yoga etymology

Etymology:

  • Sanskrit: युज् (yuj)

Meaning:

  • To join, yoke, bind

Origin:

Yoga originated in ancient India as part of the philosophical and spiritual traditions of Hinduism, Buddhism, and Jainism. The earliest known references to yoga appear in the Rig Veda, a collection of ancient Sanskrit hymns, dating back to around 1500 BCE.

Philosophical origins:

  • Patanjali's Yoga Sutras (2nd century CE): A codified system of yoga that outlined eight limbs of yoga and a path to spiritual liberation.
  • Samkhya philosophy: Yoga adopted many concepts from Samkhya, a dualistic philosophy that posits the existence of two fundamental realities: purusha (consciousness) and prakriti (matter).
  • Upanishads: The Upanishads, ancient Hindu scriptures, describe the ultimate goal of yoga as the union of the individual soul (jivatman) with the universal soul (paramatman).

Historical development:

  • Hatha yoga (physical yoga): Emerged around the 10th century CE and emphasized physical postures (asanas), breathing techniques (pranayama), and meditation to prepare the body and mind for higher spiritual practices.
  • Tantra yoga: A secretive tradition that incorporated ritualistic practices, such as mantras, yantras, and visualizations, alongside physical and meditative techniques.
  • Bhakti yoga: Emphasized devotion to a personal deity and the use of chanting, singing, and other devotional practices as a path to spiritual realization.
  • Jnana yoga: A philosophical approach to yoga that sought knowledge and wisdom as the means to liberation.
  • Karma yoga: Emphasized selfless action and service as a way to purify the heart and mind.

Modern yoga:

  • In the late 19th and early 20th centuries, yoga was introduced to the West through Indian teachers, such as Swami Vivekananda and Paramahansa Yogananda.
  • In the mid-20th century, hatha yoga became popularized in the West, particularly in the United States, through the teachings of B.K.S. Iyengar, T.K.V. Desikachar, and others.
  • Today, yoga is practiced worldwide in various forms, including Ashtanga, Vinyasa, Iyengar, and Bikram yoga.

yoga relate terms

  • hatha yoga

    Etymology Hatha is derived from Sanskrit consisting of two words Ha Sun Tha Moon

  • yoga

    Etymology Sanskrit युज् yuj Meaning To join yoke bind Origin Yoga

  • yogi

    Etymology Sanskrit य ग yogi Derived from the root yuj meaning to join

  • yoga

    Etymology Sanskrit युज् yuj Meaning To join yoke bind Origin Yoga

  • adjoin

    Etymology From Middle English adjounen from Old French adjoindre from Latin ad

  • adjust

    Etymology Middle English ajusten ajosten Old French ajuster Medieval Latin adjustar

  • conjoin

    Etymology The word conjoin originates from the Latin prefix con meaning together

  • conjugal

    Etymology Latin conjugalis of or pertaining to marriage Proto Indo European yunk

  • conjugate

    Etymology From Latin conjugare meaning to join together yoke together pair up Ul

  • conjugation

    Etymology Latin conjugare meaning to join unite Proto Italic konjugare Proto Indo

  • conjunct

    Etymology Latin conjunctus Meaning joined together connected Origin The wo

  • disjointed

    Etymology The word disjointed derives from the Middle English disjoynt meaning to

  • enjoin

    Etymology Old French enjoinre Latin iniungere combining in on into and iungere

  • injunction

    Etymology From Middle French injunction from Medieval Latin injunctio from Latin inju

  • jostle

    Etymology The word jostle originates from the Middle French word justler meaning to

  • joust

    Etymology Middle English justen from Old French juster from Vulgar Latin justare f

  • join

    Etymology Meaning Origin etymon a root stem or base from wh

  • joinder

    Etymology Old French joindre Latin iungere to join Meaning To bring or put to

  • joint

    Etymology Joint comes from the Old French word jointe which in turn derives from the

  • jointure

    Etymology French jointure Latin juncture a joining a connection Meaning A

  • junction

    Etymology The word junction comes from the Latin word iungere meaning to join or

  • juncture

    Etymology and Origin Juncture derives from the Latin word iunctura meaning a joini

  • junta

    Etymology The word junta is derived from the Spanish word junta which in turn comes

  • juxtapose

    Etymology Latin iuxta near beside ponere to place Meaning To place or

  • juxtaposition

    Etymology Origin of the Word Juxtaposition is derived from the Latin phrase iuxta

  • rejoin

    Etymology From Middle English rejoynen from Old French rejoindre from Late Latin reju

  • rejoinder

    Etymology From Middle French rejoindre from Old French rejoignier from Late Latin rej

  • subjoin

    Etymology Latin subiungere meaning to join beneath Meaning To attach or add

  • subjugate

    Etymology From Latin subjugāre to bring under the yoke From sub under jugār

  • subjugation

    Etymology Subjugation is derived from the Latin word subjugare meaning to bring under t

  • subjunctive

    Etymology The word subjunctive comes from the Latin word subiungere which means to

  • syzygy

    Etymology Late Middle English from Late Latin syzygia 13th century from Greek syzug

  • yoga

    Etymology Sanskrit युज् yuj Meaning To join yoke bind Origin Yoga

  • yoke

    Etymology Middle English as a noun via Anglo French from Latin jugum yoke weight

  • zeugma

    Etymology The word zeugma is derived from the Greek word zeugnymi meaning to yoke

  • zygoma

    Etymology The term zygoma is derived from the Greek word zygon which means joining

  • zygomatic

    Etymology The term zygomatic originates from the Greek word zugōma meaning yoke o

  • zygote

    Etymology Derived from Greek zygōtos ζυγωτός meaning joined yoked together

  • exercise

    Etymology The word exercise comes from the Latin word exercere which means to train

  • delirium

    Etymology The word delirium comes from the Latin word delirare which means to be ou

  • bath

    Etymology and Meaning of Bath The word bath has its origins in the Old English word

  • anathema

    Etymology Anathema is derived from the Greek word anáthema which means something de

  • participle

    Etymology Latin participle noun French participe noun English participle noun

  • prism

    Etymology The word prism comes from the Late Latin word prisma which itself origina

  • cynic

    Etymology The word cynic comes from the Greek word κυνικός kunikos which me

  • distress

    Etymology Old French destresse Late Latin districtius comparative of districtus mea

  • psyche

    Etymology The word psyche comes from the ancient Greek word ψυχή psukhē mean