History of Hatha Yoga Goes Back To More Than Four Thousand Years To India
Since the beginning of its creation, yoga has always meant a bringing together of the mind and body in perfect union and since that time, the main intentions of yoga have not changed, but have improved and been refined. Encouraging the mental, physical and spiritual health of an individual, the the history of Yoga began in India many thousands of years ago and has a great deal of tradition in its system. Thus, the history of yoga is rich not only in its tradition, but also in its effectiveness and it may be divided into four different periods that began with the pre-classical period which was followed by the classical period which gave way to the post-classical period and up to the present or modern period.
The Book of Yoga Sutra
The book of yoga that is very important to the history of yoga is the yoga sutra and without it, the exercise would have not completed its classical period. The word “yoga” means a joining of two unlike objects together by stemming from the word “yolk” similar to an oxen and its cart. Thus, you can easily infer that yoga has everything to do with uniting each and every aspect of the human being into one single entity.
In addition to the famous body contortions, there are breathing exercises, physical postures and meditation that work together to bring all aspects of yoga and its ethics together.
Nowadays, there is a change in the world of yoga and the history of Hatha has gone to the past, allowing a more globalized version of yoga and a more experienced renaissance to evolve, allowing a delineation between the spiritual and physical aspects of yoga. The history of yoga has also been witness to the many schools and methods of teaching for yoga over the years, springing new philosophies and approaches to yoga itself.
No matter what school or philosophy you enjoy, the history of yoga remains pure in that the intention of yoga is to provide a harmony of the mind, body and spirit for the individual. The history of yoga demonstrates that even with modern yoga, you can enjoy a better life and health through the empowerment of a better mind and body control of yourself.