Daniel Simpson - The Truth of Yoga: A Comprehensive Guide to Yogas History, Texts, Philosophy, and Practices

When I first started practicing yoga, I knew very little about where it came from, or its objectives. Neither seemed all that important. It was enough that it made me feel calmer, more content, and less depressed.

Going to classes got me absorbed in complex shapes, distracting me from my unease with strange instructions. I felt newly connected to previously alien parts of my body, from the big-toe mound to the armpit chest. I enjoyed getting bendier and breathing more freely. But after a while I wanted more. Some of my teachers liked quoting from texts, such as the Bhagavad Gita and Yoga Sutra. Yet as far as I could tell, these had little in common with what we were doing. They barely mentioned postures, and they talked about concepts I struggled to grasp.

Having fondly imagined that yogis in caves had performed the same practice for thousands of years, I was confused. And the more I read, the less I felt I understood. There were many different versions of yoga, and some of their philosophies seemed contradictory. I had already encountered this with practice: each method I tried had a rival idea about why it was right. However, most teachers said the aim remained the same, which was vaguely defined as union, liberation, or awakening. Most ancient texts said these goals were attained by renouncing the world. That sounded neither appealing nor like what one did on a plastic mat.

Over time, a few things became clearer. Popular books often blur the distinctions between different systems, but there has never been any such thing as One True Yoga. The practice and the theories behind it have evolved, becoming combined in a variety of ways. None of these is truer than others. Each makes sense in context, but there is no obligation to pick one text, or one form of yoga, and uncritically follow whatever it says. We are free to ignore what might not seem relevant. But that makes it important to know what traditional teachings say, and to distinguish this from how we interpret them.

Ultimately, yoga is a system of practice not belief. No leap of faith is required at the outset, beyond trusting that it might be worth trying. Anyone who does so can test for themselves if it actually works. What this means will depend on priorities. If our goal is to put our legs behind our heads, to push up into handstands, or simply to relax, we might not feel inclined to read old texts. However, if we want to inquire more deeply, traditional philosophy can still be insightful. The aim of this book is to make it accessible to modern practitioners.

Most approaches to yoga blend ideas and techniques from a range of sources. Anyone today can make a similar hybrid of their own, provided they acknowledge this is what they are doing. What follows is a summary of themes that have influenced practice as it developed.

Much of what is said about yoga is misleading. To take two examples, it is neither five thousand years old, as is commonly claimed, nor does it mean union, at least not exclusively. In perhaps the most famous yogic textthe Yoga Sutra of Patanjalithe aim is separation, isolating consciousness from everything else. And the earliest evidence of practice dates back about 2,500 years. Yoga may well be older, but no one can prove it.

Most modern forms of yoga teach sequences of postures with rhythmic breathing. This globalized approach is largely the same from Shanghai to San Francisco, with minor variations between different styles. Some of these methods are recent inventions, but others are ancient. As described by the Buddha and in Indian epics, among other sources, ascetics used physical practice to cultivate self-discipline, holding difficult positions for extended periods. Other postures evolved in the meantime, originally as warm-ups for seated meditation.

Scholars have learned a lot more about the history of yoga in recent years. However, their discoveries can be difficult to access. The latest research is published in academic journals, or edited collections of articles held in university libraries. Although some of this work is now available online, its insights are aimed more at specialists than general readers. This book includes many new findings, presented in a format designed for practitioners. The aim is to highlight ideas on which readers can draw to keep traditions alive in the twenty-first century.

It offers an overview of yogas evolution from its earliest origins to the present. It can either be read chronologically or used as a reference guide to history and philosophy. Each short section addresses one element, quoting from traditional texts and putting their teachings into context. The sources for translated quotations are provided in notes at the end of the book, along with a detailed bibliography. My intention is to keep things clear without oversimplifying.

What I write has grown out of my teachingat the Oxford Centre for Hindu Studies, on yoga teacher trainings, and in online courses on texts and traditions. I have had the good fortune to study with some of the worlds foremost researchers in this field, earning a masters degree from SOAS (formerly the School of Oriental and African Studies) at the University of London, which has been home to the pioneering Hatha Yoga Project. I am also a devoted practitioner, making frequent trips to India since the 1990s.

I hope you find this book insightful and inspiring.

The word yoga is hard to define. It comes from yuj, a Sanskrit root that means to join things together, from which English gets yoke. Depending on the context, yoga has dozens of different meanings, from a method to equipping an army by harnessing chariots. Most descriptions of practice involve concentration, refining awareness to see through illusions.

Texts mainly talk about yoga as an inward-focused state, in which the absence of thought yields transformative insights. If consciousness perceives no object but itself, we are not who we think we are. The ultimate fruit of this realization is freedom from suffering. However, there are also other goals on the way, from the pursuit of material benefits and superhuman powers to renouncing possessions and worldly existence. In general, most approaches strike a balance between disciplined action and detachment.

Practically speaking, yoga is about our relationship with everything. Although it is not a religion in itself, it has roots in religious traditions from ancient India. Texts often teach yogic techniques alongside metaphysics and spiritual doctrine. The title of one of the most popular books about yoga, the