The Four Stages of Yoga Evolution

There are four stages of Yoga evolution, until we came to practice it nowadays. The stages are Pre-classical Yoga, Classical Yoga, Post-classical Yoga, and Modern Yoga.

Pre-classical Yoga

The Upanishad (Gnostic texts) appeared between 1800-1500 B.C. It contains 200 scriptures, which explained the transcendental self, (atman) and its relationship with the reality (Brahman). Karma principles originated with the Upanishads.

Vyasa was a great sage in 1400 B.C, he had categorized the Vedic hymns into four texts we use nowadays, and they are:

Sama Veda (knowledge of chants)
Yajur Veda (knowledge of sacrifice)
Rig Veda (knowledge of praise)
Atharva Veda (knowledge of Atharvan)
Rishabha was a great Yoga teacher in 1200 B.C; he had started the Jainism tradition, and this is due to the liberation of the spirit.

Again, an urbanization began along the Ganges River in 1000 B.C. Lord Buddha spread the Buddhism which focuses on meditation and ethics, ignoring physical postures. Buddhism is somehow similar to Hinduism. A few years later, the Buddhism canonical scriptures were structured.

Jaimini was a disciple of Vyasa; he had composed Mimamsa Sutra (Hinduism text) in 300 B.C. However, emperor Ashoka converted to Buddhism and widely spread it.

Classical Yoga

When Yoga became widely spread, and due to it different forms, people thought about standardizing it. Therefore, in the second century, Patanjali composed a seminal text, Yoga Sutra and Classical Yoga. At these times the 195 sutras in Yoga Sutra, used in Raja Yoga (the eightfold Yoga path).The eightfold Yoga paths are:

Yama (restraint)
Niyama (observance of purity, tolerance and study)
Pranayama (breath control)
Asana (Physical exercises)
Pratyahara (preparation for Meditation)
Dhyana (Meditation)
Dharana (concentration)
Samadhi (is the absorption in the sublime).
Patanjali supports studying the sacred scriptures as part of the Yoga practice, which became Classical Yoga's distinct feature. Yoga Sutra main characteristic is its philosophical dualism. Patanjali believed in the importance of prakriti (the matter) and purusha (the spirit) separation to purify the spirit. Which differs from the Vedic and Pre-classical Yoga believes in the importance of body and spirit union. The Patanjali presented Yoga far from the traditional non-dualistic Yoga, and prepared it for the Post-classical Yoga. After the Paranjali, Yogis focused on the Meditation and neglected the Asanas. Then, by time, Yoga masters shifted their thoughts to health, maintenance and longevity, and this was by introducing new Yoga techniques, which they believed affect the body biochemistry and make it immortal.

Post-Classical Yoga

Here is the rise of prolific literature, the different branches of Yoga including Hatha and Tantra, and the rise of many holistic schools for Yoga. This one relies on appreciating life and accepting the present moment.

Modern Yoga

It arrived to the United States in the 1800's by many Gurus. One of these Yoga gurus is Swami Vivekanada, who was a Ramakrishna student, and his teacher commissioned him to attend the Parliament of Religions in Chicago. Later on, he traveled around the U.S and spread Yoga traditions.

This was Yoga history and evolution, "interesting isn't it?" it shows us how important the Yoga is in all times. As if, it is in the human beings instincts, and as if, we are born with its love. Yoga is essential for all the human races to keep up a good health and life.

Next, we will list other Yoga gurus, who are the main founders of the Modern Yoga, and they are the cause of its spread worldwide, and its evolution, by introducing and developing new techniques and molding it to become so ideal to practice in our present time.

Darren Williger is an over-caffeinated, low carbohydrate eating, winemaking enthusiast who writes for CaffeineZone.com, LowCarbPages.com, and PrimeYoga.com.