The literal translation of the word “yoga" , which is
from Sanskrit (recognized as the original language of yoga) is “union,”
says Sherwin. And that is an apt way to describe yoga as we know it today,
she says. “We define it as bringing together the mind and the body by use
of the breath.” Many people have come to know the physical benefits of
yoga and think of it as a type of workout, says Sherwin. But yoga is way
more than that. “It is really an entire lifestyle; the postures are only
one piece of it,” she says. Yoga began in India and has been around for
about 5,000 years, says Sherwin. “Originally it was taught one-on-one and
only to men of the highest caste,” she says. Traditionally, yoga is a
system to foster well-being on the physical, mental, emotional, and
spiritual levels. Yoga is now not generally thought of as a set of
religious beliefs. It can be practiced in a completely secular manner, and
it's practiced by people of all faith traditions, as well as people who
are agnostic and atheist, according to the Yoga Alliance.
