Yoga’s early descriptions can be traced back to over 5,000 years ago and some researchers believe that yoga may have originated as early as 10,000 years ago. Yoga’s history is long and rich and it was developed by the Indus-Sarasvati civilization in northern India.
While yoga was mainstream in the East, it was almost unheard of in the West before the 20th Century. The history of yoga in the US can be traced back to one key person and one key event: Swami Vivekananda at the World’s Parliament of Religions in 1893.
The 1893 World’s Parliament of Religions was an inter-religion event held during the massive World’s Columbian Exposition in Chicago. According to legends, Vivekananda got thunderous applause when he addressed the audience as “Sisters and Brothers”.
Riding on the event’s success, Vivekananda opened branches of the Ramakrishna Mission known as Vedanta Societies. However, the missions were small and only had about a dozen members.
Vivekananda may not have popularized yoga single-handedly, but he undoubtedly set the stage for several other South Asian yoga teachers.
However, it was Indian immigrants- former students, professionals, and political activists- who popularized yoga in the US, not Indian teachers unlike popular belief. They were frequently the people who lost their citizenship and wanted to make a living. They travelled the country and made small amounts of money by giving public lectures and private classes.
At the end of the 1930s, Yoga as we know it now began to take hold. Many health and bodybuilding magazines began to discuss yoga and teachers began to add asanas to their classes.
By the early 1960s, several Americans started using TV to present yoga to a wide audience. “Hippie culture” further popularized yoga and led to its continued growth. In the 1990s, due to the rise of the fitness industry and promotion of yoga through VHS and DVDs, the practice finally became a part of the wellness routines of many Americans and started being practiced at local gyms.
And the rest is history.
Interested in bringing this great practice into your office? A report by the Scandinavian Journal of Work, Environment & Health showed that yoga has substantial positive effects on the emotional well-being and resilience to stress amongst employees. Yoga and Meditation are 2 practices that companies are increasingly beginning to incorporate into their corporate wellness programs. Goomi Group’s onsite and virtual yoga and meditation classes can benefit your employee’s bodies and minds. We can also help you learn more about the history of yoga. Connect with us now to schedule a virtual yoga class for your team!
