What is Yoga?

 

The world yoga derives from the Sanskrit word 'Yuj'. It means to unite, join or integrate.

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In the west many times people associate Yoga with body postures only and see it as a form of exercise. But Yoga is so much more than that. It is most commonly known as a Hindu spriritual and ascetic practice. Yoga is also art. Yoga is a unique lifestyle with its own philosophy. And again, a lot more than that. Yoga is love and harmony, through committed practice. It works on all aspects of a person: physical, emotional, intellectual and spiritual levels.

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Besides postures (asana), that aim to keep the body healthy and flexible, the practice of Yoga also includes breath control, meditation, and other yogic techniques. Breathing exercise (Pranayama) and meditation (Dhyana) are used to discover and connect with our real self, to balance our energy flow and to tame the mind.

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No exact date can be ascertained about the origins of Yoga. It is an ancient tradition that has been practiced for thousands of years.

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Patanjali, an englightened indian sage and mystic who lived sometime between 500-200 BC, defined Yoga in his Yoga Sutras as "Yogaha Citta Vritti Nirodaha". It means that Yoga is the cessation of the fluctuations of the mind. 

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The Bhagavad Gita, sage Vyasa's 700 verse Hindu scripture from the Mahabarat, talks about Yoga as "the journey of the self, through the self, to the self”. This shows how Yoga is a vast discipline that is aimed to unite mind, body and spirit in order to achieve a state of self-realization and enlightenment.

 
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Today we can find many different traditions of Yoga that describe various approaches and use somewhat different techniques. But they are in fact only different branches of the same tree and there is one thing is common: the ultimate goal is to unite one's individual consciousness with the universal consciousness and to lead to englightenment and liberation.

This can only be achieved through regular practice, but we also get many other benefits on the way. Yoga today is widely practiced worldwide for improved health, spiritual progress, relaxation and inner harmony, self-healing, a stronger and toxin-free body, self-awareness, increased focus and concentration, and reduced stress and anxiety. 

 
You can read a bit more about different yogic practices on my site, but to find out what Yoga really means for you, get practicing today. I would be very happy to assist you on this journey in any way I can.

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Om Shanti, my friends, and see you on the mat...