What is yoga?

Beyond the Down Dogs and Sun Salutations we're more familiar with, yoga, simply put, is the practice of living in balance within any and all aspects of daily life such as how you exercise, what you eat, which relationships you choose, and how you deal with stress. There are as many yoga styles and opinions about what yoga is as there are people who teach it. I see yoga, at its root, as a personal path of making the choices that move you towards health in any way possible. Since a strong, fit and relaxed mind and body can lead towards constructive shifts in the rest of your life, I recommend trying a variety of yoga classes and teachers until you find the one (or more!) that's right for you now. You'll learn more about moving from center on all levels the longer you practice.

In the Vedic tradition, each person can choose four paths that arise from feeling, thinking, acting, and being. Each path is called a Yoga, the Sanskrit word for "union," because unity—merging with one reality—was the goal. Over the ages, the four Yogas have come to define specific paths that suit the kind of temperament a seeker has, although in truth you can follow several or all at once. Bhakti Yoga leads to unity by loving God. Karma Yoga leads to unity through selfless action. Gyana Yoga leads to unity through knowledge. Raj Yoga leads to unity through meditation and renunciation.

The word yoga is a Sanskrit (East Indian language) word meaning "union", and is most commonly described as the union of the mind and the body through a practice which integrates physical movement (postures or asanas), breath, and meditation. It is an ancient science and discipline dating back thousands of years, and can be defined in many different ways due to various age-old yoga traditions throughout the world. In the United States it is conventionally practiced and known as a stretching-based exercise performed on a mat that promotes many health benefits. You will hear common names as well as the East Indian, or yogic language, Sanskrit, names for the postures (asanas in Sanskrit). For example, the popular Downward Facing Dog is also Adho Mukha Svanasana in Sanskrit. Yoga teachers refer to postures both ways depending on their style. Also, it is important to be aware that the same yoga pose may be referred to as one name in one tradition and a completely different name in a different tradition. While most people are drawn to yoga for the physical side, they soon learn that it can be much more than moving the body around in funny looking poses. According to one of the most important yoga texts, The Yoga Sutras by Patanjali, translated by Sri Swami Satchidananda, yoga is the stilling of the fluctuations of the mind, or specifically cited, "the restraint of the modifications of the mind-stuff is Yoga." To explain further, through the discipline and practice of physical postures, breath techniques, meditation, and yogic philosophy, you begin to learn how to be present in everything that arises in your life which leads to liberation from unnecessary suffering. Whether it be pain or joy, failure or success, you observe it without labeling it good or bad, you begin to learn to take your experiences without attachment and learn to accept what is reality instead of resisting what is reality. It is said that this leads to ultimate liberation. This also gives you an opportunity to harness your energy in the most efficient way. For example, this type of thought pattern will save you wasted energy that may have been spent on over-reaction to particular events or items arising in your life, but through the liberating action of looking at things with more acceptance rather than resistance you will reduce worry, anxiety, over-thinking, and simply learn to be present with what shows up without all the added suffering.

Yoga refers to several disciplines, some of which are strictly philosophical or spiritual. Most commonly here in the West, however, when we think of yoga, we think of that series of postures -- asanas -- breathing exercises, and deep concentration that develop flexibility and strength and focus the mind.

Yoga is a combination of exercise and mental relaxation. It is really a form of moving meditation and conscious breathing. Yoga is a superb, low impact form of stretching, exercise and breathing that yields phenomenal health benefits for your mind, body and spirit.

Yoga includes asanas (physical poses) and pranayama (breathing exercises). Many types of yoga are practiced in the United States of America, and different teachers emphasize different aspects. Some teach yoga as a form of exercise, while others emphasize breathing. Some practices are entirely secular, while others incorporate a religious and spiritual aspect. People with back pain often find yoga helpful, and studies have shown that yoga can also benefit those with osteoarthritis and carpal tunnel syndrome.

Yoga is an ancient system of relaxation, exercise, and healing with origins in Indian philosophy. Early descriptions of yoga are written in Sanskrit, the classical literary language of India. The first known work is "The Yoga Sutras," written more than 2,000 years ago, although yoga may have been practiced up to 5,000 years ago. The initial concepts have been adapted over time through translation and scholarly interpretation, but the fundamental principles describing the practice of yoga in the quest of the soul remain largely intact.

Yoga has been described as "the union of mind, body, and spirit," which addresses physical, mental, intellectual, emotional, and spiritual dimensions towards an overall harmonious state of being. The philosophy of yoga is sometimes pictured as a tree with eight branches. These eight limbs are: pranayama (breathing exercises), asana (physical postures), yama (moral behavior), niyama (healthy habit), dharana (concentration), prathyahara (sense withdrawal), dhyana (contemplation), and samadhi (higher consciousness). There are several schools of yoga practice, such as hatha yoga, karma yoga, bhakti yoga, and raja yoga. These schools vary in the proportions of the exercises of the eight limbs. However, they are all similar in working towards the goal of self-realization and control of mental, physiological, and psychological parameters through yogic experiences. In the United States and Europe, hatha yoga is commonly practiced, including pranayama and asanas.

Yoga is often practiced by healthy individuals with the aim to achieve relaxation, fitness, and a healthy lifestyle. Yoga has also been recommended and used for a variety of medical conditions. Yoga techniques can be learned in classes or through videotape instruction. Classes last from 30 to 90 minutes and are offered at various skill levels. There is no widely accepted credentialing for yoga instructors.

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Yoga is an ancient practice meant to unify mind, body, and spirit through the use of poses, meditation, breathing, chanting and study of the self. It was created in India using the principles of both Buddhism and Hinduism. The Western practice of yoga typically focuses on poses and has become a popular form of exercise.