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A Brief History of Yoga~~ It is believed that the origins
of yoga began around 2500 - 3000 BC. Yoga was first mentioned in
a collection of scriptures called the Vedas. However in the
scriptures that later came as a part of the Vedas, the main
foundation of yoga teaching became known. A classical text on
Hatha Yoga is the Hatha Yoga Pradipika, which describes various
asanas and breathing exercises which form the basis of modern
yoga today.The backbone of Raja Yoga is known to be Patanjali,
believed to be the father of yoga, and his Yoga Sutras.He lived
around the years of 500 - 800 BC. His written works known as the
Yoga Sutras are ways of overcoming the afflictions of the body
and the fluctuations of the mind. Yoga appears to be one of the
oldest continuous disciplines studying voluntary physical and
mental control and the induction of altered states of
consciousness. Of course, the physical and mental
accomplishments are attributed to the practice of yoga as well.
Yoga in the Western world is somewhat ambivalent. Some
instructors base their lessons on authentic oral traditions
passed down through many generations of teachers although some
are just pitched to meet modern needs and expectations but still
are consistent with the ancient art, science, and philosophy of
yoga. Yet still others have developed some form of wacky yoga
that traditionalist view with suspicion. *Be well informed and
ask questions when you are seeking a yoga instructor for your
needs.
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