The word yoga means "union" in Sanskrit .It is a group of ancient spiritual practices designed for the purpose of generating and cultivating a steady mind. It originated in India possibly as early as 3300 BC. We can think of the union occurring between the mind, body and spirit. Yoga has been defined as "technologies or disciplines of a life-style and meditation which are thought to lead to spiritual experiences and a deep understanding or insight into the nature of existence Outside India, yoga is mostly associated with the practice of Asanas (Postures) of Hatha Yoga or as a form of exercise. Asana is only one of the eight "limbs" of yoga, the majority of which are more concerned with mental and spiritual well being than physical activity. In the West, however, the words Asana and Yoga are often used interchangeably.

History of Yoga
The history of yoga is based in the Indus Valley civilization. The stone seals place Yoga's existence around 3300 B.C. The techniques are practiced by the Indus to initiate spiritual growth and strength. Yoga has come to represent not only the ultimate goal, but also the many practices, techniques, methods and ways that to move toward that goal. Yoga sutras of Patanjali are universally accepted as constituting the verbal foundation of the Yoga tradition. Among these, the Yoga sutras provide the basis and inspiration for most of today’s tradition of Yoga. In its recorded history and continuous evolution, Yoga has come to represent not only the ultimate goal, but also the many practices, techniques, methods and ways that to move toward that goal. Thus the literature includes varieties of numerous yogic paths.

Scholars, however, have a reason to believe that Yoga existed long before that and traced its beginnings in Stone Age Shamanism. Both Shamanism and Yoga have similar characteristics particularly in their efforts for the improvement of the human condition at that time. Also, they aim to heal community members and the practitioners act as religious mediators. Though we know Yoga as focusing more on the self, it started out as community-oriented before it turned inward the Vedic people relied on rishis or dedicated Vedic Yogis to teach them how to live in divine harmony.  Through the intensive spiritual practice, Rishis were gifted with the ability to see the ultimate reality. It was also during this time that Yogis living in seclusion (in forests) were also being recorded.

Yoga shares some characteristics not only with Hinduism but also with Buddhism that we can trace in its history. During the sixth century B.C The Classical Period is marked by another creation - the Yoga Sutra. Written by Patanjali around the second century, it was an attempt to define and standardize Classical Yoga Scholars, however, have a reason to believe that Yoga existed long before that and traced its beginnings in Stone Age Shamanism. Both Shamanism and Yoga have similar characteristics particularly in their efforts to improve the human condition at that time. Also, they aim to heal community members and the practitioners act as religious mediators. Though we know Yoga as focusing more on the self, it started out as community-oriented before it turned inward.

Yogi or Yogini
A practitioner of Yoga is called a Yogi or Yogini

Branches of Yoga

• Hatha Yoga
  Hatha yoga is a strong practice done for Purification. It also called Hatha Vidya is a particular system of Yoga introduced by Yogi Swatmarama a sage of 15th century India,. In this treatise Swatmarama introduces Hatha Yoga as 'a stairway to the heights of Raja Yoga It is a preparatory stage of physical purification that renders the body fit for the practice of higher meditation. The Asanas and Pranayama in Raja Yoga were used to physically train their body for long periods of meditation. This practise is called Shatkarma The word Hatha is a compound of the words Ha and Tha which means sun and moon, referring to Praana and Apaana, and also to the principal Nadis (energy channels) of the subtle Body that must be fully operational to attain a state of Dhyana or Samadhi. It is a strong ideal practice done for purity.
• Karma Yoga
  The word Karma is derived from the Sanskrit Kri, meaning 'to do', in its most basic sense karma simply means action, and yoga translates to union. Thus Karma yoga literally translates to the path of union through action. It is described as a way of acting, thinking and willing by which one acts in accordance with one's duty without consideration of personal selfish desires, likes or dislikes. Acting without being attached to the fruits of one's deeds.As with a number of other philosophies in Hinduism, Karma yoga is based on the general understandings of karma and reincarnation .It is believed that a man is born with certain Duties, both positive and negative, from his past lives which push him towards performing certain actions for responsibilities in his present one. This process continues until the individual attains a zero balance, where in one achieves liberation.
• Jnana Yoga
  Jnana yoga path of knowledge. Jnana in Sanskrit means knowledge. As used in the Bhagavad Gita the monist philosopher Adi Shankara gave primary importance to jnana yoga as "knowledge of the absolute. While the Vaishnava commentator Ramanuja considered knowledge only as a condition of devotion. In the Bhagavad Gita Krishna says that jnana consists of properly understanding the field of activity (that is, the body) and the knower of the body (that is, the soul). Later in the Gita Krishna emphasizes that a transcendentalist must understand the difference between these two.
• Bhakti Yoga
  Bhakti Yoga, the spiritual practice of fostering loving devotion to God, Bhakti is the Sanskrit term that signifies a blissful, selfless and overwhelming love of God as the beloved Father, Mother, Child, Friend or whichever relationship or personal aspect of God that finds appeal in the devotee's heart. The Book Bhakthi-Rasamrita Sindhu written by Rupa Goswami gives the following as the nine primary activities of bhakti, with the instruction that by following all, or just one, of these activities perfectly the aspiring devotee can aspire to achieve pure love of God:
• Hearing about the Lord
• Glorifying the Lord
• Remembering the Lord
• Serving the lotus feet of the Lord
• Worshiping the Lord
• Offering prayers to the Lord
• Serving the Lord
• Building a friendship with the Lord
• Surrendering everything unto the Lord

These nine principles of devotional service are briefly explained as helping the devotee remain constantly in touch with God. Bhakti is a yoga path, in that its aim is a form of divine, loving union with the Supreme Lord.

• Raja Yoga
  Raja Yoga is so-called because it is primarily concerned with the mind. The mind is traditionally conceived as the "king" of the psycho-physical structure which does its bidding. Because of the relationship between the mind and the body, the body must be first “controlled” through self-discipline and purified by various means. In this sense Raja Yoga is referred to as the "king among yogas": all yogic practices are seen as potential tools for obtaining the empty state, itself considered to be the starting point in the quest to cleanse Karma and obtain Moksha or Nirvana. Historically, schools of yoga that label themselves "Raja" offer students a mix of yogic practices and philosophical viewpoint.

The Eight Limbs of yoga

• Yama (The five "abstentions"): nonviolence, truth, non-covetousness, chastity, and abstain from attachment to possessions.
• Niyama(This is a set of five observances): purity, contentment, austerities, study, and surrender to God.
• Asana (is a body position) literally means seat, and in Patanjali's Sutras refers to seated positions used for meditation.
• Pranayama(lengthening of the prana or breath) Pr?na, life force, or vital energy, particularly, the breath, "?y?ma", to lengthen or extend.
• Pratyahara("Abstraction" ): Withdrawal of the sense organs from external objects.
• Dharana ("Concentration"): Fixing the attention on a single object.
• Dhyana("Meditation"): Intense contemplation of the nature of the object of meditation.
• Samadhi (Union with the Divine) Samadhi means "to bring together, to merge."

In the state of samadhi the body and senses are at rest, as if asleep, yet the faculty of mind and reason are alert, as if awake; one goes beyond consciousness.

Goal of Yoga
The aim of Yoga is basically to improve health and fitness, to reaching Moksha. However, the most common opinion on the goal of yoga, is to reach enlightenment. Yoga defines itself as a science--that is, as a practical, methodical, and systematic discipline or set of techniques that have the lofty goal of helping human beings to become aware of their deepest nature. The most important teaching of yoga has to do with our nature as human beings. It states that our "true nature" goes far beyond the limits of the human mind and personality--that instead, our human potential is infinite and precedes our individual minds and our sense of self . This attainment is the goal of yoga, for yoga is the practical science intended to help human beings become aware of their ultimate nature.