Introduction to Yoga

Yoga is recognized as one of the six schools of Indian philosophy and embodies a rich and complex history. The fundamental principles spring from a study of Pantajali’s Yoga Sutras, which is non-trivial due to the challenges posed by both language and content; language, because Sanskrit is imbued with polysemous words,  and content because the sutras are terse and cryptic to all but those with tacit knowledge, or a jnani. However, a beginner can understand the basic hierarchal framework of yoga by means of the eight limbs, or ashtanga.

The practice of yoga has been developed through the succession of generations across varied and diverse sets of culture. This means the collective intellectual property of yoga is enormous, and certainly beyond the comprehension of any one, single person. Therefore, it is a challenge to understand the concepts in yoga because meaning is often lost in translation; what may appear to be spiritual behavior in western culture, may not be construed as being spiritual in non-western cultures, and vice-versa. Or, quite simply, different cultures have different value systems. The other issue with yoga being appropriated into western culture is that there are no formal rules, which leaves the question of educational continuity to regulatory bodies (e.g. Indian Yoga Alliance, Yoga Alliance) that are fairly new, self-organizing, and construct policy through (a more-or-less) democratic means.

Another challenge to understanding yoga, is that there are many techniques and many pathways available. Techiniques are often applied in a variety of ways that are based-on the particulars promoted through a lineage or institution. Despite the myriad of perspectives, there is a commonality, and ultimately, a single system of yoga. In the most simplistic terms, it is represented through the eight limbs (asthanga) which signify degrees of self-realization, conscious awareness, etc. In general, the figures who have promoted yoga and developed techniques, have a common scientific mentality, structured discipline, and methodological rigor.