How Traditional is Physical Yoga?

Contortions in context – a free talk on how haṭha evolved

Much of modern yoga revolves around postures. But where did they come from and what were they for? And how did they become so ubiquitous?

Medieval texts that teach the physical techniques of haṭha yoga have other priorities. In early descriptions, contorting the body into complex shapes is primarily a warm-up for subtler ways to move vital energy. This t…