The practise of Yoga is believed to have started at the very dawn of civilisation. The development of Yoga can be traced back to over 5000 years ago, starting with the pre-vedic period when the Indus Valley Civilisation practiced Yoga in their culture.

There are three more phases of Yoga history.

The Vedic Period

The Vedic Period describes the time when the four Vedas, which are the basis of Hinduism, have been written. They contain the oldest known yogic teachings.

The four Vedas are:

• Rig Veda (Mantras & Hymns)
• Sama Veda (Melodies)
• Yajur Veda (Sacrifices & Offerings)
• Atharva Veda (Astrology, magic remedies, etc.)

Each of these Vedas has four text-layers which are hymns, texts about rituals, texts about Brahmans, who live in the forest, and philosophical teachings, called the Upanishads.

Therefore, one can divide the Vedas into a ritual and knowledge part. The Upanishads include knowledge about Yoga as well. They are the essence of the Vedas and are also called Vedanta.

The idea of ritual sacrifice from the earlier part of the Vedas has been internalised in the Upanishads. It teaches the sacrifice of the Ego through self-knowledge, action and wisdom. Through inner visions of reality one can gain intense self-inquiry.

The Classical Period

Despite the Vedas, Yoga was at that time an incoherent mixture of various ideas, beliefs and techniques.

The period of Classical Yoga is defined by Patanjali’s Yoga Sutras, which are the first systematic presentation of Yoga (3rd – 6th B.C.).
More about that later on.

The Post-Classical Period

In the post-classical Yoga Period, a few centuries after Patanjali, a number of Yoga masters created other systems as they rejected the teaching of the ancient Vedas and embraced the concept of the physical body as the vehicle to achieve enlightenment.

In that time Tantra Yoga and Hatha Yoga were formed with the exploration of physical-spiritual connection and body-centred practises.

The Modern Period

Due to modern-day masters and Yoga teachers, new Yoga styles and techniques have been developed so that a great variety of Yoga has been established nowadays. From dynamic Vinyasa and Ashtanga to restorative Yin and Kundalini practices, each style offers a unique doorway into awareness and self-discovery. Despite their differences, they all share the same ancient goal — to unite body, mind and soul.

The Meaning of Yoga

The word “Yoga” is derived from the Sanskrit word “yuj”, which means union. In many yogic traditions, this union refers to the union of the individual self with the universal self. There are other Definitions of Yoga, from which the modern day understanding of physical exercise differentiate extremely:

• Skill in action
• Supreme state of realisation through intense concentration
• To realise our identity with the real
• Total transformation of an individual to its ultimate nature
• Complete cessation of mental modifications
• Equanimity of mind
• Art of performing action
• Destroyer of misery
• Concentration
• Stoppage of mental modifications is the total control of thought waves in the mind