Abstract

One of the most ancient spiritual and philosophical traditions of the world Yoga was simultaneously born in ancient India as a great system of self-realization and unification with the divine. Yoga originated as a disciplined way, including ethical guidelines, physical poses, and control of breathing and meditation to end the suffering (moksha) cycle. Yoga has its foundations in the Vedic texts (c. 1500-500 BCE) and was systematized in the texts of the Vedas by Patanjali (circa 400 CE), making yoga a disciplined practice with precepts of ethics, physical postures, breath control, and meditations. The article follows the amazing interdisciplinary evolution of yoga beginning with its Vedic philosophical roots up to the classical, medieval, and colonial periods of transformation up to the present day when yoga is a global wellness trend. Traditionally, yoga is a development of Tantric yoga and Hatha yoga, and it was rediscovered in the 20th century by such representatives of yoga as Swami Vivekananda, T. Krishnamacharya, and B.K.S. Iyengar who made it easily accessible to the contemporary society. Today, yoga has moved beyond its spiritual roots, and has been applied in a variety of disciplines: it is correlated with mindfulness-based therapy in mental health, empirically shown to have positive effects on cardiovascular health, chronic pain, and stress reduction, it is found in cultural studies as indicative of globalization, commodification, and authenticity issues. This interdisciplinary study shows yoga as a living and breathing liaison between ancient knowledge and modern science, conforming to the modern demands without abandoning the fundamental concepts, such as ahimsa (non-violence) and self-knowledge. On one hand, the evidence-based effectiveness of yoga in the promotion of holistic well-being is highlighted by key findings, and on the other hand, there is the issue of commercialization. The article reaches the conclusion that long-term interdisciplinary studies, involving historical study, neuroscientific investigation, and cultural analysis are the key to maintaining the richness of yoga and its further implementation in the context of public health, mental health programs, and sustainable living in the world.