...The term Yoga was derived from a Sanskrit word meaning "to join", "to integrate" or "to unite". The goal of Yoga is to reach a union of mind and body and it is believed to have been put to use for more than 25,000 years.

Yoga, as we know it today, dates back to ancient times in india. It is hard to specifically pinpoint the time in history when it truly originated since different versions are being passed on from one group to another. Figures of how long it has been around have relied upon the expertise of the historians who interpreted the sacred carvings found in the Indus valley Civilization. The actual carving is in the form of a rock seal which contains an image sitting cross-legged, as if meditating.

This seal, which was coined shiva Pashupati, was discovered by a british archaeologist, Sir John Hubert Marshall. With this discovery, archaeological evidence started shedding light to support the belief that the practice of yoga began 5,000 years ago.

Another expert, David Frawley, who is a Vedic scholar, claims that yoga dates back to the earliest Hindu writing, called Rig Veda, which was believed to have been written between 1500 and 1200 BC. Rig Veda is considered the oldest religious text in the world and...more

Understanding Patanajali's Yoga Sutras (11-15)

...1:11 Memory is returning the mind to the past. This could also be phrased, Memory does not allow the mind to escape from the past.

Without memory, we will not learn from our past. The past teaches us, but we cannot reside there. We cannot change the past, but sometimes we allow past mistakes to haunt us.

We all have regrets about the past, but we must live for now. Otherwise, we will miss the present, which quickly shapes the future. When past mistakes are a heavy burden, we must do our best to compensate anyone who has been wronged.

1:12 Control of the mind is achieved through practice and non-attachment.

Controlling our thought streams ca...more

Find the Right Yoga Teacher and Yoga Class for You

...Though there are most likely at least half a dozen yoga studios and gyms that offer yoga classes in your neighborhood, finding the one class and the right teacher to suit your needs is not always easy. Start at the beginning with these steps and when you have completed all of them you are sure to have located the best yoga class and teacher combination for your schedule, location, interest, and temperament.

* What are your choices? The telephone book, the internet, community newspapers, ad boards at your local health food store or organic grocery store all of these are great ways to find out what is available to you. Spread the word that youre looking for a good class. Your d...more

Free Yoga exercises routines

...ch should be performed at a fixed time in a fixed place everyday.

The initial pose of these free yoga exercises should be the Corpse pose, and be repeated between other asana (yoga poses) and as a final relaxation. This pose looks easy and it's really good too. But it should be used for more than relaxing. You should use this pose for meditation while allowing your mind to gain strength and relax.

Start these yoga exercises with the warm up exercises to relax and prepare your muscles for the next exercises. After warm up you can perform the shoulder lifts the natural following exercise and the eye exercise, which can improve your eyesight and prevent tiredness. For the next exercises you can practice sun salutation which will stretch all your body muscles, this to prepare for the much more difficult exercises. Try also leg raise, which will tone your leg muscles, giving you more endurance and improved flexibility; head stand pose is also good for resting some of your organs such as heart.

Once you prepare your...more

Baba Yoga Houston