What is yoga?

Nowadays yoga is commonly understood as an exercise system for health and fitness. But certainly it is much more than that. While physical and mental health are natural consequences of yoga, the goal of yoga is more far-reaching. Yoga is to manifest our inner self, to restructure life towards an ultimate possibility. It is the science of activating inner energies, that the body, mind and emotions function at their highest level. Yoga is about harmonizing oneself with the universe. It is the technology of aligning individual geometry with the cosmic to achieve the highest level of perception and harmony.

The word “yoga” literally means “union”. It is derived from the sanskrit  root “yuj”, meaning “to join” or ‘to unite’. As per yogic scriptures the practice of yoga leads to the union of individual consciousness with that of the universal consciousness, indicating a perfect harmony between the mind and body, man and nature. When you experience everything as one in your consciousness, then you are in yoga. The one who experiences this oneness of existence is termed as a yogi, having attained to a state of freedom referred to as mukti, nirvana or moksha. Thus the aim of yoga is self-realization.

The practice of yoga have started with the very dawn of civilization. The science of yoga has its origin thousands of years ago, long before the first religions or belief systems were born. It was being practiced under the direct guidance of guru and its spiritual value was given special importance.

Many benefits of yoga continue to be recognised by modern western science and different cultures. Yoga does not adhere to any particular religion, belief system or community, it has always been approached as a technology for inner wellbeing. Anyone who practices yoga with involvement can reap its benefits, irrespective of one’s faith, ethnicity or culture.