You can hear about Yoga everywhere, but what does that practice entail, exactly? For some, it is physical exercise. For others, it is meant to relax. In reality, it is much more than this.

What is Yoga?

Yoga practice originates from the South of India, but there is no specific record when it was created. Once thing is certain, this practice has been associated with Hindu wisdom and shared from one generation to the next for millennia. Today, it is practiced all over the world. But contrary to what some people still believe, you should not see yoga as just another “sport”, or even worse, as a way to lose weight, because yoga cannot be separated from a certain spiritual practice. Indian wise men created this practice through careful observation of human beings and their needs. If you want a human being to evolve, blossom, and have peace of mind, they must first ensure the health of their body. They must know how their organs work, as well as various body parts, and must fulfill their own needs:

• rest,
• balanced diet,
• physical exercise.

But they must also know their own emotions, feelings, and manage to channel them. Yoga practice thus starts with self-awareness, with the observation of what happens within:

• emotions,
• fears,
• thoughts,
• worries,
• physical sensations,
• pain, etc.

Yoga, is first and foremost being self-aware on every level: physical and mental. The goal is to reach balance between your body and mind, allowing spiritual growth.

Yoga, between poses and spirituality

Even if it is closely associated with the idea of Tibetan monks or Indian wise men, you should not believe that this is a purely spiritual practice. It does not necessarily strive to find “enlightenment”, and does not force you to become a monk or an ascetic. Any and all can practice and benefit from yoga. It can be good to you no matter who you are, regardless of age, gender, or way of life. Through simple physical exercises that grow increasingly complex – called “poses” – yoga will first teach you how to know yourself better, to comprehend your physical and mental needs. Then, through practice, it will necessarily push you through various steps of higher spiritual growth, but you will decide up to what point.

Yoga uses a body-mind approach

Through this practice, you restore balance between your body and mind. Case in point, etymologically speaking the Sanskrit word Yoga means “to yoke” or “to join”, something that lets you build connections and bridges. This is called the body-mind approach, or “psychosomatic discipline”. The main goal is to allow physical and psychological growth, in spite of the stress and wild pace of modern life. Yoga is a wonderful tool to harmonize your body and mind. It is not reserved for any spiritual elite, or people with outstanding physical abilities. The wisdom in that practice precisely resides in its being accessible for anyone, because you can adapt it to suit your own needs.