Yoga is an ancient physical and spiritual discipline and branch of philosophy that originated in India reportedly more than 5,000 years ago. The word yoga comes from the Sanskrit word yuj, which means to yoke, join, or unite. The Iyengar school of yoga defines yuj as the "joining or integrating of all aspects of the individual—body with mind and mind with soul—to achieve a happy, balanced and useful life." The ultimate aim of yoga, they claim, is to reach kaivalya (emancipation or ultimate freedom).
Yoga is an ancient system of relaxation, exercise and healing with origins in Indian philosophy. Yoga has been described as "the union of mind, body, and spirit," which addresses physical, mental, intellectual, emotional and spiritual dimensions toward an overall harmonious state of being. The philosophy of yoga is sometimes pictured as a tree with eight branches:
• Pranayama (breathing exercises) • Asana (physical postures) • Yama (moral behavior) • Niyama (healthy habit) • Dharana (concentration) • Pratyahara (sense withdrawal) • Dhyana (contemplation) • Samadhi (higher consciousness)
There are several types of yoga, including hatha yoga, karma yoga, bhakti yoga and raja yoga. These types vary in the proportions of the eight branches. In the United States and Europe, hatha yoga is commonly practiced, including pranayama and asana.
Yoga is often practiced by healthy individuals with the aim to achieve relaxation, fitness and a healthy lifestyle. Yoga may be practiced alone, or with a group. Yoga classes and video tapes are available. There are no official or well-accepted licensing requirements for yoga practitioners.
Many people think that yoga is just stretching. But while stretching is certainly involved, yoga is really about creating balance in the body through developing both strength and flexibility. This is done through the performance of poses or postures, each of which has specific physical benefits. The poses can be done quickly in succession, creating heat in the body through movement (vinyasa-style yoga) or more slowly to increase stamina and perfect the alignment of the pose. The poses are a constant, but the approach to them varies depending on the tradition in which the teacher has trained.
Yoga is an ancient system of relaxation, exercise and healing with origins in Indian philosophy. Yoga has been described as "the union of mind, body, and spirit," which addresses physical, mental, intellectual, emotional and spiritual dimensions toward an overall harmonious state of being. The philosophy of yoga is sometimes pictured as a tree with eight branches:
• Pranayama (breathing exercises) • Asana (physical postures) • Yama (moral behavior) • Niyama (healthy habit) • Dharana (concentration) • Pratyahara (sense withdrawal) • Dhyana (contemplation) • Samadhi (higher consciousness)
There are several types of yoga, including hatha yoga, karma yoga, bhakti yoga and raja yoga. These types vary in the proportions of the eight branches. In the United States and Europe, hatha yoga is commonly practiced, including pranayama and asana.
Yoga is often practiced by healthy individuals with the aim to achieve relaxation, fitness and a healthy lifestyle. Yoga may be practiced alone, or with a group. Yoga classes and video tapes are available. There are no official or well-accepted licensing requirements for yoga practitioners.
Many people think that yoga is just stretching. But while stretching is certainly involved, yoga is really about creating balance in the body through developing both strength and flexibility. This is done through the performance of poses or postures, each of which has specific physical benefits. The poses can be done quickly in succession, creating heat in the body through movement (vinyasa-style yoga) or more slowly to increase stamina and perfect the alignment of the pose. The poses are a constant, but the approach to them varies depending on the tradition in which the teacher has trained.
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