Yoga

(from Sanskrit yuj , meaning yoke ) is a family of ancient spiritual practices that originated in India . Yoga practices share a common intention: Samadhi; that is, the re-integration of the Atman, or Self, with Brahma -- most commonly referred to as God. Yoga encompasses a variety of traditions geared towards self-discipline, the realization the Self, and unity of the Self with God.

Yoga is not a religion per se. It is a set of spiritual practices intended to support and encourage the spirituality and transformative possibilities of all religious traditions through a realization of the devotee's relationship to his/her Diety of choice.

The most prominent tradition in modern Western practice has become Hatha Yoga, focusing on Yoga as primarily a physical endeavor that relies on asana as a means to promote balance, coordination, and flexibility. The traditional intention of asana (literally, 'a good seat') is as a vehicle to promote concentration, meditation, and ultimately self-realization leading to samadhi. The only reference to asana practice in the Yoga Sutra of Patanjali is that asana should be 'steady and comfortable'. This might be interpreted to mean 'still body, still mind', such that when the body is still and strong, so too is the mind, and ultimately, through meditation, the spirit.

Yoga as a means to enlightenment is central to Hinduism, Buddhism, Sikhism, and Jainism, but Yoga has also influenced religious and spiritual practices throughout the world.

Traditionally, Yoga is defined by the five principal branches, delineated as Karma Yoga, the Path of Selfless Action; Bhakti Yoga, the Path of Devotion; Jnana Yoga, the Path of Wisdom; Mantra Yoga, the Path of Sacred Sound; and Hatha Yoga, the Path of Inner Power. Raja Yoga, or the Royal Path, is synonomous with eight fold (ashtanga, also astanga) path of Classical Yoga, as described by Patanjali in the Yoga Sutra. Traditional ashtanga (lower-case 'a') is not to be confused with the Ashtanga Vinyasa Yoga developed by Sri K. Pattabhi Jois, which, while relying on traditional ashtanga for its context, is a specific style of hatha yoga practice.

To that point, it is important to note that there is only one Yoga, and its ultimate intention is a realization of the True Self (Atman in the Hindu tradition, the Buddha-nature in the Buddhist tradition, the Christ-nature in the Christian tradition, etc.). The branches described above, and the various schools and systems that have arisen over the centuries, proscribe only various paths to this ideal realization of Self-as-Godhead, and should not be construed as a differentiation, distinction, or categorization.

As noted, in Western practice, the term Yoga typically refers to Hatha Yoga, defined by the first two limbs of the ashtanga eight-fold path -- body (seat/postures or asana) and breath pranayama. An advanced Hatha Yoga practice will also eventually include concentration (dharana) and meditation (dhyana).

The Intention of Yoga

The ultimate intention of Yoga is attainment of liberation ( moksha ) from worldly suffering and the cycle of birth and death ( samsara ). Yoga entails mastery over the body, mind, and emotional self, and transcendence of desire. It is said to lead gradually to knowledge of the true nature of reality. The Yogi reaches a state called kaivalya or nirvana , where there is a cessation of thought, and an experience of blissful union. This union may be of the individual soul ( atman ) with the supreme Reality ( brahma ), as in Vedanta philosophy; or with a specific god or goddess, as in theistic forms of Hinduism and some forms of Buddhism. Proponents of Yoga see daily practice as beneficial in itself, leading to improved health, emotional well-being, and mental clarity. Some skeptics question these claims.

Diversity of yoga

Over the long history of yoga, different schools have emerged, and there are numerous examples of subdivisions and synthesis. It is common to speak of each form of yoga as a "path" to enlightenment. Thus, yoga may include love and devotion (as in Bhakti Yoga), selfless work (as in Karma Yoga), knowledge and discernment (as in Jnana Yoga), or an eight-limbed system of disciplines emphasizing meditation (as in Raja Yoga). These practices occupy a continuum from the religious to the scientific. They need not be mutually exclusive. (A person who follows the path of selfless work might also cultivate some knowledge and devotion.) Some people (particularly in western cultures) pursue yoga as exercise divorced from spiritual practice.

The word "yoga"

The word "yoga"--from the Sanskrit root yuj ("to yoke")--is generally translated as "union" or "integration." This may be understood as union with the Divine, or integration of body, mind, and spirit. One who practices yoga is called a yogi or in Sanskrit, a yogin (masculine) or yogini (feminine). These designations are sometimes reserved for advanced practitioners.

The word yoga may also be written ????, , Joga, Ioga, Jooga, or Yôga.

Yoga and religion

In the Hindu, Buddhist, and Jain traditions, the spiritual goals of yoga are seen as inseparable from the religions of which yoga forms a part. Some yogis make a subtle distinction between religion and yoga, seeing religion as more concerned with culture, values, beliefs and rituals; and yoga as more concerned with self-realization, i.e., direct perception of the ultimate truth. In this sense, religion and yoga are complementary. Sri Ramakrishna likened religion to the husk, and direct experience to the kernel. Both are

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