Origin of Yoga

Yogaścittavṛttinirodhaḥ

Yoga (yogaḥ) is the suppression (nirodhaḥ) of the modifications (vṛtti) of mind (citta)

Like history, the origin of yoga is also a debatable topic. Yoga is believed to have its origin some thousands of years back and is known to emerge with the very beginning of the civilization.

According to Hindu Mythology, Shiva was seen as the first yogi also called as Adi yogi or Adi Guru. The focus of yoga in those times was to understand the world which later on culminated into the understanding of the higher self by strict practicing of breathing techniques and by sacrificing the material world, thus becoming a seer.

It is to be believed that in the yogic lore, Adi guru showered the sapt rishis, the seven sacred sages with the wealth of his yogic knowledge, the sapt rishis further disseminated this profound knowledge into the different parts of the world; however, yoga is known to have its true roots of origin lie in India. Saptrishi Agastya is known to bring yogic culture to its full expression by crafting his life around it in India. 

Yoga has no religion and it does not emphasize on practicing any, yoga is spiritual in nature and its effects on the mind and body are supported by scientific evidence. Anyone can practice yoga carrying any belief or belonging to any ethnic group, its effects are going to be the same. 

With time teachers or guru following different traditions or paramparas, philosophies and lineages started practicing yoga and it is in their urge to share the deep and sagacious knowledge of yoga that various schools came into existence and these yoga schools bought different types of yogic practices, for example, nana-yoga, Bhakti-yoga, Karma-yoga, Dhyana-yoga, Patanjali-yoga, Kundalini-yoga, Hatha-yoga, Mantra-yoga, Raja-yoga, Jain-yoga, Buddha-yoga etc. However, these schools have different principles of teaching but the main aim remains the same and is in lieu with that of yoga i.e to achieve Kaivalya or detachment from the cycle of birth-rebirth.