The existence of the Vedas marks this period. The Vedas is the sacred scripture of Brahmanism that is the basis of modern-day Hinduism. It is a collection of hymns which praise a divine power. The Vedas contains the oldest known Yogic teachings and as such, teachings found in the Vedas are called Vedic Yoga. This is characterized by rituals and ceremonies that strive to surpass the limitations of the mind.

During this time, the Vedic people relied on rishis or dedicated Vedic Yogis to teach them how to live in divine harmony. Rishis were also gifted with the ability to see the ultimate reality through their intensive spiritual practice. It was also during this time that Yogis living in seclusion (in forests) were recorded.

Yoga is a 5000 year old science whose teachings were first imparted not in a classroom or Gurukul, but on the battle field. In the epic Mahabharata, the sage, Lord Krishna is first said to have imparted the teachings of Yoga to his despondent student Arjuna. Around 1500 years later, another sage, Patanjali, went on to enunciate, for the benefit of humankind and eternity, the way to reach the summom bonum of life through a series of 195 aphorisms (sutras) in his epic treatise The Yoga Sutras of Patanjali.

Yoga is a way of life, a conscious act, not a set or series of learning principles. The dexterity, grace, and poise you cultivate, as a matter of course, is the natural outcome of regular practice. You require no major effort. In fact trying hard will turn your practices into a humdrum, painful, even injurious routine and will eventually slow down your progress. Subsequently, and interestingly, the therapeutic effect of Yoga is the direct result of involving the mind totally in inspiring (breathing) the body to awaken.

The references to yoga are available in 'Upanishads' and 'Puranas' composed by Indian Aryans in the later Vedic and post- Vedic period. The main credit for systematizing yoga goes to Patanjali who wrote 'Yoga Sutra', two thousand Years ago. He described the principles of the full eight fold yogic discipline. He composed the treatise in brief code words known as 'Sutras'. 'Yoga Sutra' is the most important basic text on Yoga.

Asanas are individual poses designed to increase your flexibility, strengthen your muscles, and often have the welcome effect of limiting the build up of fat. Each asana focuses on a particular area of the body by increasing blood flow to that area and improving function of certain organs. Each individual requires a specific program of asanas to address their own personal needs.

Yoga shares some characteristics not only with Hinduism but also with Buddhism that we can trace in its history. During the sixth century B.C., Buddha started teaching Buddhism, which stresses the importance of Meditation and the practice of physical postures. Siddharta Gautama, the first Buddhist to study Yoga, achieved enlightenment at the age of 35.

In addition to the physical benefits of yoga asanas, they can bring psychological rewards. They are designed to promote relaxation, and to reduce stress levels. They teach concentration without tension and calmness of mind.

Although most people think of yoga as a solitary activity, many yoga schools now offer classes for partner yoga. Generally your partner will be someone you already know such as your spouse or friend. Partner yoga can help to deepen your relationship with this person and create new levels of intimacy. However, many people prefer go to partner yoga classes alone and meet up with a new partner each time.

During a partner yoga class a number of asanas are performed. These can involve both people doing the same pose at the same time, the two partners intertwining to create one pose, or one partner supporting the other in their pose. They focus on building trust and sensitivity to your partner's needs.

Most of the asanas used in partner yoga are traditional poses with some adaptations to make them suitable for two people. Performing asanas with a partner can create more of a challenge than performing them alone, as the partners may differ in ability, flexibility, weight, height and experience.

Early Upanishads, the Bhagavadgita and the Yoga sutras of Patanjali are universally accepted as constituting the verbal foundation of the Yoga tradition. Among these, the Yoga Sutras provide the basis and inspiration for most of todays tradition of Yoga.

Yoga is a form of physical and mental exercise that is ever increasing in popularity. There are a wide variety of types of yoga, all designed to balance the mind, body and spirit. The most popular in the western world is hatha yoga, which concentrates on physical poses or asanas, and breathing control or pranayana.
Progress in Yoga depends upon how much effort we are prepared to put into, what our thoughts are on the subject and what our ambitions are. Thus, by necessity Yoga is highly practical.