As yoga has swept the west, it is now estimated that nearly 20 million people in the United States practice some physical aspect of yoga. But beneath yoga’s modern popularity lies an ancient tradition that illuminates knowledge of the Self.
Definition of Yoga
Yoga deals with the most profound of mysteries, the essential nature of the human being in relation to the universe. The term Yoga has its root in the Sanskrit word “yuj” which means to yoke, unite, integrate. What is being united? Yoga is the union between the individual soul and the universal soul. It is the split between the two that is viewed as the root of all suffering.
Many paths evolved in the yoga tradition, originating in India. These include: bhakti yoga, the yoga of devotion, karma the yoga of selfless service, jnana yoga, the yoga of wisdom, and raja yoga, also known as the “royal union.” Within the umbrella of raja yoga is the eightfold path (astanga yoga) outlined by the great sage, Patanjali, in the Yoga Sutras of...
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Schonfeld, M. (2010). Yoga. In: Leeming, D.A., Madden, K., Marlan, S. (eds) Encyclopedia of Psychology and Religion. Springer, Boston, MA. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-0-387-71802-6_754
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