What is Yoga?

Yoga is an ancient science of healthy living that has been passed down from teacher to student for five millennia. Contrary to popular trends, it is not just about the physical exercises known as Asanas, but a way of living that involves mind and body disciplines. The physical aspect may appear to be more attractive and valuable to the average person, but let us show you the wonders that yoga as a way of life can achieve in the simplest of ways. Asanas are just a branch in the tree that is Yoga, where it needs to be perceived in its entirety to grasp the sheer magnanimity of it.

The word ‘yoga’ comes from the Sanskrit root ‘yuj’, meaning to unite. So, Yoga is the way to unite mind and body to achieve self-realisation. There are mentions of the practise in other Indian scriptural texts, like the Rig Veda, the Upanishads and the Bhagavad Gita as well. Over the centuries, many traditions of Yogic practices have prevailed, like Hatha Yoga, Raja Yoga, Karma Yoga, Bhakti Yoga and Jnana Yoga. They have different names, and different paths, and at first glance may appear to be contradicting. But, they have a common goal – Samadhi. For you and me, this word, ‘Samadhi’ and the idea of ‘self-realisation’ may seem too far removed from our reality. However, you and I don’t have to even go that far. By incorporating simple life lessons from these practices, little by little, we can lead a more amazing yogic life.

One such simple life lesson can be found in the most prominent text for Yoga, the ‘Yoga Sutras of Patanjali’. A collection of 195 aphorisms, or ‘Sutras’, dated around 300-400 BCE, it contains a comprehensive guide to the science and art of Yoga. Here, Patanjali defines Yoga as concentration. He details the 8-fold path of Yoga, known as Ashtanga Yoga (‘Asht’ means eight, and ‘anga’ means limbs), with eight steps:

1. Yama (Restraints)
2. Niyama (Observances)
3. Asana (Physical exercises)
4. Pranayama (Regulation of Breath)
5. Pratyahara (Withdrawal of Senses)
6. Dharna (Fixation)
7. Dhyana (Meditation)
8. Samadhi (Self-Realisation)

Elements from this path, although seemingly daunting, can be integrated into daily life, one small change at a time. It must be understood that Yoga is not about ‘quick fixes’ or ‘easy solutions’, but something that slowly and steadily erodes the source of problems, with persistent practise. It goes without saying that Yoga has changed its forms and appearance over the years, but one thing that never changed is its esoteric essence. Yoga can never be unknown, as it is always lived in our right experiences. How those experiences can be lived is detailed in this series of blog posts that elaborate on the eight limbs of Yoga, and how they can be implemented in daily life.