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What is Yoga?

History of Yoga

The science and practice of yoga is over 6,000 years old, but it was only in the last 50 years or so that Yoga found its away across the continents to take root in American culture. The practice of Yoga was first introduced to the United States by several Yogi Masters around the turn of the last century, but Yoga as we know it today has its seeds of origin within the Yoga Sutras written by Patanjali about 800 BC. Though Patanjali identified eight limbs of yoga, most people are initially drawn to the physical aspect of yoga known as Asanas or physical postures. If these postures are practiced with integrity, grace, and balance, the seeds of the remaining seven limbs of yoga will take root and begin to sprout spontaneously in the student's life.

Yogi Masters

Early Masters instrumental in introducing Yoga to the United States include Swami Vivekananda, Yogendra Mastramani, Paramahansa Yogananda, Indra Devi, Sri K. Pattabhi Jois, BKS Iyengar and Yogi Bhajan.

The Eight Limbs of Yoga

  • Yama: Morals or principles of right-living
  • Niyama: Personal attitudes and practices that purify the mind and body
  • Asana: Physical posture
  • Pranayama: Breath consciousness or Breath Control
  • Pratyahara: Sense integration
  • Dharana: One-pointed concentration
  • Dhyana: Meditation
  • Samadhi: Absorption

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