Yoga has been traced back to around 3000 B.C., in India. Stone drawings from that time period show figures in yoga postures.

Yoga aims to unite the mind, body and spirit through exercise, breathing & meditation. The goal of the asanas (postures) is to increase the body’s efficiency and health, making it easier to quiet the mind and relieve stress.

Yoga was first brought to the U.S. in 1893--when Swami Vivekananda attended the Parliament of Religions in Chicago. Others who were instrumental in bringing Yoga to the west were Swami Sivanandi who opened Yoga schools in the U.S. and Europe in the 1960s. One of his disciples, Swami Satchidananda, came to the U.S. and opened the Woodstock Festival. He stayed in the U.S., and subsequently developed what he called Integral Yoga, and opened a number of Integral Yoga Centers in the U.S. and Europe.

Through these and other efforts, Yoga enjoyed a certain popularity in the 1960s and 1970s, and evolved as well as “westernized” here in the U.S.

There has been renewed interest in Yoga the past 10 years. Some people are more interested in the traditional goals, some are looking for strength training, some are interested in Yoga as physical therapy, etc., etc.. Today, there are many schools and styles of Hatha Yoga (Posture Yoga), and something to appeal to just about any interest!

Most Yoga styles seek to balance body, mind and spirit, but have different approaches. They may alter how asanas are done or how long you should hold the asana, they may focus on strict alignment, on breathing, on the flow of  movement. Some require working in rooms set at 100 degrees, and running through a series of vigorous movements. It is a good idea to “shop around” --decide what would work best for you.

Some good, concise information on various Yoga styles can be found at www.yogamovement.com.