Definition

Yoga literally means “yoke”. According to father of yoga, Patanjali, yoga is the suppression or modification of the mind.

The original context of yoga was spiritual development practices to train the body and mind to self observe and become aware of their own nature. The purpose is to cultivate discernment, awareness, self-regulation and higher consciousness.

Modern Day

Modern yoga and yoga teacher training (ytt) is practiced from Vancouver to Calgary to Toronto to Halifax  and as far away as Bali and Thailand and has a range of styles to suit everyone’s different needs; it help boost physical energy and mental well-being.

Yoga poses strengthen bones and muscles, improve breathing, and increase energy. And it can also cure some physical ailments and correct postures. By learning yoga, a person learns how to use his body correctly and wisely.

A Machine

Body is like a machine, we need to run or maintain it correctly and scientifically so that it can stay in an ideal condition and elongate its life span.

By using breathing techniques, exercise and meditation, yoga bring attention and awareness to our body  so that we will have less chance to have problem due to negligence and ignorance.

Yama & Niyamas

Yoga is yamas and niyamas, the wisdom of life. It needs us to discipline ourselves. And also asks us to continue learning and improving through the whole life.

Life is a way of learning. There’s always chance of growing up; and human being are always need the work of perfection.  And The world is far from perfect because human being are not perfect at all.

Yoga is not religion, but a person  can go a step further from yoga to be religious. Yoga is like flour, and religions are like the breads. There’s all kinds of religions, but yoga is only one.

A person can just practice yoga without being religious, and of course a religious person can also practice yoga. There’s debate among Christians that could Christians practice yoga or not. Different Christians give different answers. Actually, a lot of people answer this question without truly knowing what is yoga.

In The End

Yoga is not something that can be easily demonstrated and showed to others; yoga is not something that we do for obtaining medals.Yoga is the way of treating others wisely and a way of treating self nicely.

Yoga is non-giving up. Yoga is accumulating the good things each and every day so that one day it become a big difference.