Definition of Yoga

Yoga is an ancient science aimed to serve as a timeless beacon and a practice for reaching higher stages of human consciousness and in the process leading us all to lead to enriched life – physically, mentally, and spiritually. Yoga is both a source of cosmic knowledge and a practical guide intended for absorption in daily life. The promotion of positive health is just a by-product in the path of Yoga practice, while the goal of Yoga is merger with supreme consciousness.

With the modern-day lifestyle and social paradigm, and the unwanted consequences on the human mind and body; Yoga has become the utmost holistic and a scientific approach to bring transformation in the new millennium. Lifestyle induced incessant speed of mind and hyper indulgence of our sense will have grave repercussions on our how well we sustain physically and mentally in future generations.

Yoga is not just a practice for eradication or prevention of disease, but it’s the practice of promoting complete physical, mental, social, and spiritual wellbeing. In the last decade alone, there has been a global revolution for Yoga being adopted as a lifestyle, as physical training, as a mindful approach, as a meditative & spiritual practice. Yoga views the person as a unique combination of body, mind & conciousness, and its techniques maintain that body-mind-soul harmony. Over 5000 years old, Yoga is the greatest contribution of our ancient seers. It is the science of self-realization. 

For many, the concept of yoga is confined to Hatha Yoga and Asanas (postures). However, in Yoga Sutras, just three sutras mention of asanas. Primarily, Asana or Hatha yoga is a preparatory process so that the body can shed Tamas and elevate to higher levels of energy. The process begins with the body, then the breath, the mind, and the inner self. The widely practiced Yoga Sadhanas (Practices) are Yama, Niyama, Asana, Pranayama, Pratyahara, Dharana, Dhyana (Meditation), Samadhi /Samyama, Bandhas & Mudras, Shat-karmas, Yukta-ahara, Yukta karma, Mantra Japa, etc. 

Yoga philosophy, methods, and techniques are adopted as scientific practices globally, for treating a wide range of injuries, ailments, and acute diseases. From schools, health clubs, studios, offices, retreats, and in many other ways, yoga is now mainstream as part of our lives.

Definition of Yoga:

The word ‘Yoga’ is derived from the Sanskrit word ‘Yuj’ which means ‘to join’ or ‘to Unite’. Here Unity- ‘Yuj’ refers to the union of individual consciousness with the supreme consciousness or ‘Brahman’. The ‘Unity’ is also implied in many other ways at the level of integration between mind, body, and soul. 

The concept of ‘Panchkosha’, (five sheaths) as discussed later, aims for perfection and synergy between all five koshas. Essentially, Yoga is a systematic process for uniting and synergizing the growth of the man in its conscious wholeness. Yoga is a state wherein a person no longer lives at cross-purposes with himself; emotionally, as the stilling of the waves of likes and dislikes, permitting one to remain in all circumstances complete in himself.

Before we go further, let’s try to have an understanding of Yoga as per ancient Literature.

Yoga (योग).—It is Jñāna that reveals Brahman. Yoga is the concentration on Brahman. Agni Purāṇa, Chapter 372, mentions that Yoga is the perfect union of Jivātmā and Paramātmā. 

One of the most detailed and thorough expositions on the subject is the Yoga Sūtras of Patañjali, which defines yoga as “the stilling of the changing states of the mind”. According to Patanjali Yoga Sutra a (1.2) “Yogah chitta vritti nirodha”, Yoga is the neutralization of the ripples of vrittis.   

According to Yoga Väsistha (3.9.32) “Manaù Praśamanopäyaù Yoga Ityabhidhéyate”, Yoga is a skillful trick to calm down the mind. 

According to Bhagavad Gītā (2.50), it is, “Yogaù karmasu kouśalam” Yoga is the dexterity in action – a way of maintaining relaxation and awareness in action. Performing actions, renouncing attachments, and staying even-minded in success or failure. 

In the Bhagvat Gita(2.48), yoga is also defined as equanimity of mind or the balance of mind in all situations. It says: 

In the Kathopanisad (2.6.11) it is said:

Tam yogamiti manyante sthiramindriyadharanam

It means that Yoga is a state where the indriyas (or the senses) are held steadily. In other words, it is the mastery of senses and mind.

Again in the Bhagvat Gita(2.53), Sri Krishna explains the state of Sthitaprajna , where he says:

It means, when your mind remains steady and unperturbed even on hearing conflicting statements, then you will attain the state of Yoga. Here, the stable state of mind is called as Sthitaprajna. 

In Jainism, Yoga (योग) refers to “application/contemplation of mind” and is one cause leading to the influx (āsrana) of karmas extending pleasant feelings (sātāvedanīya). Yoga is a Sanskrit technical term defined in the Tattvārthasūtra (ancient Jain scripture) from the 2nd century which contains aphorisms dealing with philosophy and the nature of reality.  

Sri Aurobindo emphasized that Yoga is a conscious method towards self-development to bring out the inherent potential of the individual. He focused on all-round personality development at physical, emotional, mental, intellectual, and spiritual levels. 

Swami Vivekananda emphasized the role of yoga as a means to accelerate the rate of evolution of an individual soul. Evolution is a natural process. All beings including humans are evolving constantly. But through Yoga, one can make a conscious effort to speed up this process of evolution. One can get liberated from the cycle of birth and death in a single birth itself.

In another common way, we define Yoga as the process to reach the highest state in Ananamayakosha , described as ‘Sat-chit-ananda ( state of absolute truth-consciousness-bliss).