| Yoga is an ancient art of physical and spiritual well | | | | the mind.Yoga is loosely translated as "ordinary being |
| being that originated in India. Even today in India it is a | | | | achieving union with the Supreme Being". The follower |
| vibrant living tradition, it is also seen as a means to | | | | of yoga is called a yogi. The practitioners who have |
| attain enlightenment. In other parts of the world | | | | made considerable progress in yoga are called "yogin |
| especially the west, where yoga is popular it is seen | | | | (male)" or yogini (female)".There are many types of |
| as a fitness exercise. Throughout the world yoga has | | | | yoga, but basis of most of the forms is concentration |
| influenced other religious and spiritual practices but it is | | | | (dharana) and meditation (dhyana). The yoga text |
| seen as an ultimate way of attaining enlightenment in | | | | describes them as being interconnected; continuous |
| Hinduism, Buddhism, Sikhism and Jainism.History of | | | | single pointed concentration gradually leads to |
| Yoga researchers have established the timeline of the | | | | meditation, through which one's inner self expands and |
| sculptures of the meditating yogi from the Indus Valley | | | | merges with something vast.The tradition of yoga |
| Civilization to be around 6 to 7 thousand years old. The | | | | incorporates the beliefs and techniques of yoga with |
| ancient Hindu scripture Rig Veda contains the earliest | | | | the practical experience. Many gurus have written on |
| written account about yoga. As it was maintained and | | | | the subject, shedding meaning onto the ancient yoga |
| communicated orally for almost a millennium before it | | | | texts. Also a guru can open an institution of yoga |
| was penned down between 1500 and 1200 B.C., it is | | | | through which he can teach yoga the way he wants it. |
| very difficult to point out the exact timeline. Patanjali | | | | Many artists have derived their inspirations for art, |
| (first yoga text) dated around 2nd century BC, | | | | poetry, dance and music from yoga. The students |
| preaches about adherence to "eight limbs" to provide | | | | who become associated with a particular yogic |
| harmony to one's mind.The Upanisads thought to have | | | | institution follow common practices, such as the |
| been written between the eight and fourth centuries | | | | mantras (chants) and studying sacred texts. The |
| B.C provides the earliest complete narrative of the | | | | difference between the various schools teaching yoga |
| principles and goals of yoga. Since Upanishads | | | | may always be the way of approach to the various |
| constitute the end of Spiritual wisdom they are also | | | | types of yoga.The yogic gurus sometimes have been |
| called as Vedanta. In the Vedantas, the practice of | | | | portrayed as going beyond every day way of life in a |
| sacrificing animals and conducting ceremonies in order | | | | rule bound society, which does not mean that they act |
| to appease the gods was replaced by the | | | | in an unethical fashion but will act to a certain extent |
| understanding that man can achieve union with God by | | | | with a direct knowledge of ultimate truth.Some of the |
| the means of inner sacrifice. The inner sacrifice meant | | | | notable yogis are Swami Vivekananda, Swami |
| leading a life of restraint, moral culture and training of | | | | Sivananda, Ramakrishna Paramahamsa. |