ETYMOLOGY
The Sanskrit noun योग yoga is derived from the root yuj "to attach, join, harness, yoke". The spiritual sense of the word yoga is associated with the philosophical system presented in the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali, with the chief aim of "uniting" the human spirit with the Divine. The term yoga can be derived from either of two roots, yujir yoga (to yoke) or yuj samādhau ("to concentrate"). In the context of the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali, the root yuj samādhau (to concentrate) is considered by traditional commentators as the correct etymology.
DISCIPLINE
Yoga (Sanskrit: योग) is a group of physical, mental, and spiritual practices or disciplines which originated in ancient India. Yoga is one of the six orthodox schools of Hindu philosophical traditions. There is a broad variety of yoga schools, practices, and goals in Hinduism, Buddhism, and Jainism.
ORIGIN
Yoga began as an ancient practice that originated in India circa 3000 B.C. Stone-carved figures of yoga postures, asanas, can be found in the Indus Valley depicting the original poses and practices. Yoga was developed as a way to achieve harmony between the heart and soul on the path to divine enlightenment. The next sections define common Yoga concepts.
NAMASTE
(Namaste (/ˈnɑːməsteɪ/, Devanagari: नमस्ते), sometimes spoken as Namaskar and Namaskaram, is a customary Hindu greeting that means "I bow to the divine in you". It is used both for greeting and leave-taking. Namaste is usually spoken with a slight bow and hands pressed together, palms touching and fingers pointing upwards, thumbs close to the chest. This gesture is called Añjali Mudrā or Pranamasana. Namaste may also be spoken without the gesture or the namaste gesture performed wordlessly.
PRĀṆĀYĀMA
(Devanagari: प्राणायाम) The Indian tradition of Hatha Yoga makes use of various pranayama (breath control) techniques. The 15th century Hatha Yoga Pradipika is a key text of this tradition and includes various forms such as breath retention techniques termed Kumbhaka and various locks (Bandha). Other forms of pranayama include Ujjayi breath ("Victorious Breath"), Bhastrika ("Bellows Breath"), Kapalabhati ("Skull-shining Breath"), Surya Bhedana ("Sun-piercing Breath"), and the soothing Bhramari (buzzing like a bee).
ASANA
Asanas are postures, originally a sitting pose for meditation, and later in Hatha Yoga and modern yoga, adding reclining, standing, inverted, twisting, and balancing poses to the meditation seats. The Yoga Sutras of Patanjali define "asana" as "[a position that] is steady and comfortable". Patanjali mentions the ability to sit for extended periods as one of the eight limbs of his system. Asanas are also called poses in English.
CHAKRA
(Sanskrit: चक्र, IAST: cakra, Pali: cakka, lit. wheel, circle) Yoga is designed to use the energy of the chakras to accelerate the inward journey. The chakra model describes how the life force, prana, circulates between two poles, one in the physical world of the body and the other in the realm of pure consciousness. Read more about the chakras.
NADI
In yoga theory, nadis carry prana, life force energy. In the physical body, the nadis are channels carrying air, water, nutrients, blood and other bodily fluids around and are similar to the arteries, veins, capillaries, bronchioles, nerves, lymph canals and so on. In the subtle and the causal body, the nadis are channels for so called cosmic, vital, seminal, mental, intellectual, etc. energies (collectively described as prana) and are important for sensations, consciousness and the spiritual aura.