. Later, Purana books describing the history of the universe and Itihasa books describing the recipe of the planet Earth were written. Yoga information is found in all these books. Yoga information is included in all these books without being under a separate subject title. In order to have the full science of yoga, it is necessary to examine all these books. Since this work has become very difficult over time, the philosophy of Yoga has been described very briefly in the Yoga Sutra book by Patanjali, two thousand years ago.
In the second text of the book of Yoga Sutra, in the first text of Sadhana Pada, it is said: “Tapah Svadhyaya Isvara Pranidhanani kriya yoga”, that is, “Fiery effort, self-education, and perception of Absolute Being. Yoga Sutra is the language of humanity, Sanskrit. It comes from the same root, Yuc means ‘yoke’, therefore Yoga means ‘controlling’, meaning Yoga means perfect control of the body, emotions, and mind.
At the same time, the word Yoga means ‘to unite’, meaning to unite man with everything that is alive and inanimate in the universe. The different living conditions of today are people. “This text underlines the realization of activities such as fiery effort, self-education, and perception of Absolute Being in the path of Yoga.
Yoga: Where It Is Originated and Where It Is Going Now
The word yoga, the oldest knowledge in the world, is increasingly being removed from natural life. Man is getting more and more disconnected from nature, whereas Yoga ensures that man is constantly connected with nature and the universe. After all, Yoga means ‘integrating’. This means, on the one hand, the perfect harmony and integration of the body, mind, and soul, and on the other hand, the integration of individual consciousness with the Universal Consciousness. Thus, by practicing Yoga, he can fully control the human body, emotions, and mind. He does not break with nature and the universe. Ultimately, he remains in contact with Universal Consciousness.
The Original Yoga System is not a religion based on theology and rituals, as it offers detailed information and techniques on ‘spirit’, and develops people on consciousness and spirit. There is no hierarchy and worship of any leader or god in the Original Yoga System. Yoga is a source of spiritual information. By acquiring this information, the individual understands the basic principles of all religions. Yoga is a branch of cultural and spiritual knowledge that is open to all humanity, without any class, belief, color, race, gender, and age discrimination. Perhaps the only quality required to start a yoga practice is the desire to accept the existence of hidden potentials of human consciousness and to reach the peak of consciousness by practicing Yoga techniques.
What makes the yoga system different from religions is its perspective on the body, mind, and emotions. Religions see the body, mind, and emotions as an obstacle and a means of sin in the path of enlightenment. However, the Original Yoga System teaches how the body, mind, and emotions are part of the universal truth and how it should be used for the development, enlightenment, and ascension of human beings. Thanks to the yoga techniques, when the body, mind, and emotions are cleared and filled with positive energy, naturally, man gets rid of all negative desires, thoughts, and actions. By using his free will in a positive way, he develops his self-confidence, protects his destiny, and is freed from the slavery of fate. The individual draws his own destiny in the path of positive and integration without waiting for compassion from others.
The science of yoga covers all aspects of life. Yoga techniques clear the body, mind, and energy system, providing the foundation for perceiving more advanced stages of meditation and cosmic consciousness. The positive effects of yoga studies are explored and studied by world scientists and medical professionals. The results of these studies show that breathing, bioenergy, body, and mind studies used in the yoga system are a very effective tool to restore and protect physical and mental health. Yoga is the right science of life and has been given to human beings to practice in daily life. Yoga positively affects all aspects of human: physical, mental, emotional, nervous, psychological, energetic, and spiritual aspects. The word yoga means ‘uniting’. Spiritually, this means a combination of individual consciousness and Universal Consciousness. Physically, the Yoga body is a means of balancing the mind and senses and bringing it to sleep. This balance and harmony must be achieved during breathing, bioenergy, body, and mind studies, before merging with the Supreme Truth.
The Origination of Yoga: 9 Ages of Yoga History
As you can see when you research the history of yoga, most sources have the same chronological sequence of events. The following periods are a summary of the commonly known history.
- Pre-Vedic Age (6500 BC – 4500 BC)
The oldest known history of Yoga is the Pre-Vedic period. Today, tablets with yoga figures were found in the lands around East Pakistan and West India. It is stated that philosophy based on nature and individual unity started to develop in this period.
- Vedic Age (4500 BC – 2500 BC)
Vedas were written during this period. They are the first written sources about yoga.
Rig Veda; Divine Knowledge
Sama Veda; Music Information
Yajur Veda; Sacrifice Information
Atharva Veda; Magic Information
The word yoga takes place in Rig Veda and Atharva Veda.
- Brahmanic Age (2500 BC – 1500 BC)
As Vedic communities began to live on the banks of the Ganges, the Vedic culture gradually turned into religious belief. The elite class Brahman priests with Vedic knowledge and the system where knowledge was stored and taught were introduced during this period.
- The Post-Vedic Age (1500 BC – 1000 BC)
Upanisads, which were more philosophical and mystical after the Vedas, were written in this period. In this work, Yoga is defined as the discipline that must be followed in order to get rid of pain and become enlightened. The fact that the essence of the Universe (Brahman) and the Man (Atman) should be one was seen first in the Upanishad.
- Pre-Classical / Epic Age (1000 BC – 100 BC)
It is the period when Buddhism appeared. The world’s longest epic work, Mahabharata, and the Song of God, Bhagavat Gita, was written during this period.
- Classical Age (100 BC – 500 AD)
Yoga Sutras of Patanjali are the work of this period. The Eight Principles of Yoga, Ashtanga Yoga, emerged by interpreting Yoga Sutras. The different types of yoga that emerged after this period developed with different interpretations of the sutras. Kriya Yoga was also developed by Patanjali.
- Tantric / Puranic Age (500 AD – 1300 AD)
It is an intense information age in which the philosophical and metaphysical knowledge of previous periods was studied and these were combined with Tantra Yoga. Hatha Yoga started to develop in the middle of this era.
- Post-Classical Age (1300 AD – 1700 AD)
During this period, Bhakti Yoga exercises were developed.
- Modern Age (AD1700 – Present)
It is the period when Yoga started to expand to the west. Bhagavad Gita and Upanishad have been translated into English. Attracting attention with the expression of Raja Yoga in America, Swami Vivekanda, the Vedanta community was established. Krishnamurti (Sri Trumalai Krishnamacharya) is the developer of the commonly practiced yoga types (the 1930s). Indra Devi, who played a role in reaching the United States of Yoga, Sri Pathabi Jois, who spread Asthanga Yoga to the world, Iyengar, who improved their asana alignments, Desikachar, who developed yoga therapy and personalized yoga, are the students of Krishnamacharya. Desikachar is also his son.
The fact that Yoga has expanded from past to present is thanks to its richness that can adapt to the ever-changing variety of needs in the journey of evolution. As long as the human journey of evolution continues, yoga will continue to evolve and develop with us without losing its effect.
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