A yogi is someone who practices yoga, whether it’s you, or your instructor at the Yoga Center Retreat. However, thanks to some yogis in particular, yoga became what it is today. That’s why in today’s post, we’ll shine a spotlight on the 9 most important yogis that you should know!
1. Tirumalai Krishnamacharya Yogi
Who:
He went all around India promoting yoga. Moreover, he also gets credit for inventing Hatha Yoga as we know it today.
Fun yogi fact:
He is said to have been able to could actual control his own heartbeats!
2. Swami Sivananda
Who:
He prioritized humor in yoga, and taught the Trimurti Yoga, which combines Hatha, Karma, and Master Yoga.
Fun yogi fact:
Did you know that he was also a doctor!
3. B K S Iyengar
Who:
He was an early student of T Krishnamacharya, and made yoga world-famous. Moreover, he also invented Iyengar Yoga.
Fun yogi fact:
Because of a life full of yoga, at 95 years of age, he could do a headstand for 30 entire minutes!
4. K Pattabhi Jois
Who:
He popularized Ashtanga Vinyasa Yoga. Moreover, Ashtanga means “eight limbs,” which has to do with the eight-fold path of yoga that you can see in the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali.
Fun yogi fact:
He got a lot of VIPs into yoga, like Madonna and Gwyneth Paltrow!
5. Maharishi Mahesh
Who:
He invented the transcendental meditation technique.
Fun yogi fact:
Did you know that he studied physics?
6. Paramahansa Yogananda
Who:
He brought yoga to the west, specifically Kriya yoga, which is very spiritual in nature.
Fun yogi fact:
He founded the Self-Realization Fellowship in 1920. Moreover, this fellowship is an international nonprofit religious society.
7. Jaggi Vasudev
Who:
He founded the Isha Foundation, which provides yoga programs world-wide.
Fun yogi fact:
He has spoken at, (and speaks at), important meetings, like the World Economic Forum and the UN!
8. Sri Sri Ravi Shankar
Who:
He founded the Art of Living Foundation, and made the rhythmic breathing exercise Sudarshan Kriya famous.
Fun yogi fact:
At just 4 years old, he could recite Bhagwad Gita (part of the Hindu epic Mahabharata).
9. Baba Ramdev
Who:
He made yoga popular in modern-day India. He also made the yoga practices of Kapalbhati and Anulom-vilom facts of everyday life.
Fun yogi fact:
Baba Ramdev has 4 doctorate degrees!