What is Yoga?!

Thu, 14 May 2026 23:21:20 GMT

May 2026 Blog

Hi, everyone! My name is Cynthia C. I am one of the instructors at Lotus. We are celebrating our fifth anniversary and I have been with the studio since the beginning! I asked Brandy to create a blog and thought our first entry could explore definitions of yoga.

So, what is Yoga?

As a linguistic enthusiast, let’s unpack the word:

Yoga is derived from the Sanskrit verbal root yuj (युज्), which means "to yoke," "to bind," "to join," or "to unite

As an academic, journalist and admittedly a bit old school, I turned to the dictionary! According to Cambridge’s online dictionary:

ˈjoʊ·ɡə/

a set of physical and mental exercises that are intended to give control over the body and mind

https://dictionary.cambridge.org/us/dictionary/english/yoga

As a lifelong student of life and yoga, I also referred to Yogic philosophy and the ancient texts to provide other definitions:

The Bhagavad Gita

The Gita is my favorite text and Krishna shares numerous definitions:

"Samatvam yoga ucyate" (Verse 2.48): Yoga is equanimity, balance, or stability of the mind in both success and failure, pleasure and pain.

"Yogaḥ karmasu kauśalam" (Verse 2.50): Yoga is skill, efficiency, or wisdom in action—acting selflessly without attachment to the results.

"Duḥkha-saṁyoga-viyogaṁ yoga-saṁjñitam" (Verse 6.23): Yoga is the severe breaking or disconnection ( viyoga ) from the union ( saṁyoga ) with suffering

The Yoga Sutras of Patanjali

Patanjali’s second sloka serves as one of the most oft-quoted definitions:

"Yogaś citta-vṛtti-nirodhaḥ" (Sutra 1.2): Yoga is the restriction, cessation, or calming of the fluctuations and modifications of the mind-stuff.

The Upanishads

The Upanishads, composed in 800-500 BCE, are ancient Indian philosophical texts and provide various definitions of yoga.

Katha Upanishad (2.3.11): Yoga is defined as the steady, firm control of the senses and the mind ( tāṁ yoga-miti manyante sthirām-indriya-dhāraṇām ).

Maitri Upanishad (6.18): Yoga is described as the oneness or integration of the breath, mind, and senses altogether.

Hatha Yoga Pradipika

The Hatha Yoga Pradipika, translated to "Light on Hatha Yoga,” is a 15th-century Sanskrit manual compiled by Swami Swatmarama, a yogic sage of the Nath tradition. It is widely considered the oldest surviving and most influential text on the physical practices of Hatha Yoga.

Yoga is the complete balancing of opposing internal forces—specifically the sun energy ( Ha ) and moon energy ( Tha )—leading to the awakening of spiritual energy.

Definitions abound online and every student and teacher in the US and around the world have their own interpretations. For me, yoga is a journey; it is a way of being, doing and living that uses the breath as a thread to weave body, mind and spirit together in the present moment. It is a practice: physical, mental and spiritual to build flexibility, balance and strength. As Krishna proclaims in the Gita: Yoga is Skill in Action!

What is your definition of yoga? Please reply and share your thoughts!

Next month, June, will feature a discussion and exploration of the first limb of yoga: the Yamas.

Jai!

lotus-hot-yoga

What is Yoga?!