What is Yoga? It may seem like a silly question, but many Westerners want to know the answer to the question, “is yoga a religion?” I maintain that it is not a religion because there is no central figure who receives worship or emulation and there is not obligatory philosophy attached to yoga. While some of the term and concepts may be unfamiliar to Westerners, and practitioners come from all walks of life and all backgrounds, yoga is not a religion.

I think the answer to the other questions is: Yoga is to each of us what we need at some particular point in our lives. You see; there are many aspects of Yoga - some that we maybe ready for right away, such as the physical poses or workout and some that may come later as we become more aware of our bodies and minds.

Yoga began more that 8,000 years ago in India as a way of living a more conscious life in order to live longer and be able to perform more “good deeds”. The physical practice, Hatha Yoga, a series of the asanas (poses) was brought into practice as a way to calm the mind, fatigue the muscles and prepare the body to sit in meditation. The fact that the asanas also build strength where there once was weakness and flexibility where there once was tightness is an added bonus.

There is a humane benefit to the practice of yoga as well. Most students begin their practice for the health and beauty benefits. Because it is highly targeted exercise, students notice positive benefits right away and they’re motivated to continue to learn more. Before long, they notice a growing sense of calm in their thoughts and feelings and this is naturally shared with the people in their life. Family members often note more kindness and patience in the practitioner’s life. This is understandable because as we grow to appreciate the grace and mystery of our own body, it’s natural to want to share our wonder and joy with others.

As with all good things, it’s normal want to know more about the things that benefit us. While yoga can very quickly help us to FEEL good, there’s more to it than simply feeling good. The philosophical principles of that underlay yoga are simple and practical and easily applied to our social and community lives.

The practice of yoga doesn’t stop when we step leave the classroom. It is implicit in the practice of yoga that in order to be emotionally and physically flexible and vibrantly alive, our joy and peace must be shared with others. If we hold back and suppress our joy, we inhibit what God has put inside of each of us. Therefore , our life “off the mat” is even more important that our life “on the mat”.

Webster’s New Dictionary defines Philosophy as: the study of the principles underlying conduct, thought, and the nature of the universe. It defines a Philosopher as: a lover of wisdom; one who acts calmly and rationally in the affairs and changes of life.

In yoga, we study our actions, words , and thoughts with the intent of being a demonstration of peace and unity. In our practice, we enjoy the mental and emotional space to distinguish between the chatter of our worldly minds so we can listen more openly to the promptings of the Spirit. By embracing that Spirit we discover that our real design is to be good and DO good.

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