Title: Yoga

Topic: Tradition



Relation: Yoga has always been a tradition in many religions, starting back century's ago. It is an old world practice that is now being passed down from generation to generation. In each generation a new form of yoga begins and mutates into something new to practice and yet still holds on to the basics of what is the tradition of yoga.

Source: -Yoga Journal http://www.yogajournal.com/lifestyle/2623?page=3, http://www.yogajournal.com/wisdom/2610

Description:  In the article, "Have  more fun," a girl named Rea who joins a yoga anthropology dance class. Rea was inspired to gain more experience in the art of yoga from a visit that she had in Africa. She heard the beat of the drums, and felt like it was the sound of her future. Rea connects with the traditions of yoga and its meaning in the form of dance.
Another article from the Yoga Journal called, "Yoga's greater truth" takes a journey to the root of what yoga is and means. This article starts out with a person looking at a book that had a person doing familiar poses that resemble yoga poses. The book however was a text which described the early 20th century Danish system of dynamic exercise which is called Primitive Gymnastics. The person who is telling this story is confused as to what they have just discovered. "What did it mean..."
The Scandinavian Gymnast had never been to India or had never been taught asana. The questions of what this meant lead to more research. What was found from the research is that the Danish system was a branch off of a 19th century Scandinavian gymnastics tradition. This tradition changed the way that Europeans exercised. The systems that were based on this Scandinavian model started popping up all over Europe, it was the new way that military and other schools would train. This way of training eventually made its way to India. Mark Singleton (the person who wrote "Yoga greater truth"), tells us that yoga asana is commonly presented as a practice that was handed down for thousands of years, it originated from the Vedas which is the oldest religious text of the Hindus. He continues to go in to depth about how yoga was brought to the west and the tradition that goes along with the practice of yoga.
 


Analysis: The tradition of Yoga is found in different religions such as Hinduism, Buddhism, Jainism and Sikhism. From these foundations of religion yoga has spread across the world. What was started as a religious practice has now for some become a tradition of exercise. This practice has also allowed many to reach deeper into how their own body works. The world has just started to recognize the magical benefits from the practice of doing yoga.