Yoga means to connect in Sanskrit. To unite with the divine. And to reach that we need the help of the body and the mind.
A brief history
Yoga originated thousands of years ago in India.
Made by men aAs it was men that practiced Yoga. The first and only pose was the pose in which you see the buddha sitting in meditation: the lotus pose.
But sitting for hours meditating was not good for the flow in their bodies. Sitting too long in the same position caused their health to decline.
So, the poses came to life, the asana’s, to improve the flow. The body needed to be fit and strong so that they can keep sitting in stillness.
And the asana’s improved their practice. Improved their concentration, their breathing and overall wellbeing.
Breathing was always part of the practice as sitting in meditation and with focus is automatically regulated and becomes parasympathetic rather than sympathetic.
So, combined with meditation and focus, the practice of using the body to make it healthier to get a calmer mind for better concentration and focus for meditation makes what we nowadays know as Hatha Yoga. The mother of all other yoga forms.
But Yoga is more than what we do on the mat.
The 8 limb of Yoga as described by Patanjali
Patanjali was a sage in ancient India. Author of one of the most known sanskrit text made about Yoga. Patanjali made an easier to comprehend guide to what Yoga is: the Yoga Sutras: 8 limbs of Yoga
- Yama how you treat others: restraint from unethical actions
- Nyama how you treat yourself: cultivation of good character
- Asanas: the postures. Control of the body
- Pranayama: Breath control
- Pratyahara: Sense withdrawal: Control over the body, breath and senses
- Dharana: Concentration
- Dhyana: Meditation
- Samadi: Super conscious state
Liberation is attained with the help of the mind.
When conquered, the mind is your best friend. But when one fails to conquer it, it can be your worst enemy. “Bhagavad Gita”