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It is possible that Yoga's Origin is more than eight thousand years old, but
archeological evidence says that the Yogic tradition goes back at least 5000
years.  The first archaeological evidence of Yoga's existence is found in
stone seals excavated from the Indus valley. The stone seals depict figures
performing Yoga postures. These artifacts officially put Yoga on the History
books circa 3000 B.C.  Scholars believe that Yoga grew out of Stone Age.  

Early Yoga and archaic shamanism (Culture of Mehrgahr) had much in
common as both sought to transcend the human condition.  The primary goal
of shamanism was to heal members of the community and act as religious
mediators.  Archaic Yoga was community oriented, as it attempted to
discern the cosmic order through inner vision, then to apply that order to
daily living.

Later, Yoga evolved into a more inward experience, and Yogis focused on
their individual enlightenment and salvation.

The Vedas
The Indus-Sarasvati civilization gave birth to the ancient texts known as
the Vedas, the oldest scriptures in the world. The Vedas is a collection of
hymns that praises a higher power; it contains the oldest recorded Yogic
Teachings and is considered divine revelation. Thus, the wisdom of the
Vedas is known as Vedic or Pre-classical Yoga.

Vedic Yoga is characterized by ritualistic ceremonies that require Yoga
practitioners to transcend the limitations of the mind.  Vedic people relied
on rishis (dedicated Vedic Yogis) to teach them how to live in divine
harmony. Through intensive spiritual practice, rishis were often gifted with
visions of the ultimate reality.

Later, texts known as the Brahmanas were written to explain the rituals and
the hymns of the Vedas. The Aranyakas texts followed, detailing rituals for
Yogis living in the seclusion of the forest. This era also served as the
beginning of India's medical tradition known as Ayurveda.  Around 1900
B.C., a tectonic shift caused the great Rasvati River to dry up, forcing the
exodus of the Indus-Sarasvati civilization southward towards the Ganges
River.

Pre-Classical Yoga
Sometime between 1800 and 1500 B.C., Gnostic texts called the Upanishads
appeared. The 200 or so scriptures comprising the Upanishads, explained
the transcendental self; (atman) and its relation to the ultimate reality
(Brahman). The Karma doctrine is believed to have originated with the
Upanishads as well. Just as the New Testament rests upon but furthers the
Old Testament, so too, the Upanishads further expounds upon the scriptures
of the Vedas. The teaching of the Upanishads dawned the era of
Pre-classical Yoga.

Around 1400 B.C., a great sage named Vyasa, categorized the Vedic hymns
into the 4 Vedic texts we know today: Rig Veda ("Knowledge of Praise"),
Yajur-Veda ("Knowledge of Sacrifice"), Sama-Veda ("Knowledgeof Chants"),
and Atharva-Veda ("Knowledge of Atharvan"). In 1200 B.C., the great
enlightened teacher Rishabha started the tradition known as Jainism which
is also dedicated to the liberation of the spirit. Then in 1000 B.C., a
second urbanization began along the banks of the Ganges River.

Today The Bhagavad-Gita has had perhaps, the most profound influence on
Hindu culture and philosophy.  This ancient text was written about 500 B.C.
and is the first scripture devoted entirely to Yoga.  The Bhagavad-Gita
confirms that Yoga was quite ancient by the time of its writing.  Only 700
verses long, the Gita is a conversation between Prince Arjuna and the
God-man Krishna.

The Gita's message is to oppose evil in the world. The Gita earned its
relevance because of its attempt to blend Jnana-Yoga, Bhakati-Yoga and
Karma-Yoga together unifying these various Yogic traditions.  Many schools
during this era taught ways of reaching deep levels of Meditation in order to
surpass the mind and body system to achieve one's true, limitless self.
WHAT IS YOGA?