What is Yoga?

As we continue to embark on the journey of dissecting the history and practice of yoga, a good foundation of knowledge comes with learning the history of whatever you may be doing. So that’s where we will begin today- discovering yoga’s intricately woven past that binds itself into so many people’s lives today.
Yoga began early in human civilization as a practice that connected one’s physical body to their mind. Because the practice is so individualized and personal, its precise history and beginning cannot be traced back to one exact moment in time. Instead, there are oral and written histories that began the teachings of meditations and inner balance from thousands of years ago. These practices began before any major religion took hold of a large group of people, created the significance that yoga has in people’s lives to act like a religion. Based on texts by prestigious leaders, this mind-body connection can be supplemented for people who do not feel that mainstream religions cater to their needs.
So back to the rich story that is yoga’s history… Adiyogi, the first yogi per say, brought his knowledge of yoga practice and connections to the Himalayas. He disseminated his teachings through the Saptarishis or “seven sages”. These sages carried the teachings throughout other parts of the world, reaching Asia, the Middle East, Northern Africa and South America. Although they covered a vast distance, the similarities between these original practices of yoga have been noted by scholars. However, it was in India where it gained the most traction and found its footing as a way of life. Fossil remains and ancient seals have depicted gods in yoga flows and practices that confirm its presence in early India.
Another beginning point for yoga can be dated back to over 5,000 years ago. This movement started in India by the Indus-Sarasvati people and recorded within the Rig Veda, or their ancient sacred texts. These texts contained songs, rituals, and mantras that would be used by the priests. They would follow these texts to become more holy and connect more spiritually with their body and the world around them, ultimately resulting in stronger relationships between the priests and their community.
Modern day yoga grew out of these ancient rituals and were employed by westerners who brought yoga to countries in Europe during the 17th and 18th centuries. As more people in the west became attracted to this unique connection between body and mind, entrepreneurs captured this new trend and began constructing yoga studios in popular places, like Hollywood. And the rest, you could say, was history!
On a more serious note, the practice of yoga is still evolving to fit the growing populations of the world and captivate new practitioners everyday. Throughout the next blog posts, I will delve deeper into who these people are and how yoga is found across the world. From humble beginnings to exciting fitness routines today, yoga’s rich history provides an excellent story for anyone interested in learning about yoga (or anyone forced to follow my blog for participation points).

As the new year and new semester allows for the ‘refresh’ button to be pressed, my passion blog is something that I have long awaited changing around to something new. Last semester, my blog followed my journey about learning about our world and the daring lifestyle that it entailed, including stories of travel, new opportunities, and more. However, the past few months of my life have given me new experiences and chances to become passionate about new things. So, for this new passion blog, my goal is to document the inward explorative journey I have long hoped for. Instead of learning about the world around me, I want to learn more about myself and hone in on what I am most passionate about, ultimately resulting in me becoming a more rounded person who knows their strengths and weaknesses.
With the start of the new year, beginning a new semester at school, and finally getting my sh*t together, I have begun to workout on a regular basis. For those of you who don’t know me well, I’ve never been someone to actively seek out competition or physical activity, both big traits of what working out is in my eyes. However, when I arrived at Penn State, I challenged myself to try things that weren’t conventionally things I would do. That’s how I ended up going to the IM building as often as I could motivate myself and trek all the way from Simmons Hall (summer session was fun, but the only gym open was a decently far walk away from where I was living). However, this push was a big motivator in changes in other aspects of my life.
Working out gave me more energy, a happier personality, and a good sweat when I needed it. However, something still didn’t seem right to me… As I touched upon earlier, I never liked physical competition and working out alongside division 1 athletes at the Penn State gyms began to bring these feelings back. Instead of giving up with the gym, I again challenged myself and thought out of the box for a solution to my dilemma. That solution for me was yoga.
While I had practiced yoga a few times in the past, it is nothing compared to the influence yoga has played on my life in the past few months. The goal for this passion blog is to learn more about how yoga practices work and how the different forms change my body. The foundation of yoga is using your body and only your body as the equipment to practice. Sure, having a yoga mat helps, but you can literally practice it anywhere! This idea has forced me to leave all of my excuses behind when it comes to skipping my workout. Yoga practices are not only spatially efficient and inexpensive, but also centralizes about being a more complete and happy person, keeping negative vibes and energy away from your body. Since I began practicing regularly, I’ve noticed positive changes in my health, my mood, and my life. I hope you will follow me on my journey as I dig more into what exactly yoga consists of, its history, and how the activity can be something everyone can implement in their own life. Enjoy!