indian yoga

In a certain sense all yoga is Indian yoga. While an American might think of the killer poses done by those who practice the art, it is actually a system of spiritual meditation that also includes those types of physical activities. Certain forms of yoga of are present in Hinduism, Buddhism and Jainism.

There are five major branches of yoga that stem from the Hindu philosophy including Hatha, Jnana, Karma, Bhakti, and Raja, with the largest following being that of the Raja system.  Raja is so preeminent that it is known as simply yoga as part of the tradition of Samkhya. 

The word yoga has its origins in Sanskrit and the root "yuj" can mean something akin to the phrases: "to yoke," "to control" or "to unite."  The larger term is "yujir samadhau" and carries with it the idea of contemplation. While both terms are completely viable, the latter seems to fit better with the over-arching Raja traditions.

In countries outside of India the single word yoga is more than likely links directly to another form - Hatha yoga.  It is the most typical to see asanas used in yoga practice as a form of exercise that concentrate almost solely on the physical aspects of the postures while virtually ignoring the traditional Hindu spiritual teaachings.

Hatha is a particular style of yoga compiled by the yogi Swatmarama from the Hatha Yoga Pradipika some time around 600 years or more ago in the 15th century.  It is unique among other forms of yoga in that it concentrates on the phsyical far more than the internal aspects that are more prevalent in other forms and styles.

Yoga also has its place in Buddhism, but there it is primarily as a meditation exercise and has little to no physical component. For Jainism it can most properly be stated that some older form of Yoga developed into a full fledged relogious system.  In other words, Jainism is, in a way, yoga as a religion.

There is also a form of yoga present in Islam as Sufism, but this sect has been rejected in a fatwa in 2008 that stated that these hindu teachings could lead to blasphemy and is therefore forbidden. Likewise, Christianity considers yoga as a danger and warns that practices in Zen and Yoga can lead to a person degenerating into a form of cult of the body and mind.  Since yoga is also a primary focus and part of the New Age Movement, it is quite inconsistent with Christianity.

But regardless of all of the spiritual aspects in tradition surrounding yoga, there are still many people who find it physical benefit from the poses involved in forms such as hatha.  He does spiritual distinction goes a long way in explaining why people in the West and to practice the postures with little or no regard to anything that might be found in Indian yoga.