Yoga Ancient Roots
A brief history and its principles of living
Yoga is an ancient art, science and philosophy. Yoga is dated more than 5000 years ago back in India. Yoga was first codified around 200 B.C. by Sage Patanjali. Although the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali many times are considered Hatha Yoga, Patanjali yoga is Raja Yoga, the yoga of mental processes or purely meditation. It was around the 6th century A.D. that Hatha Yoga surge for the strengthening and purification of the physical body through the kriyas (cleasing practices of yoga) such as Pranamaya, Jal Neti (cleasing of the nostrils) etc.
The Eight principles of Yoga
Yoga has 8 limbs or principles and they are:
- Yamas (ethical disciplines)
- Niyamas (internal disciplines)
- Asanas (yoga postures)
- Pranayama (regulation of breathing)
- Pratyahara (turn of senses inward)
- Dharana (Concentration)
- Dhyana (contemplation)
- Samadhi (stage of complete contentment)
Yoga Principles of Living
in construction
Five Yamas (ethical disciplines)
- Satya (truthfulness)
- Asteya (non-stealing)
- Brahmacharya (right use of sexual energy)
- Aparighara (
Five Niyamas (internal disciplines)
Asanas - the doorway
The doorway on the path of yoga is the postures or asanas as it’s called in Sanskrit, the ancient language of yoga.
Yoga is a body, breath, mind and soul practice. It’s through the yoga asanas that the student start to get to know himself and become more connected body and mind.
When the person becomes more aware of his internal environment (your body inside and out) you become more aware of how to interact with the external world, being aware of your place in time and space.
- Become stronger, more flexible and more conscious
- Improve your posture
- Breathe better
- Develop your spirituality
- Live better and more content
Yoga Beyond Asanas
Beyond Asana: Understanding the Energetic Body in Yoga
Beyond the physical practice of asanas, yoga offers a vast landscape of metaphysical philosophy and experiential knowledge. Over the past two decades, there has been a growing global interest in the energetic dimensions of life and Apegenetics, in the Quantum Physics field. Scientific studies, documentaries, lectures, and popular discourse have increasingly acknowledged the existence of an energetic field that permeates all things—animate and inanimate.
For over 5,000 years, the yogic tradition has taught us that we are more than just a body of flesh and bones. Through its deep philosophical roots and practices, yoga presents a clear and structured understanding of an energetic spectrum of existence. This includes the Nadis—channels of subtle energy throughout the whole body.; the Chakras—energy centres formed by the confluence of Nadis found multidimensionally along the spine; and the Marma Points—vital junctures of life force, also congruences of the nadis endings.
Yoga Beyond Asanas
Understanding the Nadis – Channels of Energy
The Nadis are subtle channels through which prana (life force) flows, similar to the meridian system in Chinese medicine. They link the central nervous system to the peripheral body and function as conduits for energetic information.Lifestyle factors—diet, physical activity, emotional patterns, work, relationships, and environmental conditions—directly influence the condition of the Nadis. When these channels are clear, energy flows smoothly, supporting physical, mental, and spiritual well-being. However, when blocked or disturbed, this can result in energetic congestion and dysfunction, affecting the Marma points—sensitive energy junctions. This may manifest physically as muscular tension, nerve pain, fatigue, or more complex conditions involving the Dhatus, such as poor circulation (Rasa Dhatu), high blood pressure, blocked arteries, anxiety, and depression.
Yoga Beyond Asanas
The Energetic Body: Living Yoga Beyond the Physical
To truly understand yoga is to understand that we are energetic beings living in a physical form. The nadis, chakras, and marma points form the architecture of our energetic body. By recognising and working with this system, we begin to awaken a deeper awareness—a return to our essential nature. As B.K.S. Iyengar said, "The body is my temple, asanas are my prayers." This inner journey through the energetic body invites us to go beyond form and sensation, toward the deeper experience of consciousness and stillness, substance. Iyengar also taught that "Health is a state of complete harmony of the body, mind and spirit. When one is free from physical disabilities and mental distractions, the gates of the soul open."
This is the beginning of spiritual yoga—a conscious shift from simply practising postures to living in a way that honours the full spectrum of our being. Through this, we move closer to integration, harmony, and the inner realisation that yoga ultimately leads us to. [1] For a deeper exploration of these energetic principles, see “The Subtle Body: An Encyclopedia of Your Energetic Anatomy” by Cyndi Dale, and “Prana and Pranayama” by Swami Niranjanananda Saraswati.
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