Group 4 Members:: What Is Yoga?

Group 4
Members:
● Espina, Andi
● Fetiluna, Kent
● Lara, Keeno
● Ligan, Crystal
● Morre, Julia
● Tangpos, Erika
Introduction to Yoga
Yoga is more than just a workout—it’s actually a combination of four components: postures (like tree
pose), breathing practices, deep relaxation, and meditation that can transform your health on many
different levels. Yoga is a path towards total harmony of body, mind, and spirit.
➢ What is Yoga?
○ The word Yoga comes from the Sanskrit word yuj, which means union. Union of the
individual consciousness with the universal consciousness.
■ ‘to join, unite or yoke together’, and the essential purpose of yoga is to bring
together body, mind and spirit into a harmonious whole.
○ Yoga is not merely a form of exercise for the body. It is an ancient wisdom - for a
healthier, happier, and more peaceful way of living - which ultimately leads to union with
the Self.
○ It is an inherent desire in humans to be happy. The ancient sages, through inquiry about
life, were able to reach a state of consciousness in which the secrets of healthier, happier,
and meaningful living were revealed to them.
○ Though yoga comes from Hinduism, the knowledge of yoga transcends any religion or
culture. Its application is universal!
○ The central methods of yoga are physical postures or ‘asanas’ and movement, breathing
techniques or ‘pranayama’ and meditation. Yoga includes guidance on healthy lifestyle,
eating habits, mental attitude, and Ayurvedic medicine is also part of the Yogic path to
health and balance.
○ Hatha yoga is the path of physical yoga, which is the most popular branch of yoga in the
West. ‘HA’ means ‘SUN’, and ‘THA’, ’MOON’, so Hatha Yoga is the joining, or the
yoking together of these different energies in harmonious equilibrium, positive and
negative, active and receptive.
➢ Brief History & Origin

○ Yoga originated from Northern India. Yoga's origins can be traced to northern India
over 5,000 years ago. The word yoga was first mentioned in ancient sacred texts called
the Rig Veda - one of the four sacred ancient texts that are written in sanskrit. Yoga was
refined and developed by Rishis (sages) who documented their practices and beliefs in
the Upanishads, a huge work containing over 200 scriptures. Yoga is amongst the six
schools of philosophy in Hinduism, and is also a major part of Buddhism and its
meditation practices.
○ Pre-classical Yoga. Yoga was slowly refined and developed by the Brahmans and Rishis
(mystic seers) who documented their practices and beliefs in the upanishads (means
“sitting down beside” in Sanskrit conferring to a teacher passing down knowledge to a
student), a huge work containing over 200 scriptures. The Upanishads took the idea of
ritual sacrifice from the Vedas and internalized it, teaching the sacrifice of the ego
through self-knowledge, action (karma yoga) and wisdom (jnana yoga).
○ Classical Yoga. The first systematic presentation of yoga. Patanjali, known as the father
of yoga, organized the practice of yoga into an "eight limbed path" containing the steps
and stages towards obtaining Samadhi or enlightenment. This practice is called
Yoga-Sûtras and this practice strongly influences most styles of modern yoga.
○ Post-classical Yoga. Yoga gurus devised a set of practices centuries after Patanjali to
revitalize the body and lengthen life. They disregarded the traditional Vedic teachings and
embraced the physical body as a path to nirvana. They created Tantra Yoga, a radical
method of cleansing the body and mind to free us from our physical life. It was through
this discovery of physical-spiritual linkages and body-centered practices that Hatha Yoga
emerged.
○ Modern Period. Around 1900, yoga gurus began to travel to Europe, gaining attention
and adherents. T. Krishnamacharya, Swami Sivananda, and other yogis popularized
Hatha Yoga in India in the 1920s and 1930s. Yoga came to the West slowly until Indra
Devi started her class in Hollywood in 1947. Since then, thousands of western and Indian
instructors have pioneered hatha yoga, earning millions of devotees. With so many
schools and styles, it's hard to keep track of them all.
➢ Benefits of Yoga
○ Yoga improves strength, balance and flexibility.
■ Slow movements and deep breathing increase blood flow and warm up muscles,
while holding a pose can build strength.
■ In one of the most persuasive yoga studies, men and women 18-27 years of age
who participated in two yoga sessions per week for eight weeks increased the
strength in their arms by 19% to 31%, and by 28% in their legs. Their ankle
flexibility, shoulder elevation, trunk extension, and trunk flexion increased by
13%, 155%, 188%, and 14%, respectively!
○ Yoga helps with back pain relief.
■ Yoga is as good as basic stretching for easing pain and improving mobility in
people with lower back pain. The American College of Physicians recommends
yoga as a first-line treatment for chronic low back pain.
○ Yoga benefits heart health.
■ Regular yoga practice may reduce levels of stress and body-wide inflammation,
contributing to healthier hearts. Several of the factors contributing to heart
disease, including high blood pressure and excess weight, can also be addressed
through yoga.
○ Yoga can mean more energy and brighter moods.
■ You may feel increased mental and physical energy, a boost in alertness and
enthusiasm, and fewer negative feelings after getting into a routine of practicing
yoga.
○ Yoga relaxes you, to help you sleep better, and helps you manage stress.
■ Research shows that a consistent bedtime yoga routine can help you get in the
right mindset and prepare your body to fall asleep and stay asleep.
■ According to the National Institutes of Health, scientific evidence shows that
yoga supports stress management, mental health, mindfulness, healthy eating,
weight loss and quality sleep.
➢ 5 Basic Movements
○ Standing poses: Standing poses are often done first in a yoga class to "build heat" and
get you warmed up. In vinyasa/flow style yoga, standing poses are strung together to
form long sequences. In Hatha classes, the standing poses may be worked on individually
with rest between each pose.
○ Balancing poses: Beginners' balances are an important way to build the core strength
necessary for many of yoga's more advanced postures. Though balances may seem
difficult at first, you will find that you can improve markedly with regular practice.
○ Backbends: As a beginner, you will generally begin with gentle flexion and extension of
the spine, eventually moving to deeper bends. Since you rarely move like this in daily
life, backbends are essential for spinal health and longevity.
○ Seated poses: Seated stretches, which often focus on stretching the hips and hamstrings,
are usually done toward the end of a yoga class after the body is warm. Placing a folded
blanket or a block under your seat is a good way to make yourself more comfortable in
these postures.
○ Resting or supine poses: It's important to get to know your resting poses, especially
child's pose, which you are encouraged to do whenever you need a break during a yoga
session. These resting poses continue the hip and hamstring work of the seated poses, as
well as providing gentle back-bending, twisting, and inversion.
References:
Burgin, T. (2021, June 16). History of Yoga •. Yoga Basics. Retrieved November 7, 2021, from
https://www.yogabasics.com/learn/history-of-yoga/
Explore The Ancient Roots of Yoga. (n.d.). Google Arts & Culture. Retrieved November 7, 2021, from
https://artsandculture.google.com/story/explore-the-ancient-roots-of-yoga/rAKCRDl92CPuJg
John Hopkins Medicine. (n.d.). Health: 9 Benefits of Yoga. Retrieved from
https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/health/wellness-and-prevention/9-benefits-of-yoga
Pizer, A. (n.d.). 30 must-know yoga poses for Beginners. Verywell Fit. Retrieved November 7, 2021, from
https://www.verywellfit.com/essential-yoga-poses-for-beginners-3566747

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➢ Brief History & Origin

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