Yoga has increasingly grown in popularity over the past decade. Even though it’s typically viewed as an exercise and relaxation technique, yoga began over 5,000 years ago as a type of religious movement. One of the appeals of yoga is the relatively low expense of the activity, generally only requiring a mat. Yoga has certainly undergone an interesting transformation from religious movement to something that is associated with yoga pants and people that shop at health food stores. Here’s a quick look at that transformation.
1. Pre-Classical: This is where it began. The oldest records of yoga are actually found in religious texts. There is no question that yoga was viewed as a spiritual journey. The aforementioned 5,000 years might be as much as 10,000 years according to some historians.
2. Classical: Without getting too in-depth, the classical period was a unification of the many different types of yoga. It was also the beginning of a more systematic form of yoga.
3. Post-Classical: This was a rejection of the ancient Vedas. Post-Classical was more focused on finding enlightenment through the physical body.
4. Modern: Yoga began to be popularized in many areas of the world. Yoga teachers are certified in a specific style of yoga. Really expensive tight pants also came into fashion.
