Yoga: Did you know its real origin?

August 5, 2021August 5, 2021MyInfo Basket.com 5 CommentsBenefits of yoga, four types of yoga, History of Yoga, kinds of yoga, the Ancient Roots of Yoga, The origin of yoga is in which culture, types of yoga, What was yoga originally used for, Which country is the originator of yoga, yoga

Many know that yoga came from Hinduism. But did you know yoga’s real purpose and background in accordance with Hindu teachings?

In Hinduism, a person’s ultimate goal is to be in union with the Ultimate Reality. And this is explained by Hindu’s doctrines on ‘Brahman,’ ‘Atman,’ and the “identification of Brahman and Atman.” So let us discuss them.

‘Brahman’ pertains to the supreme existence or absolute reality. It is also defined as the divine power, eternal, conscious, irreducible, infinite, omnipresent, the spiritual core of the universe of finiteness and change, and the impersonal principle and first cause of the universe.

‘Atman,’ on the other hand, is the breath or the soul and principle of life. It refers to the universal self, identical with the eternal core of the personality that after death either transmigrates to a new life or attains release (moksha) from the bonds of existence.

The word ‘atman’ in Hindu philosophy also refers to the true essence of everything, including the universe. The ‘atman’ is believed to be the only thing that truly exists, an immortal substance that transmigrates from body to body.

As we mentioned, the highest goal of human existence is the attainment of the identity or union of the individual’s innermost self or atman with the ultimate reality or Brahman. Hinduism believes that this brings about not only happiness, but more importantly, moksha—the liberation from sadness and from a chain of lives.

So how can one’s soul or atman attain union with Brahman? One of Hindu’s answers is through yoga. (You’ve read it right, that very yoga even non-Hindus are doing today!)

As a matter of fact, ‘yoga’ is derived from Sanskrit word ‘yuga,’ meaning ‘yoke’ or union. Hinduism believes that practicing yoga may lead to the union of the atman with the Brahman, all within the self.

Yoga philosophy proposes four spiritual paths to realize knowledge of the Self and union with the universal spirit Brahman. These four spiritual paths can be pursued by practicing the four types of yoga:

Type of Yoga	Kind of Path	Examples and forms
Karma-yoga	the path of selfless action or work	Serving the poor; cooking and cleaning for others; and doing voluntary service
Bhakti-yoga	the path of devotion or love	regular prayer, ceremonial worship, chanting of holy words, singing, dancing, keeping holy company, and celebration
Jnana-yoga	the path of knowledge and wisdom	study of sacred texts, intellectual debates, philosophical discussion, and introspection
Raja-yoga	the path of psychological exercises	concentration, meditation on the Self, ‘pranayama’ (control of breath), ‘asana’ (control of posture), and adherence to austerity and self-control

It is therefore the Raja-yoga (the path of psychological exercises) which is widely done today even by non-Hindus—usually without knowing its true and original purpose and religious context.

For other free interesting articles about religions, visit Homepage: Introduction to World Religions and Belief Systems

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