What is Yoga?
Yoga for health is a misnomer because yoga is not asanas or postures. However, asana (aa-suh-na) or posture is one of the eight parts of yoga. Yoga includes but is not limited to postures. And in the reference books like Patanjali Yoga Sutras, yoga is not listed as a health exercise.
Patanjali gave eight parts of yoga:
- Yama
- Niyama
- Asana
- Pranayama
- Pratyahar
- Dharana
- Dhyana
- Samadhi
Asana or postures is just one stage. In fact, it is not the most important stage which Patanjali list as the three highest stages
- Dharana
- Dhyana
- Samadhi
These three he gave collectively as samyama, which is meditation.
The postures are for preparing to do this meditation.
Here is the English for the stages:
- Yama – the approved behaviors which assist yoga
- Niyama – the behaviors which do not assist yoga
- Asana – postures for toning the body for the least bodily aches during meditation
- Pranayama – breath infusion for energizing the body
- Pratyahar – withdrawing the mind from interest which do not assist or which obstruct meditation
- Dharana – focusing the mind on subjects which are the objective of yoga
- Dhyana - experiencing momentary spontaneous focus of the mind on subjects which are the objective of yoga
- Samadhi - experiencing prolonged spontaneous focus of the mind on subjects which are the objective of yoga
The higher stages of the last three when done sequentially are termed as samyama or the complete restraint of the mind from ordinary reality. That is meditation.
In summary, the first five stages are preparation for meditation which is the three higher states with samadhi being the ultimate spiritual absorption.
