In the last few decades, Yoga has gained a lot of popularity amongst the people of all age groups. It is beneficial and widely practised workout for every person. It is proving to be very helpful for people who are practising it by providing them with strength, flexibility, and good health.

Yoga is also helpful for people who are suffering from overweight and wants to lose weight. But when we think about it, many questions arise in our mind regarding the concept, origin, history of Yoga and its benefits and importance in the daily lives of the people. In this article, we are going to search for all these questions.

What is Yoga?

Yoga is a mental, spiritual & physical practice that had originated in India. This is considered as one of the oldest schools in Hindu Philosophical traditions. It has a wide variety, and it was practised in several schools & institutions of Hinduism, Jainism & Buddhism.

It’s not just a workout, but it is a form of spiritual and ascetic discipline which involves many exercises including breathe controlling and meditation while sitting in some specific body postures. Many ancient saints and people had been practising this for thousands of years for attaining good health and peace and calmness.

Where did Yoga Originate?

One must be having deep thoughts about Yoga that from where did this came into existence? Yoga has been originated from the Pre-Vedic traditions of India & this is also mentioned in Rigveda. This has developed around the fifth & sixth centuries BCE.

Yoga is a very vital part of the Hindu religion & Yoga was later introduced in the western sides. The Patanjali Yoga Sutras had gained prominence in the Western areas in the 20th Century. It is also practised by several people of other religions such as Islam, Christianity & even Buddhism. Many cultures also practice meditations & other physical Yoga exercises.

Importance of Yoga:

It is a combination of thoughts as well as practice that helps a person to develop mentally, emotionally & physically. It leads to improving the physical, mental, social & spiritual health. Yoga also reduces stress & tension from the body. Thus, it activated the immunity as well as our nervous system.

Benefits of Yoga:

There are several benefits of Yoga. Physical benefits include a flexible body, improved balance, increase in body strength, and it also reduces all types of joint pain. Yoga also provides mental benefits such as reduces stress, it offers better sleep, improves self-confidence, provides relaxation to the body, increases body awareness & hence Yoga also helps in boosting immunity & makes our body flexible and fully fit. Yoga is highly beneficial for pregnant ladies & others suffering from several types of diseases.

History of Yoga:

Who is the Father of Yoga?

When talking about who is the father of Yoga? One thing that we all must know is that there is no particular father or mother of Yoga. Still, there were many peoples like Swami Vivekananda, Buddha, Mahavira, Shiva, who promoted and made people aware of the benefits of Yoga and told them about its importance and persuaded them to practice it in their daily lives when it was gradually disappearing from our culture and lifestyle.

How Old Is Yoga?

We can’t say anything about the oldness of Yoga. It has its description in the Rig Veda, but we don’t find any mention of it anywhere in the history of India which can tell about the culture from where it came and how old it is? According to some folks, it was introduced by Aryans. Some say that it was popularised by the people belonging to Indus Kush or Sarasvati civilisations. Historians have found some of its traces in the ancient treatises like The Bhagavad- Gita, Upanishads, and other ancient writings. Its earliest form is considered to have emerged from a combination of thought and practices over the ages.

Yoga in India

Yoga had been a part of Indian culture for a long time ago. Nowadays, many people come for a yoga vacation to India to get relief from stress and anxiety. There are many Ashrams in India for this. Some of the famous ones are mentioned below:

1. Phool Chatti Ashram, Rishikesh
2. Ayurveda Yoga Meditation Resort, Coonoor
3. Kaivalyadhama Ashram, Lonavala
4. Mysore Mandala Yogshala

21 June is celebrated as the International Yoga Day every year in all the countries of the world. On 11 December 2014, the United Nations declared 21 June as the International Yoga Day by considering its universal appeal. Now, it is being practised all over the world by billions of people and thousands of training centres, promoting and provoking people to develop a healthy habit of YOGA.