It has vedic origins as several seals which depict different yoga poses has been found in Indus Valley Civilization. Some of the precursors to yoga can be the ascetic practices, concentration and bodily postures used by Vedas priests to conduct all the Vedic rites and rituals or fire sacrifice or yagna. It is also believed that between the period of 200 BCE and 500 BCE different philosophical schools of Hinduism, Buddhism and Jainism were taking form which also led to the emergence of a coherent philosophical system of yoga. Over the middle ages many other satellite traditions of yoga developed. By mid 19th century it caught the attention of the western world and became widely popular there.
According to records the earliest mention of the word Yoga is found in the Rig Veda but is denoted as a Yoke which can also be a war chariot. Besides it, the word is also frequently mentioned in the Upanishads. The actual term 'Yoga' was first mentioned in the Katha Upanishad, a scripture dating to the third century and later in the Shvetasvatara Upanishad. In these texts they have described the hierarchy of mind body constituents like the senses, mind, intellect etc. In Brihadaranyaka Upanishad, which is considered to be the earliest Upanishads, there is a reference to meditation. In the great epic Mahabharatha, yoga is used to denote a 'divine chariot which carried him in a burst of light to and through the sun, and on to the heaven of gods and heroes.' Besides this Yoga also finds mention in the early Buddhist texts, different Upanishads and Bhagavad Gita. Hence it is a very important aspect of India tradition and culture which is now slowly taking over the world.
Yoga has immense benefits for the body, mind and soul. It provides a holistic approach to harmonize the different parts of the body. It is good for the pose and the structural balance which also leads to mental balance. Some of the other benefits are as follows -
It promotes flexibility and suppleness.
It improves strength and stamina.
It tones the internal organs and improves concentration.
It improves breathing which has numerous positive benefits.
It makes you relax and relieves you of all types of stress.
It makes your mind calm and thus improves your ability to focus.
It includes some type of physical exercise which supplies a fresh supply of nutrients and oxygen to the body.
It increases energy, vitality and flexibility of youth.
It can also cure a whole lot of diseases and ailments like asthma, high blood pressure, lower back pain, arthritis, ME, menopausal changes, menstrual problem, stress, anxiety and depression.
It helps the muscles to release all the built up tension.
It helps to improve circulation and proper alignment of bones.
It also helps to alleviate age related rheumatism and arthritis.
One should not expect immediate results of Yoga as it is a gradual and progressive process. It is very important to perform it correctly; hence one should find a well trained and experienced teacher for maximum benefits.
Some of the other important facts about yoga are:
Yoga can benefit a whole lot of body parts. There are different poses and each has its benefit for separate body parts and ailments related to it. Some of the important body parts that can benefit from different poses of yoga are - abdomen, ankles, arches, arms, bladder, brain, buttocks, calves, chest, diaphragm, digestive organs, foot, groins, ham strings, hands, fingers, heart, hips, intestines, kidneys, knees, legs, liver, lower back, lungs, neck, ovaries, pelvis, pituitary, prostate gland, shoulders, spine, thighs, thyroid, upper back, uterus and wrists. Hence it covers a wide range of human body parts and is very beneficial.
Yoga can cure many ailments and diseases originating from different parts and organs of the body. With time it can relive humans of many diseases that other medicines may not have cured. Some of its therapeutic applications include providing cure for the following ailments and diseases - anxiety, asthma, back pain, carpal tunnel syndrome, fatigue, flat feet, headache, high blood pressure, infertility, insomnia, menopause, menstruation, mild depression, neck pain, osteoporosis, pregnancy, sciatica, sinusitis and stress among many others. In today's modern world where life has become so hectic, it helps to cure a lot of life style related diseases and brings in fresh and positive energy in our lives.
With all its benefits and positivity, yoga has its own contraindications and cautions. There are certain circumstances where it can cause more damage than benefits. Some of the times where you need to avoid yoga are as follows - asthma, back injury, carpel tunnel syndrome, diarrhea, headache, heart problems, high blood pressure, knee injury, low blood pressure, neck injury and pregnancy. However this does not mean you cannot do yoga at all in these cases. It is just that there are certain poses which needs to be avoided when you are going through these. There are also specific yoga poses which is only meant to be done when you are suffering these ailments, hence yoga can be done when you have these, just you need to be careful and avoid poses that can be damaging during this time.
Yoga is very beneficial and helpful but it is also very demanding and requires a discipline and adherence to regular discipline. Initially people may face problems with flexibility and strength, especially if you are starting at an advanced age. Howe ever things will become smooth and easy. Here are a few beginners tip -
Practice yoga only under the guidance of trained and experienced professionals.
Have proper consultation to find out which poses are suitable for you, depending on your needs and medical history, as all poses may not be beneficial and some may even be damaging.
Start with simple basic poses to improve your strength and flexibility and slowly move to the advanced level.
Some of the preparatory yoga poses for the beginners are - the mountain pose, downward facing dog, warrior pose, tree pose, bridge pose, triangle pose, seated twist, upward facing dog, pigeon pose, crow pose and child pose. These are the basic poses with which you can start practicing yoga. It will help to make your body flexible and give it more strength. This is very essential to ensure that you are able to perform all the other poses better.
So what matters the most is to follow the instruction as well as to go for a proper guidance in order to make most out of the yoga. It is also the most essential element of life for better and healthy lifestyle as well as to get rid of certain problems related to health.
Try yoga and stay fit and healthy.
| Sanskrit Name | English Name |
| Adho Mukha Svanasana | Downward-Facing Dog |
| Adho Mukha Vrksasana | Handstand |
| Agnistambhasana | Fire Log Pose |
| Akarna Dhanurasana | Archer Pose |
| Ananda Balasana | Happy Baby Pose |
| Anantasana | Side-Reclining Leg Lift |
| Anjaneyasana | Low Lunge |
| Ardha Bhekasana | Half Frog Pose |
| Ardha Chandrasana | Half Moon Pose |
| Ardha Matsyendrasana | Half Lord of the Fishes Pose |
| Ardha Navasana | Half Boat Pose |
| Ardha Uttanasana | Standing Half Forward Bend |
| Astavakrasana | Eight-Angle Pose |
| Baddha Konasana | Butterfly Pose / Bound Angle Pose |
| Bakasana | Crane Pose |
| Balasana | Child's Pose |
| Bharadvajasana I | Bharadvaja's Twist |
| Bhujangasana | Cobra Pose |
| Bhujapidasana | Shoulder-Pressing Pose |
| Bidalasana | Cat Pose |
| Bitilasana | Cow Pose |
| Chakrasana | Wheel Pose |
| Chaturanga Dandasana | Four-Limbed Staff Pose |
| Dandasana | Staff Pose |
| Dhanurasana | Bow Pose |
| Dwi Pada Sirsasana | Legs Behind Head Pose |
| Dwi Pada Viparita Dandasana | Upward Facing Two-Foot Staff Pose |
| Eka Pada Koundinyasana I | Pose Dedicated to the Sage Koundinya I |
| Eka Pada Koundinyasana II | Pose Dedicated to the Sage Koundinya II |
| Eka Pada Rajakapotasana | One-Legged King Pigeon Pose |
| Eka Pada Rajakapotasana II | One-Legged King Pigeon Pose II |
| Eka Pada Sirsasana | One-Leg-Behind-Head Pose |
| Ganda Bherundasana | Formidable Face Pose |
| Garbhasana | Foetus Pose |
| Garudasana | Eagle Pose |
| Gomukhasana | Cow Face Pose |
| Guptasana | Perfect Pose |
| Halasana | Plow Pose |
| Hanumanasana | Monkey Pose |
| Janu Sirsasana | Head-to-Knee Forward Bend |
| Jathara Parivartanasana | Reclined Straight-Leg Twist |
| Kandasana | Upward Ankle Twist Pose |
| Kapotasana | King Pigeon Pose |
| Karnapidasana | Knee to Ear Pose |
| Krounchasana | Heron Pose |
| Kurmasana | Tortoise Pose |
| Makarasana | Crocodile Pose |
| Malasana | Garland Pose |
| Mandalasana | Circle Pose |
| Marichyasana I | Pose Dedicated to the Sage Marichi, I |
| Marichyasana II | Marichi's Pose |
| Marichyasana III | Marichi's Pose |
| Marjaryasana | Cat Pose |
| Matsyasana | Fish Pose |
| Mayurasana | Peacock Pose |
| Mulabandhasana | Root Lock Pose |
| Natarajasana | Lord of the Dance Pose |
| Nidrasana | Yogic Sleep Pose |
| Padangustha Dhanurasana | Bow Pose |
| Padangusthasana | Big Toe Pose |
| Padmasana | Lotus Pose |
| Parighasana | Gate Pose |
| Paripurna Navasana | Full Boat Pose |
| Parivrtta Janu Sirsasana | Revolved Head-to-Knee Pose |
| Parivrtta Parsvakonasana | Revolved Side Angle Pose |
| Parivrtta Trikonasana | Revolved Triangle Pose |
| Parsva Bakasana | Side Crane Pose |
| Parsvottanasana | Intense Side Stretch Pose |
| Pasasana | Noose Pose |
| Paschimottanasana | Seated Forward Bend |
| Pavanamuktasana | Wind Relieving Bend |
| Pincha Mayurasana | Feathered Peacock Pose |
| Poorna Salabhasana | Complete Wheel Pose |
| Prasarita Padottanasana | Wide-Legged Forward Bend |
| Purna Chakrasana | Complete Wheel Pose |
| Purvottanasana | Upward Plank Pose |
| Salabhasana | Locust Pose |
| Salamba Sarvangasana | Supported Shoulderstand |
| Salamba Sirsasana | Supported Headstand |
| Sasangasana | Rabbit Pose |
| Savasana | Corpse Pose |
| Savithrasana | |
| Setu Bandha Sarvangasana | Bridge Pose |
| Shirsha Padasana | Foot to Head Pose |
| Siddhasana | Perfect Pose |
| Simhasana | Lion Pose |
| Sirsasana | Headstand |
| Sukhasana | Easy Pose |
| Supta Baddha Konasana | Reclining Bound Angle Pose |
| Supta Padangusthasana | Reclining Big Toe Pose |
| Supta Virasana | Reclining Hero Pose |
| Svastikasana | Auspicious Pose |
| Tadasana | Mountain Pose |
| Tittibhasana | Firefly Pose |
| Tolasana | Scale Pose |
| Trikonasana | Triangle Pose |
| Upavistha Konasana | Wide-Angle Seated Forward Bend |
| Urdhva Dhanurasana | Upward Bow or Wheel Pose |
| Urdhva Hastasana | Upward Salute |
| Urdhva Mukha Svanasana | Upward-Facing Dog |
| Urdhva Prasarita Eka Padasana | Standing Split |
| Urdhwamukha Tittibhasana | |
| Ustrasana | Camel Pose |
| Utkatasana | Chair Pose |
| Uttanasana | Standing Forward Bend |
| Uttana Shishosana | Extended Puppy Pose |
| Utthita Hasta Padangusthasana | Extended Hand-To-Big-Toe Pose |
| Utthita Parsvakonasana | Extended Side Angle Pose |
| Utthita Trikonasana | Extended Triangle Pose |
| Vasisthasana | Side Plank Pose |
| Vatayanasana | Horse Pose |
| Vibhakta Janushirshasana | |
| Viparita Chakrasana | Reversed Wheel Pose |
| Viparita Karani | Legs-Up-the-Wall Pose |
| Viparita Shalabhasana | Superman Pose |
| Virabhadrasana I | Warrior I Pose |
| Virabhadrasana II | Warrior II Pose |
| Virabhadrasana III | Warrior III Pose |
| Virasana | Hero Pose |
| Vrischikasana I | Scorpion Pose I |
| Vrischikasana II | Scorpion Pose II |
| Vrksasana | Tree Pose |