On the History of Yoga there is surprisingly little known, despite the fact that many scholars have studied Yoga History, many gaps still exist. If you have any comments or suggestions please let us know, we are more than willing to add pieces of information to our "History of Yoga"-section and will naturally credit you at the end as one of the authors.

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Though Yoga's Origin is shrouded, evidence links the earliest Yoga tradition back at least 5000 years to the beginning of human civilization. Scholars believe that Yoga grew out of Stone Age Shamanism, because of the cultural similarities between Modern Hinduism and Mehrgarh, a neolithic settlement (in what is now Afghanistan). In fact, much of Hindu ideas, rituals and symbols of today appear to have their roots in this shamanistic culture of Mehrgahr. Early Yoga and archaic shamanism had much in common as both sought to transcend the human condition. The primary goal of shamanism was to heal members of the community and act as religious mediators. Archaic Yoga was also community oriented, as it attempted to discern the cosmic order through inner vision, then to apply that order to daily living. Later, Yoga evolved into a more inward experience, and Yogis focused on their individual enlightenment and salvation. The first archaeological evidence of Yoga's existence is found in stone seals excavated from the Indus valley. The stone seals depict figures performing Yoga postures. These artifacts officially put Yoga on the History books circa 3000 B.C., and more importantly link it to the great Indus-Sarasvati Civilization. The Indus-Sarasvati was the largest civilization in the ancient world and exceptionally modern for its time. Named after the two rivers that flowed through India, the Indus-Sarasvati was a maritime society, exporting goods throughout the Middle East and Africa. They constructed multistory buildings, a sewage system, and laid out geometrical brick roads.

The Indus-Sarasvati civilization also gave birth to the ancient texts known as the Vedas, the oldest scriptures in the world. The Vedas is a collection of hymns that praises a higher power; it contains the oldest recorded Yogic Teachings and is considered divine revelation. Thus, the wisdom of the Vedas is known as Vedic or Pre-classical Yoga. Vedic Yoga is characterized by ritualistic ceremonies from which the Yoga practice that requires Yoga practitioners to transcend the limitations of the mind originated.

Vedic literature is replete with references to prayerful contemplation'; (Brahman), higher vision; (dhi), and; the ideal harmony; (rita). Vedic people relied on rishis (dedicated Vedic Yogis) to teach them how to live in divine harmony. Through intensive spiritual practice, rishis were often gifted with visions of the ultimate reality. Later, texts known as the Brahmanas were written to explain the rituals and the hymns of the Vedas. The Aranyakas texts followed, detailing rituals for Yogis living in the seclusion of the forest. This era also served as the beginning of India's medical tradition known as Ayurveda. Around 1900 B.C., a tectonic shift caused the great Rasvati River to dry up, forcing the exodus of the Indus-Sarasvati civilization southward towards the Ganges River.