International Yoga day 2019 – 31 Interesting facts about Yoga
As India gets set to lead the world in celebrating the International Day of Yoga tomorrow, here is a brief look at Yoga in India through the ages:
- Yoga originated in India
- Yoga is one of the oldest physical disciplines in existence
- Yoga is over 5,000 years old
- The word yoga means yoke or union
- Yoga combines body postures, breathing and meditation
- The official language of Yoga is Sanskrit
- There are 196 Yoga Sutras or aphorisms.
- There are 84 classic Yoga Asanas, the Asana being one of the 8 limbs of Yoga.
- Swami Vivekananda is credited for being the greatest proponent of Yoga in the West.
- According to Hindu mythology, Shiva is considered the Supreme Lord of Yoga.
- Maharishi Patanjali is a saint who is believed to have lived some time during the 2nd century BCE. He is known for his treatise on Yoga, entitled “Patanjali Yoga Sutra”.
- The first known appearance of the word “yoga”, with the same meaning as the modern term, is in the Katha Upanishad, composed about fourth to third century BCE.
- Paramahansa Yogananda was an Indian yogi who taught Kriya Yoga to millions around the world.
- B K S Iyengar was considered to be the foremost of the modern yoga teachers in the world.
- Research has suggested that yoga improves social and occupational functioning in schizophrenic patients.
- Ancient yogis believed that we only have a limited number of breaths in each life. Hence, it made sense to stretch our life out a bit longer by taking slow and deep breaths.
- The maximum amount of skin should be exposed to the air while practising yoga
- The best-selling yoga book in English is Light on Yoga: Yoga Dipika by B. K. S Iyengar
- There are 19 different types of Yoga
- There are 66 official yoga postures
- Lenovo has a tablet named Yoga.
- The largest yoga center in Asia is the Markandeya Yoga City in Bali
- Americans spend $5.7 billion a year on yoga classes and Yoga Products
- Naked yoga is gaining in popularity across Europe and the US
- Elizabeth Gilbert’s experience with Yoga led to “Eat Pray Love” which has sold over millions of copies worldwide
- Yoga aids weight loss by improving metabolism
- Yoga reduces cellulite through muscle stretching
- Guarasana or Eagle pose has been said to improve male sexual performance
- Hasyayoga or Laughter Yoga is practised in more than 60 countries.
- The swastika symbol did not come from the Nazis in WWII. The symbol was founded first in Hinduism and the god Vishnu. It is the symbol of the Sun god, Surya and represents the daily course taken by the Sun. It was also used as a charm to bring good fortune.
- Doga’ is yoga for dogs! Doga was started by Suzi Teitelman in New York in the year 2002. Owners practice Doga to secure a bond of friendship with their dogs. While doing Doga, dogs are used as props.
