Preclassical Yoga

According to the Oxford Dictionary, yoga is defined as “a Hindu spiritual, and ascetic discipline, apart of which, including breath control, simple meditation, and the adoption of specific bodily postures, is widely practiced for health and relaxation.” Yoga was first introduced in ancient India around the sixth and fifth century, and soon traveled westward by the late nineteenth and twentieth century. In Hinduism, Buddhism, and Jainism, they all teach yoga as a “spiritual discipline” which are still used to this day. Due to yogas secretive nature, researchers still don't know the exact date of yoga. However, we know that it was first originated in India more than 5,000 years ago. It wasn't until recently where Western scholars believed that …show more content…
The earliest manifestations of this yoga is still closely associated with the Vedic sacrificial culture, that was developed by the Brahamans and Aranyakas. The Upanishads, are the texts that hold the hidden teaching about the ultimate unity of things, which can be translated into yoga culture. Within the Upanishads, there are over 200 scriptures, with only a handful that were composed prior to Gautama the Buddha. One of the most predominant Yoga scriptures if the “Lord’s Song”, which Mahatma Gandhi wrote. It states that one should actively oppose evil in the world and not to turn the other cheek. Even though it was created around 500 BC, it is still a daily inspiration for millions of Hindus. The teaching behind this scripture is that by being alive, means being active, and if we want to avoid difficulties for ourselves and others we must forgo the grip of our ego. Preclassical Yoga also introduced the ideas of schools teachings that can be founded in the Ramayana, and the Mahabharata. The various schools developed various kinds of techniques for one to achieve deep mediation in order for one to be transcended through body and