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History of Yoga - Part 1


John Kaldawi learned that the yoga we know today was developed as a part of the tantric civilization which existed in India and all parts of the world more than ten thousand years ago
Shiva is said to be the founder of yoga and Parvati, his first disciple.  Lord Shiva is widely considered to be the symbol embodiment of supreme consciousness.  Parvati represents supreme knowledge, will and action, and is responsible for all creation.  This force or energy is also known as kundalini shakti, the cosmic force which lies dormant in all beings.

Doing more research, John Kaldawi learned that Parvati is regarded as the mother of the whole universe.  The individual soul is embodied and bound of name and form, and also liberated from the bondage of the world and united with supreme consciousness through her grace.  Out of love and compassion for her children, she imparted her secret knowledge of knowledge in the form of "Tantra".  The techniques of yoga have their source in tantra and the two cannot be separated, just as consciousness, Shiva, cannot be separated from energy Shakti.

John Kaldawi also learned that yoga arose at the beginning of human civilization when man first realized his spiritual potential and began to evolve techniques to develop it.  The yogic science was slowly evolved and developed by ancient sages all over the world.  The essence of yoga has often been shrouded in or explained by different symbols, analogies and languages.  Some traditions believe that yoga was a divine gift revealed to the ancient sages so that mankind could have the opportunity to realize its divine nature.

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