Yoga - Its Roots and Relevance

The intense stress and strain of modern life has drawn people towards the Oriental fitness form called yoga. Its popularity has risen to such a level that it’s become a mainstay of modern life, though its origins date back to thousands of years.

Most people consider yoga to only be a form of physical exercise that promotes fitness. In reality, yoga is far more than that. In fact, its core is meditation and Hindu spirituality that also hold relevance for Buddhism and Jainism. 

The Origins

The origins of yoga are inconclusive and are being debated. Many scholars place the origins of yoga, as a developed form of meditation, in the Vedic period dating 1700 to 500 BCE and also the later “sramana” movements. But yogic postures seem to have been mentioned in texts and excavated material dating way beyond this period, leading some scholars to date the origins to the Indus Valley Civilization of 3300 to 1900 BCE. In later years, other yoga traditions appeared, particularly during the Middle Ages.   

As a Physical Exercise Discipline

Yoga has gained immense popularity in the Western world as an exercise and fitness measure. It is an ideal discipline to follow in our stress-filled lives. It promotes peace and calm, which in turn enhances health and wellbeing. It contributes to efficiency at the workplace and can make you a better individual. 

The Early Teachers and Scholars in the West

You and I would not be talking about yoga were it not for the efforts of some 19th century Indian, European and American philosophers and scholars. The New England Transcendentalists such as Ralph Waldo Emerson and European scholars and philosophers such as Max Mueller and G.W.F. Hegel were deeply interested in Oriental concepts including yoga.  

Of course the first ever revelation of yoga by an Indian Hindu teacher to a Western audience was made by Swami Vivekananda during his tour of the United States and Europe during the 1890s. It sparked an interest and things just took on from there. With the efforts of N.C. Paul, a 19th-century Bengali physician and scientist, the scientific study of yoga began. The 1980s witnessed significant boom in yoga interest thanks to Dean Ornish, who researched the benefits of lifestyle medicine and linked practicing yoga to heart health. Many newer yoga asanas or postures have been developed in line with the exercise traditions of the Western world. 

With yoga participation at an all-time high in the U.S. and other Western countries, there is an increased interest in yoga teacher training. Peter Theodorou has experienced yoga firsthand from India, where he had his training. It doesn’t get much better than having someone who’s learnt yoga from its place of origin imparting it to you.