The Origins of Yoga

by Tim McEvitt

The essence of all spirituality is that one develops love of the supreme spirit and love of his fellow beings. In its broadest definition yoga refers to the establishment of the connection between the individual self (that's us) and the supreme self (that's God).

The yoga postures that everyone has some familiarity with come from what may be referred to as mystic yoga, said to be first developed by the great demigod Lord Shiva in antiquity. 'Antiquity' means it was a rather long time ago. The remainder of this article will focus on understanding where yoga is really coming from, and not a date in history. Someone will say 5000 years ago, someone else may say 10,000 years ago, and someone will give a more recent date. But we won't worry about this for the moment. A stereotypical yogi performs asanas, or physical postures, on top of a mountain or deep in the forest. These poses are part of a procedure to train the body and mind for advanced meditation.

The above images illustrate aspects of yoga. In the centre, a mystic yogi has reached the point were he has raised his life force up through the chakras (energy centres) and it bursts out through the top of the skull. That means his soul leaves his body (he dies), however the yoga allows him to chose his next destination. He's in control. This is very very difficult. To raise ones soul up through the chakras requires practically inconceivable determination, patience and austerity. Good luck if you want to try! The other images illustrate other aspects of yoga: (1)the guru and disciple relationship (left), and (2) meditation on Vishnu (right image).(1) To learn yoga you require a yoga guru (2) A true yogi meditates on the supreme being as Lord Vishnu. He has pure spiritual goals. It is possible, however, for a person with impure motives to practise yoga with the goal of achieving some extraordinary subtle powers. Such a person, if he's very determined, may acquire such powers, for a period of time. This is not the real goal of yoga, but a kind of side-tracking.

The real goal of yoga is samadhi, spiritual perfection. There are two principal methods to achieve samadhi. One is through bhakti, or bhakti yoga, and one is through mystic yoga. Bhakti means you develop a relationship with God based on love and surrender. You surrender to the fact that your constitutional position is one of service to the supreme being. To use a Christian example, like St. Therese of Liseaux you may try to become a little flower of Christ, a fully dedicated, humble and devoted servant. Bhakti is never dependent on external conditions. You can be a mother of three with a part-time job and become a perfected bhakti yogi. Although the bhakti yoga process is in one sense easier, it cuts close to the grain for many, touching on ego deep inside us. Why is bhakti difficult? Because in it's fullest expression the level of simplicity, purity and humility required is enormous and even startling. Mystic yoga involves difficult and rigorous austerities, that gradually bring one towards samadhi, but also allows one power and control of metaphysical forces in this world.

Why is this kind of yoga attractive? Well, look at Star Wars, one of the most popular films of all time. In the 1977 original there is a scene where Darth Vader takes a dislike to someone and the unfortunate man find himself floating in the air gasping for breath as a result of Vader's mastery of the Force - if only we could do that to someone who gives us trouble! If we look inside ourselves many of us would relish the idea of having some extraordinary power like a jedi knight. Harry Potter is another recent example - we all like a bit of magic.

Actual mystic yoga can give such powers, HOWEVER we'll never meet a yogi like this in this day and age. In case this sounds disappointing, it is understood that there are some true yogis in the Himalayas, but they don't advertise themselves, so, practically speaking, we'll never see them. Aside from this there are individuals with some minor powers and many people who can perform interesting physical postures. But mystic yoga in the true sense isn't available.

This fullest expression of yoga was a recommended process of self-realization millennia ago, during a time called Satya Yuga. Advanced yoga is only doable by individuals with immense capacity for penance and austerity. I mean Austere. Overlooking the Himalayas a yogi may stand in a one leg asana that channels power from the universe inside himself. Holding this position for months, he takes only air as his eatables. You simply won't find people with these capabilities nowadays.

However, no harm! Doing yoga asanas for exercise is very nice. And there is some rudiment of the channeling powers that we can experience. The asanas, or postures, relate the micocosm and the macrocosm, our body and the body of the universe. We'll never fully experience this, but if we're on top of a mountain holding a position it is certainly true we will feel enlivened.

This is my few words on 'The Origin of Yoga' based on my practise of yoga, my study of the Bhagavat Purana, the essence and conclusion of the Vedas (the ancient texts of India), and the understanding and realizations of His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada and his followers. Others writing about the origins of yoga would have a different slant on things, as everyone writes as an individual and what one says is determined by who he accepts as an authority. For example, remnants of the British Empire's opinion regarding Indian culture and philosophy still exists today, and some people write about Yoga and Vedic knowledge with these influences. But that's the topic of another article. So it remains with the reader to pick for himself whose version he choses to accept as authoritative.