When yoga emerged, the tradition was passed from teacher to student, not all people could have this wisdom. They should be born into certain socially dominant castes to obtain knowledge. It is only recently that this knowledge began to be passed on to those who are interested in knowing.
The earliest and oldest yoga postures that are documented (in statues and paintings) are meditative, seated postures. In the RigVedas, meditation, breath control techniques and devotional chants are written.
It was only in the XNUMXth century AD that the movement of the body was spoken of as a form of transcendence. This is called Hatha Yoga. In the words of Professor Pedro Kupfer: “Hatha Yoga is a tantric Yoga method that emerged in the medieval period (cs IX-XII), which aims to awaken kundalini energy using extreme physical force.”
We understand then that the focus has always been to awaken the Kundalini energy, which is the alignment of each energy center in the body. This energy is the meeting of the earth with the sacred and opens all energy channels to live fully awake and present.
So, from the Hatha Yoga, many other types emerged, including what we know as Kundalini Yoga, which has a specific method of awakening this energy. But all types of yoga practices that involve physical postures are within the body of Hatha Yoga and are intended to work that subtle energy called Kundalini.
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