Yoga: The Original Meaning

Yoga does not mean "posture." The word comes from the Sanskrit root yuj — "to unite, integrate." It is the integration of all aspects of the human being towards self-knowledge.

The original meaning

When Patañjali wrote the Yoga Sūtras, he was not talking about postures. He was describing a complete system of mental discipline whose goal is the cessation of the fluctuations of the mind (citta vṛtti nirodhaḥ).

In the Bhagavad Gītā, Kṛṣṇa defines yoga in several ways: - Yoga is skill in action (yogaḥ karmasu kauśalam — 2.50) - Yoga is equanimity (samatvaṃ yoga ucyate — 2.48) - Yoga is disconnection from suffering (duḥkha-saṃyoga-viyogam — 6.23)

The types of Yoga

In the tradition, there are several complementary paths: - Karma Yoga — action without attachment to the result - Bhakti Yoga — devotion to Īśvara - Jñāna Yoga — self-knowledge - Rāja Yoga — mental discipline (Patañjali) - Haṭha Yoga — body preparation

What happened to Yoga

The Yoga that reached the West is, in most cases, only Haṭha Yoga — and a very simplified version. Physical postures became the entire "yoga," ignoring the other 7 limbs.

There is nothing wrong with āsanas. They are beneficial for the body and mind. But reducing them to the totality of yoga is like saying the cover is the entire book.

Rescuing the meaning

True Yoga is a complete path that includes ethics, discipline, body, breath, mind, and knowledge. If you practice postures and want more, the next step is clear: study the philosophy behind the practice.