What comes to mind when you think of “ancient texts”?
Does an image of a large dusty leather-bound book pop into your head?
A worn out, heavy-as-stone monolith with faded pages that’s been sitting on a shelf for years and years containing outdated material that hasn’t been read for who knows how long.
Or do you imagine a back-log of text messages on your smartphone that get stored away in the digital cloud?
Well, what ever the image, do you think these “ancient texts” have any value and worth? If you’re a history buff, you might find these scripts important and informative.
What about those yoga-buffs out there? Is there any value in reviewing the history of yoga if you’re a current practitioner? If you’ve been practicing yoga for awhile (maybe 6 months or more) and you want to dig a little deeper into the understanding of your practice, it may be of great worth to investigate where yoga came from.
Remember, yoga has been around for over 3,000 years (maybe longer) so there must be some ancient texts that will not only give you a rich education about yoga, but may even enhance your personal practice once you’ve tapped into the early teachings and philosophy.
You’re probably not interested, though, in reading some dry, old, manuscript that doesn’t make much sense to you. Granted, these writings of another era can be highly cerebral and it may take a set of Cliff Notes to help you through them.
But that’s ok; that’s to be expected. Sitting down with some of these ancient texts isn’t like curling up with a good mystery or trashy romance novel….or could they?
Below are what yogis probably see as the three most “popular” books that reference yoga in its early incarnations: The Yoga Sutras, The Upanishads, and The Bhagavad Gita. Yes…they are OLD writings, but what if one approaches them with a more modern-day twist?
Reading them with a new construct may encourage you to learn more about this enriching practice.
The Yoga Sutras: A Rose is a Rose is a Rose
The Yoga Sutras is a short book in comparison to some of the other ancient yoga texts.
It is divided into four chapters of poetic verse and relatively easy to read. Treat it as such: a book of romantic poetry.
The Sutras documents the theory and practice of yoga, yet it is written in short verses. It’s the kind of book that you can pick up, open to any page, and read a few lines to get a short yoga lesson. It’s recommended, though, that you read it from start to finish, but because of the prose nature of the text, it has a lighter feel. And because it is such a short book, it’s one that you can read over and over again.
Each time, you’ll discover something new. Compiled by the Sage Patanjali, the reader is led through the discipline and practice of yoga beginning with the definition of yoga and ending with…..(well, you’ll just have to read it for yourself. We’re not going to give away the ending here!)
The Bhagavad Gita: Put On Your AR Goggles
In this Hindu epic, the reader, through the lens of a dialog between a teacher and his student, is taught to fight with their inner demons only to emerge as a victorious warrior.
Doesn’t that sound like the storyline of a really good “capture the castle” video game?
Picture this: the mission is for the hero, the Prince Arjuna, to fulfill his destiny by fighting as a true Pandavas Warrior between his land and the arch villainous land, Kauravas.
The young Arjuna is counseled by his mentor and guide, the Lord Krishna. “It is your duty,” Krishna says to Arjuna, “to fight to establish Dharma among the land.” On his mission, he must collect wisdom points (remember, you’re looking at this like a first-person gaming adventure) that will help him achieve his goal. He must find chivalry (Kshatriya dharma), knowledge (jnana), love and devotion (Bhakti), action (Karma), and more.
As Arjuna collects these precious gems along his arduous journey, his ultimate goal is to obtain liberation (Moksha) for himself and his people. (There’s probably bonus points at the end and maybe even an extra life or two!)
The Bhagavad Gita, though, can be a grueling read: full of fourth century grammar with too many names and places that are hard to pronounce. But don’t let that discourage you. Take your time with this important text. Luckily, there are many translations of these ancient verses that you can find at your bookstore, library, or online.
It won’t be too difficult to find a version that is very readable and relatable. Nevertheless, try imagining the story as an elaborate video game; immerse yourself in the war-scene (wearing your Augmented Reality goggles, of course) to become the Warrior Arjuna fighting toward self-actualization and enlightenment.
The Upanishads: A Netflix Original Series
Another epic read in the Hindu tradition is The Upanishads. They are said to contain the philosophical ideas and concepts that make up Hinduism and other religious traditions such as Buddhism.
It is considered a very important piece of literature as it helped transform the ancient Vedic rituals to the newer spiritual ideas in Indian culture.
With that understanding, one can approach this text like an engrossing television series that leads the viewer to a case of binge-watching.
Grab some popcorn, a tasty beverage, and curl up on the couch with your favorite blanket and dive into the world of The Upanishads.
What is it, you ask?
The text is thought to be “the secret doctrine” that leads one to the knowledge of the “supreme spirit.” In this historical quest, you’ll receive the magical chant of peace at the beginning of each episode to cast away the affairs of the world to be transformed into the spiritual realm.
It is in each proceeding episode that the hero/heroine proceeds along the life-path learning lessons to obtain the absolute highest understanding of the spiritual core.
Each part in the series unlocks another door to reveal the secret of true wisdom. You won’t want to stop watching this intoxicating display of fortitude and determination; you’ll be uplifted and encouraged the entire time. You’ll be routing for the main character to succeed. And it all leads to a season finale that is definitely not disappointing.
Again, these are ancient writings, first written in a now dead language (Sanskrit), but currently available for to all to enjoy with many translations and interpretations.
As you read the words on the page, they are scribed in verses that have a poetic appeal. These, and other epic manuscripts, are part of the yoga history timeline; they have laid the groundwork of understanding where this philosophical idea came from and how it evolved over the centuries.
You can still find these ancient teachings in your everyday yoga practice. Even as you step into your Iyengar, Bikram, or Power Yoga classes, you’ll be enriched by these ancient teachings. But in order to fully grasp these lessons, a journey into the past may be worth your time. Maybe with a modern approach to embracing these ancient texts, you’ll be able to deepen your own connection to your personal yoga path.
Namaste. The yoganum family
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