Sage Patanjali, a scholar of the Hindu belief system, elaborated the transcendental aspects of yogic theory in his Yoga Sutras, and thus added to the priceless repertoire of knowledge that existed about spiritual awakening promised by yogic discipline. While the history of yoga goes far back in time, the physical aspects of the yogic practice were first detailed by sage Patanjali sometime between 400  and 500 CE.  

His work, the Yoga Sutras, are widely known for the information they contain about asanas or the physical component of yoga centred around postures. In line with the Hindu belief system, he saw that wellbeing was necessary for the physical, mental and spiritual domains. The Yoga Sutras see physical wellbeing as instrumental to the pursuit of spiritual wisdom.