What is yoga?

According to B.K.S. Iyengar, one of the foremost teachers of yoga in our century, “Yoga is an ancient art based on an extremely subtle science, one of the body, mind, and soul. The prolonged practice of yoga will, in time, lead the student to a sense of peace and a feeling of being at one with his or her environment.” He further explains, “The aim of yoga is to calm the chaos of conflicting impulses.” So, yoga is an art and a science. It is not a religion. In India, the practice is closely aligned with the Hindu religion, taking the names for many postures from the Hindu names for deities. However, it is quite possible to be a Hindu and never do yoga, as it is equally possible to do yoga and not be Hindu.

When people in North America talk about yoga, we usually mean Hatha Yoga. Hatha Yoga is the practice of physical postures (called asanas), combined with pranayama (breathing practices.) Yoga combines movements that increase flexibility and strengthen the entire body with deep relaxation practices.

Breath and awareness are what distinguish yoga from other physical exercises. While doing yoga, the breath is used to facilitate the movement and deepen the experience. The mind is alert and focused on the breath and sensations in the body. Sometimes yoga postures are done very slowly, with barely perceptible movement. Other times, such as in Ashtanga or Vinyasa styles, the movement is almost aerobic, creating heat and developing strength. What all hatha yoga practice has in common is the use of the breath and awareness.

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