The word Yoga means ‘Unity’ or ‘Oneness’ and is derived from Sanskrit word ‘Yuj’  which means ‘to join’.  This unity or joining is described in spiritual terms as

 

the union of the individual consciousness with the universal consciousness…

 

           On a more practical level, yoga is a means of balancing and harmonizing the body , mind and emotions . This is done through Asana , Pranayama , mudra , bandha , shatkarma and meditation.

• Yoga is the science of right living and as such is intended to be incorporated into daily life. It works on all aspects of the person: the physical, vital, mental, emotional, psychic, and spiritual.

• The science of yoga begins to work on the outermost aspect of the personality The physical body which for most people is a practical and familiar starting point. When the imbalance is experienced at this level. the organs, muscles, and nerves will no longer function in harmony; rather they act in opposition to each other. For instance, the endocrine system might become irregular, and the efficiency of the nervous system decreases to such extant that a disease will manifest.

• Yoga aims at bringing the different bodily functions into perfect coordination so that they work for the good of the whole body. From the physical body , yoga moves on to the mental and emotional levels. Many people suffer from phobias and neuroses as a result of the stresses and interactions of everyday living. Yoga cannot provide a cure for life, but it does present a proven method for coping with it.

• According to Patanjali sage Yoga is “ Yogaschittha vrutthi nirodha ” which means having control over the mind. Sage Patanjali’s treatise on Raja yoga the yoga sutra’s codified the first definitive, unified and comprehensive system of yoga. Often called as eight-fold path or Ashtanga Yoga, it is comprised of
• Yama , [self restraints] 
• Niyama [self observances ] 
• Asana [body posture ] 
• Pranayama.[Divine dimension to breathing pattern ] 
• Prathyahara [Disassociation of consciousness from outside environment ] 
• Dharana [concentration ] 
• Dhyana [meditation ]  and 
• Samadhi [ Identification with pure consciousness ]