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Yoga is the result of regular experimentation, validation by ancient seers known as yoga masters and saints of Vedas. Yoga evolved as science as well as an art of living, transcending the barriers of caste, religion, dogma, belief and became practical living science for awakening inner potential within for peace, harmony, perfection.
The history of Yoga can be divided into the five broad categories:
Vedic Yoga (5000 - 1500 BC)
Preclassical Yoga (800 - 100 BC)
Classical Yoga (200 BC - 500 AD)
Postclassical Yoga (700 - 1500 AD)
Modern Period (after 1500 AD)
The yogic teachings found in four Vedas are known as Vedic Yoga. Veda means knowledge so Rig Veda is knowledge of highest consciousness in the form of hymns; Yajur Veda is the knowledge of sacrifice; the Sama-Veda is the knowledge of chants and Arthrva Veda is the knowledge of Atharvan (economy, money and wealth).
Vedic Yoga is yoga of rituals. Regular practice of rituals, offering sacrifice for prolonged period of time while focusing the mind within, helps in transcending the mind of duality, illusion is the aim of yoga.
Vedic yogi always lived in transcendental reality, known as “SEER” in Sanskrit “Rishi”. The Vedic seers were able to live, move and act in highest consciousness, which they explained in hymns.
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Preclassical Yoga integrates many schools and their teachings can be found in two great epics Ramayana and Mahabharata. These two epics transcended the barriers of regions, philosophy and became culture of many South East Asian nations. Sage Yajnavalkya, a great yoga master is known to belong to Preclassical era, who contributed greatly to science of yoga. The 2000 years period of Preclassical yoga is closely associated with the Vedic sacrificial culture, as developed in the Brâhmanas and Âranyakas. There is progressive knowledge and its manifestation can be witnessed in the Sanskrit texts known as The Brâhmanas. Another group of texts The Âranyakas are ritual texts for those who aspire for spiritual awakening while living in forests.
Preclassical yoga has developed all forms of yoga and practiced by many great saints and masters of that period who in turn contributed to the progress in knowledge of yoga. The example of Bhagavad-Gita, a part of Mahabharata text and epic, explains about all forms of yoga for spiritual awakening, self perfection and realsing one’s essential nature. The most important period for the development of yoga and yoga practices is the period of Upanishads, texts that explained in the form of dialogue between Guru (Yoga Realized person) and an aspiring yoga practitioner ( disciple)
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This classical yoga applies to the eightfold Yoga—also known as Râja-Yoga—taught by Patanjali in his Yoga-Sûtra. This Sanskrit text is composed of 195 aphoristic statements, which have been commented on over and over again since it is written around 200BC. The word sûtra is related to Latin word “suture” means literally “thread.” Patanjali yoga Sutra is 195 in numbers that can be written on one page. The same sutra can be easily remembered as sutra or thread is thread of memory in order to keep Patanjali wisdom. Yoga Bhasya is a commentary written by Vyasa, written in 500 BC, explains in details about essence of Patanjali’s wisdom.
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Post classical yoga brought unity in everything by teaching one reality present within anything and everything. The core teaching of Vedanta or Jnana Yoga from Upanishads consists of postclassical period. The Brahman or The Absolute is also the Self that is present in every human being is the declaration of Upanishads.
During this period, yoga masters experimented with body and developed advanced yoga techniques in different groups known as Sat Karma (Cleansing techniques for internal purification), Asana (especially cultured postures), Pranayama (energizing techniques) in order to change the biochemistry and physiology. The changes observed so remarkable that many people practiced all these techniques lived for many years without any effect of aging, sufferings. This attracted large number of people which later on known as Hatha Yoga. More…….
Modern period of yoga witnessed emerging of a young, dynamic, spiritually realized and great orator and mater of yoga that mesmerized the world in the Parliament of Religions held in Chicago in 1893. He was Swami Vivekananda, a great young yogi, a disciple of great master, Rama Krishna Paramhansa. He presented the rational and logical interpretation of many scriptures and wrote four classics of yoga i.e. Karma Yoga, Jnana Yoga, Bhakti Yoga and Raja Yoga based upon four classical texts. After Swami Vivekananda, many yoga masters who made their presence felt in Europe and America, brought the world people closer to Indian philosophy and practices of yoga.
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