Definition of Yoga

Definition of Yoga
Yoga is the buzz word of the century. Millions of people practice yoga all over the globe. More than 20 million people practice yoga in US. For most of the people it is a physical fitness exercise, for many it is a stress buster, for some it is physiotherapy, and a few practice to find the path to spirituality. So, what is yoga? The Sanskrit word “yuj” is the root word of yoga. The meaning of yuj is union, join or yoke. Yoga is embedded in ‘Vedas’ the sacred scriptures of India, There are four Vedas, Rigveda, Yajurveda, Samaveda and Atharvaveda. They present the way of life and reveal the procedures and path to eternal truth. The Vedic definition of yoga is yoking of “Jivatma” (individual soul) with the “paramãtma” (Universal soul). Therefore, Yoga is the union of the individual soul with the universal soul. Yoga was the way of life during Vedic era.

In Yoga-Vashishta, a sacred script of India, narrated as a discourse of sage Vashista to Rama, it is said that:
“Manah prashamanah Upãyah yoga ityabhidhiyate”!

This means yoga is called a skillful method to calm the mind.
In Kathopanishad, one of the primary Upanishads, and part of Yajurveda, it is said that

“Tam yogamiti manyante sthiramindriyadhãranam
apramattastada Bhavati yogah hi prabhavapyayau ” (II.iii.11) –
Keeping the senses steady is considered as yoga. When the senses are steady one becomes vigilant, for yoga is the origin of growth.

Bhagavad-Gita, a scripture in Sanskrit, is the part of the Indian epic Mahabharata. In Gita, Krishna, incarnation of Lord Vishnu, says “Yoga is skill in action”. Krishna says to Arjuna, protagonist of the Mahabharata:
“Buddhi-yukto jahatiha”
ubhe sukrta – duskrte
tasmad yogaya yujyasva
yogah karmasu kausalam – B.G. II, 50
This means – One who is endowed with wisdom, equanimity will renounce both good and evil deeds. Therefore devote thyself to yoga. Yoga is skill in action.
Skill is an ability and capacity acquired through applying systematic and consistent effort (Tapas) with self-reflection (Svadhyaya) and with proper mind set (Ishvara pranidhana) to carry out complex activities or functions involving ideas (intellect), things (material), and people (minds). Tapas (penance), Svadhyaya (self study) and Ishvara Pranidhana (dedication to the higher source) are part of Kriya Yoga, three-fold yoga of action, which is described by the sage, Patanjali in his treatise called “ Patanjala Yoga Darsana”.
Sage Patanjali, father of yoga, around 2500 years ago, systematized and defined yoga in his 196 sutras. He defined yoga as:
“Yogah cittavritti nirodah” (Yoga Sutra I.2).
Yoga is the cessation of the fluctuation of the mind. Patanjali described the eight steps of yoga called Astanga Yoga: Yama (Universal discipline), Niyama (Individual discipline), Asana (postures), Pranayama (breath control), Pratyahara (sense control), Dharana (concentration), Dhyana (meditation), and Samadhi (super conscious state), which reveals the methodology, procedure and the sequential approach to restrain the mind.

Yogacharya B.K.S.Iyengar, one of the great masters of modern yoga said, “Yoga is an art to practice, a science to ponder over, a philosophy that shows us the way of right living”. He also said that most of the people understand yoga as science and philosophy, but people who practice yoga understand it as an art.

Yoga is a creative skill, the science of the body, mind and the path to realize the eternal truth. Yoga brings the experiential knowledge of body, mind and the awareness of the spirit.
Namaste,
Aruna