The Rich Traditions Of Yoga From The Perspective Of A Long Island Yoga Studio

Want to go to some Long Island yoga classes, but you don’t even know what it entails? Take a look at some of the history and traditions of Yoga, and decide for yourself.

No one knows exactly when Yoga began, but it certainly predates written history. Carved images of figures in Yoga positions were discovered during archeological digs in the Indus Valley.  These carvings date back 5,000 years or more! People tend to make the mistake that Yoga was created as a result of Hindusim; in actuality, Hinduism was developed later on down the line.  The mistake arises because Hinduism incorporated some of Yoga’s traditions and practices into its own teachings.

Traditionally, Yoga and its teachings have been passed down from teacher to student solely orally and through demonstration. The formal techniques that are now known as Yoga are, therefore, based on the collective experiences of many individuals over many thousands of years.

A scholar named Patanjali is credited with the earliest text on Yoga.  His book, the Yoga Sutras, set down the most common practices of Yoga in his time (Sometime between 200 B.C. and 400 A.D.). The system that he wrote about is known as “Ashtanga Yoga,” or the eight limbs of Yoga, and this is what is generally referred to today as Classical Yoga. Some variation of the system Patanjali wrote about is what most adherents of Yoga practice today.

There are eight steps to Classical Yoga.  These are:

1. yama, the showing of restraint in engaging in such activities as violence, casual sex, the hoarding of possessions, lying, and stealing.

2. niyama, meaning “observance” — purity, contentment, tolerance, study, and remembrance.

3. asana, which refers to exercising the body.

4. pranayama, meaning “breathing techniques”.

5. pratyahara, which refers to preparing the mind for meditation.

6. dharana, the ability to concentrate and focus the mind on a specific object for a set amount of time.

7. dhyana, the ability to the mind on one thing for an indefinite amount of time.

8. samadhi, which means to absorb into one’s self.  This is the focus on the inner self.

Typical western Yoga classes today focus only on steps 3, 4, and 5.

Yoga has been in the United States since the late 1800s, but it did not gain in popularity until the 1960s. As more became known about the beneficial effects of Yoga, it gained acceptance and respect as a valuable method for helping in the management of stress and improving health and well-being.

Ready to find out what Yoga has in store for you? Make your way to your local Yoga studio and give it a try! Want to sweat?  Take it a step further and get into a Long Island hot yoga class.  You won’t be disappointed!

Sole Pilates and Yoga is the best Long Island yoga studio in Huntington. Visit their site and attend one of their Long Island yoga classes today!