Yoga is a Sanskrit word that is often translated to mean ‘yolk’ or ‘union’.

Yoga is the coming together of activities in the body-mind.

Yoga is a philosophy for living: a practice for getting to know our selves.

Yoga is cultivating an ability to be in the present moment.

Yoga is discovering and maintaining  greater equanimity through the ups and downs of life.

Yoga is a method for clearing away limiting beliefs and ways of seeing ourselves and our world.

Yoga is a journey toward greater freedom to experience our true nature.

Yoga is a foundation for being in the world in a way that honours life and living.

Yoga is a philosophy that does not ask you to believe anything in particular to begin a practice – you can just try different yoga practices and experience for yourself what happens. (There are fundamentalists is all philosophical traditions, who will spout the superiority of their method above all others – where is the love and freedom in such approaches?).

Yoga is often talked about as an advanced set of calisthenic postures – physical movements and poses of the body that will make us more flexible and strong. Yes, these are some of the benefits from physical asana practice! Stay open to more, because the physical practice brings with it a door to so much more.

Yoga can be an experience with a focus on chanting, meditation, service, devotion and study of the sacred texts, alongside asana, especially if you happen to be in India, often called the home of yoga.

Yoga is defined as:

Yoga citta-vrtti-nitodhah – Yoga is the stilling of the fluctuations of the mind (yoga sutra 1.2 atrributed to the sage Pantanjali)