Yoga is essentially Hindu. Its one of the greatest gifts of our civilization to the world. So why are we apologetic about it ? Why are we telling people - there is nothing religious about it. Yoga has been an integral part of a Hindu's life since time immemorial. It has stemmed from our Sanatan Dharma. Estimated 15,000 years ago (~13,000 BCE), Adiyogi (the first yogi), a person with unknown origins appeared in the upper regions of Himalayas. Seeing his intense ecstatic state, seven hardcore seekers stayed with him. He took his seven disciples - Sapta Rishis to Kantisarovar and transformed himself in to Aadi Guru - the first guru and started a systematic exposition of yoga in a scientific manner not intellectually as a philosophy, but experientially. After imparting his knowledge he sent his seven disciples to different parts of the world. One went to Central Asia. Another went to North Africa and the Middle East, another went to South America, One stayed right there with Adiyogi. Another one came to the lower regions of the Himalayas and started what is known as Kashmiri Shaivism. Another one went south into the Indian Peninsula who is known as Agastya. The Sapta Rishis became the basis of the seven basic schools of yoga. Even today, these seven schools are still distinctly there. Adiyogi created this spine of knowledge, not in the form of books or teachings, but as an energy-based knowledge. He had the highest understanding of human nature, but he didn’t put anything down in writing. Patanjali came much later to reorganize the complex and diversified subject and he has put them all in a certain format - as the Yoga Sutras. Via : ShankhNaad
Very nice summary, and I totally agree. The problems arise from the misunderstanding of the term, or the differences in understanding between Hindus, and 'others'. We Hindus know it mostly as Patanjali's Sutras, but also further back, as you indicated. Most 'others' have only heard about it in terms of hatha yoga, so yoga to them often just means 'slow stretching exercises'. These days hatha yoga varies from 'nothing at all to do with SD, to varying amounts of SD thrown in, like beginning the class with Namaste, or pranayama, or meditation. So the first thing to do is to let them know the entire definition of yoga. It's too bad someone didn't use a different term. There would be less confusion. The fear they have is born about the same realisation Adiyogi had. Diving deep within will put you far away from the teachings of Abrahamism. So they're scared of losing what they have, and it is a justified fear. (for them) Even calming the mind for a few moments may touch on ecstasy, or give one a brief sense of it.
