History of Yoga

Elements of the history of yoga are scattered throughout this Revised HTML Edition of the Glossary, especially in the following entries: Gorakhnath, Gheranda Samhita , hatha, Hatha Yoga, Hatha Yoga Pradipika , Matsyendranath, Shiva Samhita , tantra, Tantra Yoga, Vedas, etc. The earliest surviving records of yoga were engraved on small seals some 4500 years ago along the Indus River, in what is now Pakistan. These early images show Shiva, the patron deity of yoga, sitting in an advanced yoga pose; one seal also includes details depicting advanced spiritual practices, as well.