The key difference between Indian yoga vs Western yoga:
The Sanskrit Yoga translates to union, oneness, connection. And while yoga in India is said to originate over 5,000 years ago, it was only introduced in the West around 150 years ago, in the late 1800s. The key difference between Indian yoga vs Western yoga is this historical lineage, but the common idea of connection and oneness (hopefully) remains the same.
The earliest mentions of yoga can be found in the ancient Indian texts, the Rig Veda, and was later expanded upon in the Upanishads. There are 108 Upanishads, and 20 of these are dedicated yoga Upanishads which talk about the different yogic techniques such as pranayama (breath control), pratyahara (sense withdrawal), sound, and meditation. The practice of yoga at this time was no doubt very different to the types of yoga we know and see in Western culture – there is surely no mention of power yoga, Vinyasa flow, or goat yoga in these ancient texts!
The western exposure to yoga is largely driven by asana practice, so perhaps you can see the appeal for a western yoga practitioner to travel halfway around the world to complete a yoga teacher training in India, yoga’s spiritual homeland. The country is steeped in the history and tradition of this practice, and the energy of this sacred land provides a unique experience for any budding yogi to understand how yoga encompasses much more than flexibility and fitness.
The practice of yoga was in fact categorized into five yoga types:
- Karma Yoga: The path of action or activity.
- Bhakti Yoga: The path of devotion.
- Jnana Yoga: The path of inquiry.
- Raja Yoga: The path of introspection.
- Hatha Yoga: The path of physical asanas.
The distinctions demonstrate the emphasis of Indian yoga as much more than physical practice or hobby. It provides a framework for the practitioner to reach the ultimate fulfillment of enlightenment using one (or multiple) paths; in doing so, they dedicate themselves in mind, body, and spirit to the practice of yoga.
The differences between ancient Indian yoga vs Western yoga are evident. The ancient texts seek to utilize yoga as a tool to expand consciousness and attain enlightenment, which encompasses much more than mere asana practice. Maybe the goal of western yoga is not to attain spiritual enlightenment, but that doesn’t mean our contemporary practice doesn’t share some key similarities. For the conscious individual, the practice of yoga remains to connect us to the source, the universal oneness, our true self. We do so by first by demonstrating dedication to our practice, showing up on our mat, and taking the time to unite our breath and body, our body and mind.
