First Name:
Amanda
Last Name:
Roberts
Major Department:
Exercise Science
Thesis Director:
Leslie Sargent Jones
Date of Thesis:
Dec 2009
Yoga is an ancient discipline that was initially developed about 5,000 years ago as part of traditional Indian philosophy. In Sanskrit, yoga means union or unification, or to yoke together (American Yoga Association, 2006). The practice of yoga aims to develop a balance between all aspects of the body and mind. Yoga was passed along the generations from teacher to student orally and originally only men (priests) were permitted to practice yoga. Around 200 BCE, the yoga sutras, writings about the philosophy and practice of yoga, were compiled and documented by Patanjali, a scholar. Most modern yoga comprises some variation of this system. The practice of yoga has been carried through the ages but did not gain popularity, especially in the West, until the 20th century. This is largely due to the teachings of B.K.S. Lyengar (1918-), an Indian teacher who is considered one of the foremost yoga teachers in the world and is the founder of lyengar yoga. He has written many books on the practice and philosophy of yoga and played a significant role in making yoga accessible to the West (American Yoga Association, 2006).