110 YOGA JOURNAL
WHAT IS YOGA?
Yoga (pronounced “yogh”) originated in India
thousands of years ago. Sri Patanjali wrote the Yoga
Sutra of Patanjali around the second century BCE
and is said to have called himself simply a “compiler
of yoga principles” from ancient Vedic texts. Sutras
means threads, or philosophical guidelines. Patanjali
describes yoga as chitta vritti nirodha, which roughly
translates to “you are in a state of yoga when you can
still the mind into presence.”WHAT IS SANSKRIT, AND HOW DOES IT
RELATE TO YOGA?
Sanskrit (pronounced “Sunskruth”) is one of the most
ancient languages on Earth. It is a deeply meaningful,
spiritual language that is often described as poetry
in words and sounds. But like any language, just
because something is written in Sanskrit does not
make it a religion or immediately valuable. Opting to
use Sanskrit should be an informed choice.YOGA IN INDIA VERSUS WESTERN YOGA:
Yoga in Western society often misrepresents the
physical practice, known as yogasana, as yoga
itself. Jnana Yoga (studying spiritual texts as yoga),
Bhakti Yoga (devotion as yoga), and Karma Yoga
(community action as yoga) are more ancient forms
of yoga with little or no physical posturing. Classical
yoga, however, is a holistic practice comprising
eight limbs—the physical postures being just one
element of finding peace in oneself. My Aunt Vrindain Mumbai has been practicing yoga throughout her
life and describes it as the following:
“Yoga has been such an essential part of my life.
My grandparents were so yogic in the way they
lived their lives. I remember their simple, non-
materialistic lives based on deep human values: love
and compassion, helping others who were in need.
So when I was ready, the Universe cooperated to
send me a teacher who taught me to look at life
from a very different perspective—beyond just a set
of asanas (poses). The entire gamut of Patanjali’s
teachings were slowly introduced to me and my
fellow students so subtly and imperceptibly that we
found ourselves living by the yogic precepts without
any major effort on our part. I am truly grateful.”BRITISH COLONIZATION OF INDIA:
In Western society, we benefit from yoga and its
adaptations. There’s been a surge in studios with
trainings, clothing, equipment, and retreats. Practices
evolve naturally over time, but as we freely participate
in yoga, it’s important to be aware of India’s residual
suffering and reconstruction after colonization.
Recounted in the National Archives, the British
formally took control of India in 1858 after hundreds of
years of takeover of Indian lands and companies.
Shashi Tharoor, PhD, an Indian politician and former
international diplomat serving as a Member of
Parliament, underscores that “violence and racism
were the reality of the colonial experience” in India.
He notes that under British rule, India’s share of the
world economy plummeted by 20 percent. Millions
of Indians died of starvation. They were required
to export their rice supply and the cloth they wove
themselves, which they had no choice but to buy back
at higher prices. Though India fought for and won
back its independence on August 15, 1947, Tharoor
reminds us that “racial and religious tensions were the
direct result of the colonial experience.” We see this
in the disdain for and prohibition of spiritual practices
such as yoga, which India is slowly working to restore
as a holistic way of living for all.
There is no exact amount that can make up for loss of
loved ones and for the undermining of social traditions
under colonialism, Tharoor says. “The principle is what
counts. Not the fine points of what and how much. The
question is, ‘Is there a debt?’”
As we engage in a practice that's designed to connect
us, let’s continue to ask ourselves and one another
questions. The path to individual and collective
healing is yoga itself.Educating Ourselves
A myriad of historical information exists, so let’s
start with building a foundation.
BY RINA DESHANDE