# **Where Did Yoga Start** Yoga, one of the world’s most ancient spiritual and physical practices, has its roots deeply embedded in the culture and philosophy of India. When people ask [where did yoga start](https://www.yogkulam.org/blog/chronology-of-yoga), the answer takes us back over 5,000 years to the Indus Valley Civilization, where early archaeological findings depict figures in meditative postures. The origins of yoga are intertwined with ancient Indian scriptures known as the Vedas and the Upanishads, which describe the practice as a path to spiritual enlightenment and union of body, mind, and soul. Over centuries, yoga evolved from being a purely spiritual discipline to a holistic system that harmonizes physical health, mental clarity, and inner peace. Ancient sages like Patanjali later systematized these teachings into the Yoga Sutras, defining the eight limbs of yoga as a structured approach to attain self-realization. As trade, travel, and philosophy spread across the world, yoga transcended geographical and cultural boundaries, becoming a global movement focused on wellness and mindfulness. Today, when we trace back the question “where did yoga start,” it always leads us to India—the sacred land where philosophy, spirituality, and the science of life merged to give birth to yoga’s timeless wisdom.