Raja-Yoga (the eightfold Yoga path). The Yoga Sutra is meant to be memorized as a means of internalizing its wisdom. The Eight Limbs of Classical Yoga are: 1) yama, or restraint, 2) niyama, or observance of purity, tolerance and study, 3) Asana, or Physical Exercises, 4) Pranayama or Breath control, 5) pratyahara, or preparation for Meditation 6) dharana, or concentration, 7) dhyana or Meditation and 8) samadhi or absorption in the sublime. Patanjali advocates studying the sacred scriptures as part of the Yoga practice, which becomes Classical Yoga's distinct feature.
The real ground breaking characteristic of Yoga-Sutra however, is its precept of philosophical dualism. Patanjali believed that separation of the matter (prakriti) and spirit (purusha) were necessary to cleanse the spirit to absolute purity. This is in stark contrast to Pre-classical and Vedic Yoga, which adopts the unification of the body and the spirit. The teachings of Patanjali represent a departure from traditional non-dualistic Yoga and laid the groundwork for Postclassical Yoga. For centuries after Patanjali, the dualism of Yoga was predominant. Yogis focused almost exclusively on Meditation and neglected the Asanas. They were attempting to exit the mortal coil and merge with the ultimate reality through contemplation. But with the advent of alchemy, a precursor to chemistry, the Yoga masters rekindled their belief in the body as a temple. Contemporary thought shifted to health, longevity and maintenance. As such, the Yoga masters attempted to demonstrate that new Yoga techniques fundamentally alters the body's biochemistry and makes it immortal. This led back to the Pre-classical and Vedic Yoga belief about the primacy of the Asana and to the beginning of Postclassical Yoga.
Post-Classical Yoga
The era of Postclassical Yoga gave rise to prolific literature, the different branches of Yoga which includes the Hatha and the Tantra, and to many holistic schools for Yoga. Postclassical Yoga can best be defined as an appreciation of the present moment. Practitioners no longer aspired to liberation from this reality, rather to accept it and live at the moment. Modern Yoga arrived in the United States during the late 1800's. It can be attributed to many gurus, including Swami Vivekanada, and their apostolic works. Vivekanada was a student of Ramakrishna, and was commissioned by his teacher to attend the Parliament of Religions in Chicago of 1893. Vivekanada was well accepted and later traveled all around the U.S. to spread the Yoga tradition.
Another Yoga guru, who is perhaps the most popular, was Swami Paramashansa Yogananda, who founded the Self-Realization Fellowship. Yogananda wrote Autobiography of a Yogi and his teachings still enjoy immense popularity even today. Other Yoga gurus include Krishnamurti and Maharishi Mahesh Yogi. Krishnamurti traveled widely, drawing large crowds and expounded upon Jnana-Yoga. People will mostly likely remember Maharishi Mahesh Yogi who popularized Transcendental Meditation (TM) in the 60's, because he was associated with the Beatles.
