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The Purpose Of Yoga

Yoga, or its ancestor, first appeared somewhere around 5,000
years ago. Since then, it has gradually evolved into the modern
form. However, its "modern form" is neither completely modern,
nor is it the only form of yoga. In the western world, when we
speak of "yoga" we are commonly referring to Hatha Yoga, a
branch of yoga introduced by Yogi Swatmarama in the 15th
century. To keep it simple, Yogi Swatmarama saw Hatha Yoga, not
as an end in itself, but as part of a pathway to a higher state
on the yoga journey. Hatha Yoga concentrates more on the
physical training, conditioning, and "preparation" aspects of
yoga. So, as we talk about the purposes of "yoga", please keep
in mind that we are talking only about one portion of the entire
range of disciplines encompassed by the word.

We sometimes hear of someone who learned to become more relaxed
by the practice of yoga. Or, maybe we have heard of someone who
became more invigorated and energetic as a result of their
practice. Perhaps someone else was able to play a competitive
sport better than before they began practicing yoga, or perhaps
they were able to lay aside the competitive aspect of their
nature that had been driving them into bad health and broken
relationships. We may have even heard all of these types of
stories. I have! This, and all the claims made about the
practice of yoga, creates a very confusing picture even in the
minds of those willing to believe what they hear. For those who
have doubts already, the multitude of claims can sound like
those of an old-timey snake oil salesman.

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