Yoga comes from a Sanskrit word meaning ‘yoke’. It has two aspects, although traditional practitioners would like to maintain that one leads to the other. There is first the religious aspect – Yoga, here, is a form of endeavor to become one with the Atman, or the Universal Spirit. But it is also a physical, spiritual, psychological system of exercise that can cure many diseases, prevent most, and in general can be the precursor to healthy living. The most prominent tradition in modern Western practice has become Hatha Yoga, focusing on Yoga as primarily a physical endeavor that relies on asana as a means to promote balance, coordination, and flexibility. The traditional intention of asana is as a vehicle to promote concentration, meditation, and ultimately self-realization leading to samadhi. Yoga said to lead gradually to knowledge of the true nature of reality.

Yoga is a very ancient practice, and shares common lineage with Hinduism, Buddhism, Sikhism and Jainism. Many schools of Yoga have developed over the years. It is immensely popular with millions of people across the world, although not all practice Yoga with the same gusto or with the same intentions. Today, Yoga is even more popular with videos and TV program being made. Yoga classes come up in every city, and long time courses for teachers are also common. Recently many TV channels have also come up which propagate healthy living through Yoga.

In this section, we provide resources for different forms of Yoga practices, for Yogic vacations and other information sources.