Yoga is a family of ancient spiritual practices that originated in India about 5 thousand years ago and branched out a number of transformative practices for integrating mind, body and spirit. Yoga has preserved and evolved over the centuries; at present, it has become widespread around the world. Today, the ancient practices of yoga help millions of people to attain natural health and inner peace. Nowadays, the physical aspect of Yoga asanas has been much popularized in the West, and is touted by a great many people, some devoted celebrity-practitioners like Madonna and Sting have contributed to the increased visibility of the practice.

The word “yoga” has a Sanskrit origin. There are different interpretations and explanations of its meaning, but they all derive from the Proto-Indo-European root *yeug- meaning “to join” or “unite”. It is generally translated as “union” or “union of the yogin's individual soul with Paramatma, the universal soul.” This may be understood as union with the Divine by integration of body, mind and spirit .

About 200 B.C. a wise man called Patanjali complied the "Yoga Sutra" - a major work containing aphorisms on the practical and philosophical wisdom regarding practice of Raja Yoga. Patanjali in the "Yoga Sutras" presents the goal of yoga as “the cessation of mental fluctuations” (yogas chitta-vritti-nirodha), i.e.

• Yoga is a means of cessations of mental fluctuations.
• Yoga is a way to attain complete mind control.

Patanjali's text sets forth eight “limbs” for yoga practice:

1. Yama – moral principles.
2. Niyama – discipline
3. Asana – body postures or seated positions
4. Pranayama – control of “prana” or vital breath
5. Pratyahara – control of the sense organs
6. Dharana – concentration: fixing the attention on a single object
7. Dhyana – meditation
8. Samadhi – super-conscious state or trance (state of liberation)

This “eight-limbed” yoga is called also Ashtanga Yoga.

Its first four limbs comprise Hatha Yoga (Endeavouring Yoga). It's a holistic yogic path concentrating on physical body and aiming at keeping it pure and healthy as well as being a preparatory training for the next yoga limbs.

The next limbs, 5-th to 8-th, comprise Raja Yoga (Royal Yoga). It concentrates on mind control and employs meditation as a main tool for reaching the final goal of Yoga – the super-conscious state.

1. Yama is a “moral restraint” of rules for living virtiously.

• ahimsa – abstinence from injury or harm to any living creature;
• satya – truthfulness in word and thought;
• asteya – no stealing;
• brahmacharya – divine conduct, continence, celibate when single, faithful when married;
• aparigraha – non-attachment.

2. Niyama is a set of behaviors intended for adherence to the “shall-do” in dealing with our inner world, or discipline. They comprise:

• shaucha – meaning purity of mind and body;
• santosha – contentment;
• tapas – austerity or conscious effort for self-discipline;
• svadhyaya – self-study or study of spiritual scriptures;
• Ishvarapranidhana – self-surrender to Divinity.

3. Asanas are static physical postures or poses and exercises for strengthtening both body and mind. The practice of asana promotes muscle flexibility, and bone and hard tissue strength, as well as massaging the organs, and bringing into balance various internal and glandular functions. The majority of asanas have healing effects. Asana is Sanskrit for “seat” and its main idea is a steady and comfortable pose. An asana is mastered when the practioner's body can be held firm and relaxed and the practitioner is able to hold it longer and would not experience discomfort of any kind. Asanas strengthen the spine and limbs and make them flexible. Asanas can be divided into several major groups:

• Spinal Bend Asanas – Yoga teaches that the spine is “the ladder of life” and if practitioners keep it healthy and flexible, they will gain sanity and longevity. These asanas bend the spine forwards, backwards, sidewards and give it a twist. They enhance spinal health and flexibility and eliminate its ailments.
• Inverted Asanas – these asanas are postures in which practioners stand on their heads with their legs pointing upwards. They are asanas bringing freshness and vitality, have wholesome influnece on the body and are considered as the most effective Yoga asanas.
• Strength and Balance Asanas – these develop poise to the body, improve co-ordination, strength, stamina and bring focus and calmness to the mind.
• Seated Asanas – these cross legged and spine stretching postures allow practitioners to remain seat in meditation for long periods of time as well as to practice Pranayama.
• Relaxation Asanas – These are relaxing postures, they allow the body to rest and bring calmness to the mind. These asanas are restorative and are used to release all kinds of bodily or mind tension.

In addition, there exist a kind of dynamic exercises called Vinyasa. They integrate movement and breathing to the extent that they cease to be separate entities. The two actions merge to create a symphony of seamless unity. They exist as one.

4. Pranayama – these are breathing exercises aiming to attain control of breathing as well as of the vital energy or life force called prana that permeates the universe at all levels. Practitioners report that the practice of pranayama develops a steady mind, strong will-power and sound judgement. It also enhances the balance of energies within the body and their circulatory movement. Pranayama is a powerful practice that extends life and accumulates vital energy

5. Pratyahara – At this stage personal consciousness is internalized in order to stop sensations coming from the senses. Thus, one's consciousness can be directed inwards. The main goal is getting control over the senses and not allowing them to distract the practitioner, for he has to prepare his mind for the forthcoming stage of concentration.

6. Dharana is a conscious process of fixing the attention on a single object or process. Generally, the object of concentration is the practitioner's body or some of its parts (e.g. the energy centers called chakras) and the breathing process as well. These concentration techniques develop a steady holding of consciousness and prevent it from wavering, they increase practitioner's concentration ability, too. As a result, the practitioner acquires a conscious control over the mind and the flow of thoughts.

7. Dhyana refers to a type of meditation that takes place after deep and prolonged concentration. Meditation is a special state of the mind in which consciousness is kept completely calm and the flow of thoughts is stopped. The practitioner's body and mind merge in one unity and a kind of intense bliss is felt.

8. Samadhi is a term that describes a super-conscious and non-dualistic state of consciousness accompanied by a feeling of Divine bliss. While in this state, the practitioner goes beyond boundaries of fragmentary consciousness, and even beyond his practical experience limited by the senses and the space-time continuum. Samadhi springs up spontaneously after deep and continued meditation and has several stages. Samadhi is the final goal of a yogin, and when reached the yogin has gained a perfect command of the Self, his consciousness and activities which leads to a complete transformation of personality.

The main purpose of Yoga is to make us realize that we, as living beings, are interconnected and we all belong to Oneness. We all have a heart, a consciousness and a source of Divinity, we are all able to acquire Integration, Wholeness and Perfection, so we have to become aware of it and that's the main point.