The movie “Origins of Yoga”
Nowadays more and more people become interested in the Eastern culture, religion and traditions. The philosophy of yoga attracts many followers due to its beneficial impact on the body and mind. However, the essence of yoga is much deeper than one may think. Its origins date back centuries and yoga in the Western world is far from the real yoga practiced by Indian sages. Furthermore, despite the popular belief, yoga is not merely a set of physical exercises but a spiritual path of becoming closer to the Divine.
The movie Origins of Yoga” comprises exciting information about the lifestyle of yogis and shows how complex and meaningful meditation is. Although thousands of people from the Western world practice yoga, few of them fully understand where this tradition came from. In the modern society, yoga is often put along with different kinds of sports like shaping or stretching. Yet, yoga in its original state is far from an exercise regime or a set of breathing algorithms. Of course, physical benefits of yoga cannot be overestimated and yoga teachers constantly emphasize that yoga is good for the posture, figure and flexibility, but the real value of yoga lies not in its physical advantages but in its mental and spiritual value.
The origins of yoga are shrouded in the mist of time. The movie mentions that the first yogis appeared approximately seven thousand years ago. Many scientists claim that Indus Valley civilization encompasses the images of people depicted in the typical yoga posture. Yoga is the rocess of controlling the mind abilities, and the person who can control the mind is called a yogi. First yogis lived in Himalayan caves far from the settlement of people. Today’s yogis in India continue the ascetic way of life led by their predecessors. Renunciation from worldly desires and concentration on inner self are the main principles of yoga that resemble not mere philosophy but a way of life. Indian yogis give up everything that connects them with the world and never stay in one place for a long time. They believe that sticking to one place brings selfish desires and evils like greed, lust, envy, anger and fear. By leaving their family, relatives and usual way of life, they start their quest for the spiritual welfare that continues to the end of their lives. They believe that moving from one place to another purifies them like the river keeps clean by flowing. True yogis are always travelling and leading ascetic way of life not bound by worldly vices and desires.
The film itself is a real masterpiece of documental cinematography. It does not consist solely of bold facts or uninteresting numbers; it depicts a real life and real people. The viewer can observe the lifestyle and customs of Indian people as well as hear the interviews with real yogis with extraordinary appearance and unbelievable physical abilities. Film episodes are accompanied by the commentaries of the presenter who explains and adds useful information. These commentaries help the viewer to understand the prehistory of modern yogis and provide a sort of interaction with the audience. It is necessary to admit that the presenter Georg Feuerstein Ph. D is rather authoritative, knowledgeable and deeply interested in the customs and traditions of Indian people. He believes that yoga is a secret science that aims at knowing the inner self. The main difference between a yogi and an ordinary person is that the yogi takes full responsibility for the wholeness of the human being. The unity with nature and God provides them strength not to harm the environment and leave in peace and harmony with the world. Unlike true yogis, western people practice just the small part of ageless yoga tradition that comprises not only postures but plenty of other notions.
