What is Yoga?What is yoga to me? It can have a different meaning for you, but it is a combination of physical and spiritual (meaning in the mind, not meaning religious-type spiritual) exercises that are intended to connect the mind with the body. Many people think it is a religious practice or a cult. It simply is not. This ancient practice, developed in India centuries before people knew how to document things, has spread worldwide. Information passed on through generations and eventually documented approximately 2000 years ago has been modified by people around the globe to fit their needs. To read more about my translation of the documented yoga guidelines of how to lead a good, happy and healthy life, click on the following link: What is Yoga? How can I apply historic documents to my world today? So what is yoga and why do we practice it? People practice yoga to lose weight, for stress relief, to gain flexibility, to enhance brain focus and improve breathing. Kids practice yoga as do older adults. Athletes practice yoga and so do pregnant women. There are varied practices for individual needs. The definition of the sanskrit word “yoga” is union. Uniting the body and the mind is a key aspect of a yoga practice. I consider the breathing aspect to be a link; a way of connecting. By focusing on different body parts while in different yoga poses, you bring focus inside your body. This focus gets stronger the more you practice. If you can bring your focus inside your body, you can learn how to adapt stressful situations into acceptance and move forward. What is yoga going to do to help make your life better? For me yoga is a stress relieving practice. I find the body and mind connection to be the best stress relief around and all it costs is a little time. 
By focusing internally you allow your brain to rest from everyday things. Things you have to do, things someone said that upset you, things you worry about – so many things all the time! Too many “things” lead to too much stress which leads to an increased risk of disease and ill health. A yoga practice eases the stress while promoting movement in the body. The poses or postures (sometimes called “asanas”) are designed to strengthen and lengthen and even to massage and/or stimulate inner organs. While the body moves the joints are lubricated. The blood travels through the body to nourish and renew underused muscles and inner organs. The physical part of yoga is pretty clear; it is like exercise. If you just practice the physical poses your body can benefit from the activity, the strength gains and the flexibility. The mental side of yoga is where most people get nervous. Some people think there is a religious input or that we will pray to Buddha or some Indian god.
The basic idea of practicing the postures, according to my version of the philosophy, is to strengthen the body to ready it for meditation. If your body is weak you are less likely to be able to sit for long periods of time. Meditation is an under-practiced form of quieting the mind. Meditation is a bigger part of some types of yoga than others. Meditation is practiced to build a state of awareness in your mind ~ of clarity. To be able to close your mind off from everything and find those few minutes of blissful nothingness. Many people in America simply use the physical form of yoga as exercise. Others use the body/mind connected form as exercise and stress relief. So what is yoga? Basically, yoga is a practice of exercises that uses the breath to bring the mind’s focus into the body. This practice of exercises improves our health and vitality. I use the word practice because we all practice the poses. We don't suddenly look like a model on the cover of Yoga Journal. We practice each pose for its benefit to ourselves. If you would like to be part of a Yoga Community and Get a Free Yoga e-Book & Free Report click on the link. Here you can find lots of information, and talk online with with other yoga-minded people. If you prefer to to practice in real life, find a yoga class near you. Enjoy the benefits. This practice has been around a long time - it must have something good!! To really know what yoga is you have to try it....
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I believe that your spiritual beliefs are your own. When you slow your thoughts down and you focus on your body/mind connection, if you have a religious spiritual connection – then that is great for you! If you simply relax your thoughts for a little while and get some stress relief - that is fantastic also! 
