2. 1.5. History of Yoga
The history of Yoga may go back anywhere from five to eight thousand years ago, depending on the
perspective of the historian.
It evolved wholly in the land of India and while it is supposed by some scholars that yogic practices
were originally then domain of the Indigenous, non-Aryans (Dravidan or pre -Vedic) people.
The Origin and the history of Yoga Begins with Indus Vally Civilization. Indus valley civilization - Pre -
Vedic findings are taken, by some commentators, to show that "yoga" existed in from well before
establishment of Aryan culture in the north Indian sub-continent.
3. A triangular amulet seal uncovered at the Mohanjo-daro archaeological excavation site depicts a male
seated on a low platform in across legged position, with that arm outstretched head is crowned with the
horns of water buffalo.
He is surrounded by animals (an elephant, a tiger, rhinoceros and a buffalo) and a diverse symbols. The
likeness on the seal and understandings of the surrounding culture has led to its widely accepted
identification as: “Pasupathi"
4. Lord of the Beasts, a prototype and predecessors of the modern day Hindu God Shiva.
The pose is a very familiar one to yogis, representing Shiva much as he is seen today, the meditating ascetic
contemplating divine truth in "yoga - postures".
There is no way at this stage to say for sure whether Yoga is an entirely Aryan creation - as for example,
Professor J.W.Haur thought - or whether it is in fact the amalgam of both the Indus civilization and the
nomadic culture of Aryan invaders
5. Pre-Vedic period (Before 3000 BC)
• Until recently, Western scholars believed that yoga originated around 500 BC, the period when
Buddhism came into existence.
• However, depictions of yoga postures were found in the recent excavations at Harappa and
Mohenjodaro. This indicates that yoga may have been practiced as early as 5000 years ago.
• However, there are no written records to prove this conclusively.
Vedic period (3000 BC to 800 BC)
• During the Vedic period, yoga was practiced ritually, to develop concentration, and to transcend the
mundane.
• The rituals practiced during this period are quite differing from the present practices of yoga.
• The rituals of the Vedic period are close to the definition of yoga: union of the individual self with the
supreme self.
6. Pre classical (Upanishad) period (800 BC to 250 BC)
The Upanishads, Mahabharata and the Bhagavad Gita contain several references to yoga.
The Bhagavad Gita mentions may forms of yoga: Jnana yoga, Bhakti yoga, Karma yoga and Raja yoga.
Krishna, during the Gitopadesha, explains that if a person seeks reality with humility and reverence, they
can attain a higher state of consciousness.
In this period, yoga was more of lifestyle rather than breathing or a posture-related practice.
Classical period (184 BC to 148 BC)
During the classical period, Patanjali compiled 195 sutras (aphorisms) of yoga into a more concise form.
Patanjali’s view on yoga is known as Raja Yoga.
It has the classical eight limbs: Yama (social conduct), Niyama (personal conduct), Asana (physical
postures), Pranayama (breathing regulation), Prathyahara (withdrawal of senses), Dharana
(concentration), Dhyana (meditation) and Samadhi (transcendence).
7. Though Patanjali added physical postures and breathing regulation to yoga, they were used only as
practices secondary to Dhyana and Samadhi. Patanjali’s sutras do not name any asanas or pranayama.
Post classical period (800 AD to 1700 AD)During this age, followers of Patanjali yoga gave yoga a new
outlook by giving greater importance to the asanas, kriyas and pranayama, for cleansing of the body and
mind.
The purification of body and mind helped practitioners reach higher levels of practice, like Samadhi. This
form of yoga is called hatha yoga.
Modern period (From 1863 AD onwards)
Yoga was introduced to the rest of the world by Swami Vivekananda when he mentioned it in his historic
speech at the Parliament of Religions in Chicago.
Many yogis like Maharishi Mahesh Yogi, Paramahamsa Yogananda, Ramana Maharishi, etc., influenced
the western world profoundly through their spiritual accomplishments and gradually yoga was accepted
throughout the world as a secular spiritual practice rather than a ritual-based religious doctrine. In recent
times, T.Krishnamacharya trained three disciples, BKS Iyengar, Pattabhi Jois and TVK Desikachar.
8. These yoga masters popularized yoga globally.
1. 1893 — Swami Vivekananda addresses the World Parliament of Religions at the Chicago World’s Fair.
2. 1920 — Yogananda arrives in the United States and addresses the International Congress of Religious
Liberals held in Boston on October 6. His talk, “The Science of Religion,” is later expanded and
published as a book.
3. 1947 — Indra Devi opens a yoga studio in Hollywood, attracting movie stars, including Gloria Swanson,
Robert Ryan, and Jennifer Jones; she becomes known as “the First Lady of Yoga.”
4. 1955 — Walt and Magana Baptiste open their yoga center in San Francisco.
5. 1958 — Swami Vishnu devananda arrives in the United States.
6. 1959 — Swami Vishnu devananda establishes the Sivananda Yoga Vedanta Centre in Montreal, Canada,
as well as the International Sivananda Yoga Vedanta Center.
9. 7. 1961 — Hittleman’s Yoga for Health TV program airs on KTTV, in Los Angeles. 1966 Yogi Amrit Desai founds the
Yoga Society of Pennsylvania, later to become the Kripalu Yoga Fellowship.
8. 1966 — Swami Satchidananda founds the Integral Yoga Institute and opens his ashram in Yogaville, Virginia.
9. 1966 — The international bestseller Light on Yoga, by B. K. S. Iyengar, is published.
10. 1969 — Yogi Bhajan arrives in Los Angeles and establishes the Healthy, Happy, Holy, Organization (3HO), along with
his method of Kundalini yoga.
11. 1973 — B. K. S. Iyengar arrives in the United States.
12. 1973 — Bikram Choudhury lands in Los Angeles and founds the Bikram Yoga College of India.
13. 1975 — Pattabhi Jois makes his first teaching debut in the United States. 1975 — Yoga Journal publishes its first
issue.
14. 1984 — David Life and Sharon Gannon found Jivamukti yoga.
