Traditionally, the god Shiva is regarded as the original Guru and founder of yoga. It is said that the teachings of yoga were passed down from Shiva to the world. Shiva, in the ultimate sense, represents the pure consciousness out of which universes are unfolding, and the state that all beings are destined to return to. Therefore, yoga is the means of attaining oneness with Shiva, or pure consciousness.

It used to be that one had to learn yoga from a teacher. Long before books were ever available, yoga was a secret teaching that only those who were lucky enough to find a teacher were able to learn. It was passed down to a student in a direct line, or “lineage,” and was called the “golden chain.” This chain goes all the way back to Shiva or at least an originating character of a particular yogic style. Now is a time when yoga is available to all, and the teacher or guru is no longer needed, since all the teachings are now in print. It still never hurts to have a teacher if you find one. If you are able to pay for yoga classes and find a teacher you like, by all means take advantage of the wonderful opportunity.

Gurus prepared their students for the deeper teachings by teaching them yoga first. The student had to display prowess in the field of yoga before being allowed to move on into more secret teachings. Even yoga itself held secret teachings that the student was not allowed to receive until balance in the postures, clarity in the mind, and stamina were clearly displayed. Gurus felt that if the student could not make it through the “boot camp” that beginning yoga was, then he or she did not have what it took to learn the mysteries of the universe. Only when one could override one’s own will, surrender, or keep the self applied even when quitting seems the thing to do, only then could the student be purified and ripe for the mystery teachings.

If you wonder about a teacher and whether he or she is teaching yoga the way it should be taught, let a little time of practice go by and then check your results. It your teacher is passing yoga on to you correctly, then your results should be what the teacher promised. Practice everything the teacher teaches you and see what happens. If you find yourself without benefit, then this teacher is probably not the right one for you.

You can be your own teacher by buying books on yoga and practicing the poses yourself. Make sure you have a mirror in at least three directions so you can check your poses. It is important to check yourself and make sure you are doing the poses right. You may think you are doing the poses correctly, but when you look in the mirror you will see that your hip is lower than you thought, or that your torso is twisted when it should be straight, or that you are not parallel to the floor like you should be. It is difficult to gage how well you are doing a pose when you are not able to see yourself. This is mostly what the teacher is there for—to make sure you are doing the poses correctly and to adjust you if you are doing them wrong. So be the teacher for yourself and check your postures in a mirror as you practice. Of course, practicing yoga without a mirror, if one is not available, is better than no practice at all!

There are many methods of yoga, and several people have re-invented their version of yoga and made it quite famous. For instance, Bikram’s yoga has gained great popularity, Iyengar yoga has become well-known, and Anusara yoga has as many as 1200 teachers and 100,000 students worldwide. These are only three of many more in this category. These are systems developed by someone who felt that yoga should be practiced a certain way, the asanas adopted in a certain order, or the mind-set should be focused in a particular manner. None-the-less, all these types of yoga serve different types of people who want to practice yoga. Some like the hot, warrior yoga like Bikram’s yoga or Ashtanga yoga, others like it more gentle and slow, something that can be relaxed into and meditated upon. Either way, yoga has much to offer, and there are so many variations that each person is bound to find one or two that fit their personal style preferences. One thing is certain, and it is that the more you give to the practice, the more you get out of it, as with all endeavors to learn new skills and abilities.

Many teachers call the same asana by different names. Some even have slight variations on how to practice the same pose. No matter what the name or the structure of the asana is, it will bring your physical body under willful discipline, which in turn harnesses the mind, creating focus and stamina. This is the whole point of yoga, to bring a centeredness at the physical and mental level so that the spiritual level might be experienced in a more balanced way.