Yoga
yoga
[瑜伽] (Skt, Pali; Jpn yuga )
A system of meditation with roots in Hindu and Vedic tradition that developed in ancient India. It is aimed at stilling the body and mind, and thus liberating one from their limitations. In this way, the yoga practitioner aims to transcend desire and suffering, achieve concentration, and attain unity with the supreme spirit or truth. Meditation, an essential aspect of yoga, also became a core practice in Buddhism. While forms of yoga have been introduced in the West primarily as a system of physical exercise, the main focus of yoga is meditation, which can include contemplation on Hindu deities and principles. Asana, or physical postures, are intended to support the primary meditative and religious practices of yoga. There are a number of schools of yoga, which employ a variety of disciplines, including breath control, asana, and meditation. Today some of the physical yogic disciplines are practiced widely for health and stress relief without any particular religious motivation.
