Some people say that the history of yoga is as long as that of India. Yoga practice began in indus valley civilization's time, about 5,000 years ago. From the seals unearthed by Halaba and Mohenjo, we can see the image of ascetic monks practicing yoga at that time, and their sitting posture is exactly the same as that of modern practitioners.

Yoga was mainly a religious activity in ancient India, and it was a yoga method practiced by Brahmanism (later Hinduism), Buddhism and Jainism for liberation in 2500 BC. The original meaning of yoga is "combination", "harmony" and "consistency". Practicing yoga, according to Hinduism, is to integrate "man" on the earth with "Brahma", the highest god in the sky. The yogi must sit down in a secluded place, cross his legs together, and be calm and thoughtful in a "lotus sitting posture" in order to achieve the realm of integration with the gods. Once this state is reached, it will enter an ideal state, and people can be freed.

The oldest and most authoritative book about yoga is called Yoga Sutra, written by a man named Bo Dian Li. It is generally believed that Yoga Sutra was written in the 5th century. But this does not mean that yoga began at that time, and the history of yoga is much earlier. In ancient times, India had no writing tools, and all the classics were passed down orally. In order to be easy to remember and recite, sentences are short and often rhythmic, which is also the reason why ancient Indian poetry is developed. By the 5th century, oral things could be written into words, and Berry became one of the heroes who summed up thousands of years' legacy.

Yoga Sutra is divided into four chapters, including 194 Sutra, which is very complicated and full of mystery. There are eight basic methods and means of cultivation, namely, eight branches of yoga: (1) prohibition (restraint); (2) Compliance (restriction); (3) sitting posture (sitting posture); (4) pranayama (breathing control); (5) sensory control (stop feeling); (6) persistence (concentration); (7) meditation (meditation); (8) Equal holding (samadhi realm).

In the more than 1000 years since the publication of Yoga Sutra, yoga has lasted for a long time in India and gradually formed different schools. There are five main types: Gelma Yoga, Jayne Yoga, Hutt Yoga, Raj Yoga and Patti Yoga. Some of them pay attention to daily good deeds, some pay attention to classic learning, and some pay attention to philosophical understanding.

The practice of yoga by ancient Indians was mainly dominated by their religious ideas. The reincarnation thoughts of Hinduism, Buddhism and Jainism are very heavy for believers. Closely connected with it is the concept of "karma". All the words, deeds and ideological activities in this life are recorded in the account of "karma" one by one, forming the "cause" of whether the afterlife is a curse or a blessing. People who have good performance in "industry" will invest in giants and enjoy prosperity in the next life; People who don't perform well in karma will be thrown into humble homes in the next life, and even become cattle and horses, suffering for life. This is obviously an illusory outlook on life that ignores this life and hopes for the distant afterlife.

For the happiness of the afterlife, believers are of course afraid, accumulate good deeds and hope for a better future. However, this is not the final relief. If you can jump out of reincarnation, don't reincarnate, but enter heaven, then you can get rid of the endless suffering in the world forever and live in bliss forever. It is said that yoga is a "Tao" that pursues complete liberation.

With the passage of time, the magical yoga has not become history, but has advanced into the life of modern people with its head held high. Modern Indian yoga has spread all over the world, and it is recognized as the oldest and most effective Asian-style fitness exercise in the world. Practicing yoga can not only eliminate tension, relieve stress, bring people into a pure state of mind and body, but also effectively improve their body shape. Practitioners in many countries and regions regard practicing yoga as an important method of self-cultivation.