Who is the initiator of yoga in modern time?
In modern times, the spread of yoga to the West is often attributed to several key figures who helped to popularize the practice and make it accessible to a wider audience. Some of the most influential figures in the modern yoga movement include:
- Swami Vivekananda: Swami Vivekananda was a Hindu monk who helped to introduce yoga and Vedanta philosophy to the West in the late 19th century. He traveled to the United States in 1893 to attend the World’s Parliament of Religions in Chicago and gave a series of lectures on yoga and Indian philosophy that helped to spark interest in these topics in the West.
- T. Krishnamacharya: T. Krishnamacharya was a yoga teacher who is often credited with developing the modern style of yoga known as Vinyasa. He trained many of the most influential yoga teachers of the 20th century, including B.K.S. Iyengar and Pattabhi Jois.
- B.K.S. Iyengar: B.K.S. Iyengar was a yoga teacher who developed the style of yoga known as Iyengar Yoga, which emphasizes precise alignment and the use of props to support the practice of asanas. His teachings have had a significant impact on the development of modern yoga practice.
- Paramahansa Yogananda: Paramahansa Yogananda was a spiritual teacher and author who founded the Self-Realization Fellowship in 1920. He wrote the influential book “Autobiography of a Yogi,” which helped to popularize yoga and meditation in the West.
- Indra Devi: Indra Devi was a yoga teacher who helped to popularize yoga in Hollywood during the 1940s and 1950s. She trained many famous actors and actresses in the practice of yoga, including Gloria Swanson and Greta Garbo.
Overall, these figures and many others played an important role in bringing the practice of yoga to the West and helping to establish it as a popular form of exercise and spiritual practice.