What is it about yoga? An ancient practice in modern times
February 6, 2023
Yoga’s origins can be traced back over 5000 years to northern India. The word ‘yoga’ was first mentioned in ancient Vedic texts, collectively called the Rig Veda. Fast forward to the modern world in 2022 and yoga is all the rage!! It has surpassed pilates and aerobics in popularity in Australia and is now a multi-billion-dollar industry worldwide. Yoga is trending hard and over 9.9 million Instagram posts are tagged #yogaeverywhere. Influencers, celebrities (Sting, Madonna), teenagers, middle-aged people, senior citizens, sportspeople and even prime ministers (Justin Trudeau) alike all espouse the benefits of yoga. But what is yoga? Have we drifted away from the original intentions of yoga with all the offshoots like goat yoga, tantrum yoga, horse yoga?
Yoga was originally a contemplative practice that took many different forms- Bhakti Yoga (yoga of devotion), Jnana Yoga (yoga of knowledge and philosophy), Karma Yoga (yoga of action) and Raja Yoga (the royal path). The seminal text, ‘The Yoga Sutras of Patanjali’ informs the style of yoga we practice at Unfold Yoga+Wellbeing, Iyengar yoga. The second sutra (1.2) tells us that the aim of yoga is to still the fluctuations of the mind, Yoga Citta Vrtti Nirodah. If that occurs, the next sutra (1.3) tells us we can then know and abide in our true blissful nature, Tada Drastuh Svarupe Vasthanam. But how do we even still the fluctuations of the mind in the first place in our 24/7 always stimulated, busy world full of distractions and disturbances??? The Sutras tell us to embrace the eight limbs or disciplines of yoga. The first seven limbs or disciplines make the eighth limb possible: bliss and enlightenment (Samadhi). The first seven limbs are Yama (five moral disciplines and restraints), Niyama (five ethical observances), Asana (postures), Pranayama (breathing techniques), Pratyahara (withdrawal of the senses), Dharana (focused concentration) and Dhyana (meditative absorption).
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