ABOUT YOGA

The name ‘Yoga’ comes from the Sanskrit ‘Yug’ usually translated as ‘to unite, to join or to connect’. Generally this is considered as bringing the mind, body and spirit into harmony to create balance, health and contentment.

In the West, Yoga is usually thought of as the practice of physical postures (asana), twisting one’s body into interesting gymnastic shapes. However, this is only one aspect of yoga. About 2,000 years ago the sage Patanjali defined yoga in the Yoga Sutras as ‘the cessation of the turnings of the mind’ chitta-vrtti-nirohdah. He described a system of eight ‘limbs’ of yoga, which work together to bring about a state of physical well-being and compassion, both to ourselves and to the world around us. The other ‘limbs’ consist of moral restraints, discipline, breathing. focus and meditation practices - all leading to an illuminated state of absorption, Samadhi.

Many schools of yoga have developed over the years, but all are branches of the one yoga tree. In practising yoga, strength and flexibility are achieved, relief from stress and physical disease is promoted and a calmer state of mind is cultivated.

Yoga is a practice for all, for all ages, abilities and all creeds.