Yoga in Sanskrit means yoke, or union. Yoke means to draw together, to bind together; or to unite. Yoga is to yoke, or create a union of the body, mind, soul, and universal consciousness. This process of uniting the mental, emotional, physical and spiritual aspects of ourselves is what allows yogis to experience deep states of peace and self-realization.
It is an ancient system of practices that have been passed down through the generations. Some practices include breathing techniques, postures, relaxation, chanting, and other meditation methods. There is a plethora of styles of yoga, each with their own unique approach.
Its origins can be traced back thousands of years to the Upanishads; a collection of yogic texts dating from roughly 800 BC to 400 AD. The word “yoga” was first mentioned in the Rigveda, but the first time it was used with its modern meaning is in the Katha Upanishad. This ancient text was written sometime between the 5th and 3rd century BCE.
The Yoga Sutras is one of the most famous text on the fundamentals of yoga and was written by Patanjali around 200 BCE. In this foundational text, he defines yoga in sutra 1.2 as: yogash chitta-vritti-nirodhah, which translates to “Yoga is the cessation of the whirling fluctuations of the mind.”
This cessation of thoughts is the result of a dedicated practice of yoga. By calming our mental chatter, this contemplative practice connects to the source of our being where we can experience the unity of our own self, as well as the unity of everything else around us.