history and principles of yoga

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Yoga is over 5,000 years old, with roots in the Indus Valley, ancient Syria, and even Egypt. 

Originally passed down orally, yoga means “union” in Sanskrit—bringing together body, mind, and spirit as one integrated whole.

Though often seen as exercise, yoga is fundamentally a mental and spiritual practice—the world’s first form of psychology. 

Around 300 BCE, the sage Patanjali codified its teachings in the Yoga Sutras, defining yoga as a method to calm the fluctuations of the mind.

The Yoga Sutras outline eight limbs of yoga. 

The first two, Yamas and Niyamas, are ethical and personal values like non-violence, truthfulness, and self-discipline. 

Asana (postures) and Pranayama (breathwork) follow.

The remaining limbs guide the mind inward through Pratyahara (withdrawal of senses), Dharana (concentration), Dhyana (meditation), and Samadhi (oneness with the Self or Divine).

At its core, yoga is not just about the body—it is a path to mental clarity, spiritual awakening, and union with all that is.