yoga info 101

definition

the Sanskrit name for a wide range of self-transformative disciplines originating in India some 5,000 years.

The word Yoga is derived from the Sanskrit root "yuj", i.e "to yoke" [to the spirit] meaning "union of the Individual Soul (Atman) with the Universal Soul (Brahman). Yoga embraces a wide range of disciplines whose ultimate goal is the joining of body, mind and spirit, a conscious unification into Oneness.

In the Western world, the most popular form is Hatha Yoga, (Sanskrit for "Union of Force"), a form of Yoga that stresses mastery of the physical body as a gateway to attaining spiritual perfection.

When incorporated into our daily lives, even in miniscule doses, yoga offers us multiple benefits. In our task-filled, busy days, yoga provides us a respite to energize our bodies and calm our minds. In fact, most people begin to see and feel improvements in their flexibility, strength and stress levels after only a few classes.

The major branches of Yoga are

• Raja-Yoga (the royal path of meditation)
• Karma-Yoga (the path of self-transcending action)
• Bhakti-Yoga (the path of devotion)
• Jnana-Yoga (the path of wisdom)
• Tantra-Yoga (which includes Kundalini-Yoga)
• Mantra-Yoga (the path of transformative sound)
• Hatha-Yoga (the forceful path of physical cultivation)

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