What is Yoga?
1. What is Yoga? Discover the True Meaning of this Millennia-Old Wisdom
When we hear the word Yoga, it is natural for different images to arise in our minds.
For some people, Yoga is simply a set of postures. Others associate it with relaxation, meditation or a practice reserved for people who are very flexible. There are also those who see it merely as a form of physical exercise or a technique for reducing stress.
But is Yoga really just that?
The answer is no.
In reality, Yoga is a Millennia-Old Wisdom that is far broader, deeper and more comprehensive than we usually imagine. For thousands of years, it has been transmitted from generation to generation as a path of integral development of the Human Being, seeking to harmonise the body, energy, emotions and mind.
In this article, we will explore the true meaning of the word Yoga, understand its origins, discover how this knowledge has crossed the millennia to reach us today, and explore why it remains so relevant.
If you have ever asked yourself, “After all, what is Yoga?”, this article is for you.
2. How is the word Yoga correctly written and pronounced?
Before understanding the meaning of Yoga, it is worth clarifying a simple but very important question: how is this word correctly written and pronounced?
The word Yoga originates from Samskrta, an ancient language of India, traditionally written in the Devanágari script. Considered by many scholars to be one of the oldest Indo-European languages, Samskrta is distinguished by the extraordinary precision of its phonetics.
Unlike Portuguese, where the same letter can have different sounds, in Samskrta each letter normally corresponds to a single sound. Because of this precision, when words are transcribed into our alphabet, an effort is made to preserve their original pronunciation through a process known as transliteration.
2.1. What is transliteration?
Transliteration consists of representing a word written in one particular alphabet using another alphabet, while seeking to preserve its original sound.
It is not a translation, but rather a system that allows the pronunciation of a language to be transferred into another alphabet with the greatest possible accuracy.
In the case of the word Yoga, the correct form of transliteration preserves the letter Ya, present in the original Samskrta.
Therefore, the word is written Yoga and pronounced “Youga”.
It is also important to understand that the vowel “O” in Samskrta always has a closed sound (“ou”), unlike Portuguese, where it can have different pronunciations.
Another frequent question concerns the gender of the word.
Yoga is a masculine word, respecting the grammatical tradition of Samskrta.
2.2. The meaning of the word Yoga
Knowing how to correctly write and pronounce the word Yoga is important. But understanding its meaning is even more important.
The word Yoga derives from the Samskrta root Yuj = yoke, which means to join or to connect.
But join or connect what?
That is precisely the question that leads us towards a true understanding of Yoga, and which we will explore throughout this article.
3. What is Yoga Sámkhya?
Now that we understand how the word Yoga is written, pronounced and what it means, we can finally answer the central question of this article.
3.1. What is Yoga?
Yoga is a Millennia-Old Wisdom. We presume that it dates back at least 12,000 years, to the ancient Drávidian civilisation that inhabited the valleys of the Indus-Sarasvatí rivers in India.
Throughout the millennia, this wisdom was practised in different periods and cultural contexts, giving rise to diverse interpretations and schools. It is therefore important to clarify that throughout this article and the Yoga Tavira Podcast, when we speak of Yoga, we are specifically referring to Yoga Sámkhya, the tradition upon which all the teaching developed at Āshrama Tavira is based.
I would also like to make it clear that all the concepts and definitions presented in this article were learned from my Sat Guru Jí, within the tradition of Yoga Sámkhya. Further ahead, we will understand why transmission from Master to Disciple occupies such an important place in this Philosophy.
Yoga and Sámkhya: the two philosophies eternally united
Yoga and Sámkhya are two of the six great philosophical systems of India, traditionally known as Darshana, a word meaning “point of view” or “way of seeing reality”.
However, in their origins, Yoga and Sámkhya were not independent philosophies.
On the contrary, they constituted a single philosophical system, which is why they are referred to in the tradition as Sanátana Dve — “the two philosophies eternally united”.
While Sámkhya represents the theoretical dimension of the Complete Philosophy, Yoga constitutes its practical dimension.
3.2. Sámkhya
Sámkhya is essentially a Cosmogenic and Anthropogenic Philosophy. It is a Wisdom and Philosophy that is essentially Cosmogenic and Anthropogenic, thus studying the Human Being and the Cosmos. It is naturalistic and technical, and the word means number, or reason.
Sámkhya is not speculative; it is descriptive. It describes cosmogenesis, from before the beginning of the universe through to its “end”, within its cycles — shesha.
3.3. Yoga
Yoga is the applied dimension of the Great Philosophy. It teaches the Human Being to develop and assume itself as being made in the image and likeness of the Great Creative Potential, composed of all cosmic strata.
Sámkhya is the philosophical key to Yoga, and Yoga is Sámkhya applied to the Human Being.
3.4. The testimony of the Scriptures
This unity between Yoga and Sámkhya is also expressed in the Bhagavad Gítá.
In Chapter III, Íshvara Krshna says:
“The ignorant speak of Sámkhya and Yoga separately (as two different paths), but not so those who are learned, who, dedicating themselves to one, know equally well the fruit of both.”
The researcher Tara Michael, in her work Yoga, also emphasises:
“Although Sámkhya is defined as a complete, self-sufficient system that enables man to attain the ultimate purpose of existence, it finds its natural application in the methods of Yoga, and the entire effort of the Yogi is incomprehensible if we do not take into account the fundamental principles established by Sámkhya. It happens, however, very frequently that scholars of Yoga embark upon this path without prior knowledge of the principles of Sámkhya (…)”.
Mahá rshi Patañjali and the Yoga Sútra
Approximately 2,300 years ago, Mahá rshi Patañjali codified Yoga, that is, he organised and systematised many of the teachings of Yoga in his work known as the Yoga Sútra, stating in this work that he would speak of Sámkhya, drawing from it its practical dimension, Yoga.
By bringing these teachings together in a structured form, Patañjali consolidated Yoga as one of the six Darshana, alongside Sámkhya (which had already been codified), thus completing the number of Hindu Philosophical Systems.
3.5. The two great aims of Yoga
Yoga proposes two aims:
1. To develop the Human Being, always in Harmony, in all of its positive facets, maintaining it in its natural, healthy and happy state, always with a strong foundation of self-demand and fraternity. Where the Path — the journey we undertake — must always be in accordance with the Grandiose End, the…
2. To attain Samádhi (Enlightenment) — Supreme Human-Cosmic Intellectual Consciousness.
Therefore, when we speak of Yoga, we are not merely speaking of postures, breathing exercises… we are speaking of one of the oldest and most complete philosophies of human development to have reached us today, proposing to attain the highest goal that the Human Being can aspire to: Enlightenment.
4. How has Yoga reached us today?
There is a question that deserves our reflection.
How has a Philosophy thousands of years old managed to cross through time and reach us today practically intact?
We live in an age in which information circulates at an astonishing speed. Books become obsolete within a few years, technologies quickly disappear, and even events that seem significant today eventually fade from memory as generations pass.
So how can we explain that a Wisdom approximately 12,000 years old remains alive?
Something that has crossed millennia deserves, at the very least, our respect and attention.
The answer lies in the way this knowledge was preserved throughout History.
The oral tradition: transmitting from Master to Disciple
For much of its existence, Yoga was not transmitted through books.
As with everything that was considered very important in those remote times, it was taught orally from the Great Master to the Disciple(s); nothing was written down.
The disciple listened, repeated, memorised and practised. In this way, the knowledge remained alive, preserving not only the words, but also the experience and profound meaning of each teaching.
Far from representing a limitation, this method constituted an extremely sophisticated way of preserving knowledge — through memory.
It was this system that allowed Yoga to cross thousands of years without losing its essence.
4.1. Gurukulam and Param Pará
In the tradition of Yoga, there are two fundamental concepts that help us understand this form of transmission.
Gurukulam is the system through which the Master transmits knowledge to a group of disciples.
Param Pará, on the other hand, refers to the actual transmission of this knowledge from Master to Disciple, from generation to generation, throughout time.
Thanks to this continuous chain of transmission, Yoga has remained alive throughout the centuries.
4.2. What is the role of the Master?
Nowadays, the word “Master” can evoke different interpretations. However, in the context of Yoga, its meaning is quite simple.
A Master is someone who has travelled a particular path for many years and who, therefore, possesses sufficient experience to guide those who are beginning the same journey.
In reality, this principle exists in practically every area of life.
For centuries, anyone wishing to learn a craft would seek out a master craftsman. Today, it is common to speak of mentors, teachers or guides.
The names may change, but the logic remains exactly the same: we learn from those who have already walked the path before us.
Learning that crosses generations
Knowledge never arises from nothing.
We learn from our parents, our teachers, the authors of the books we read and from all those who, in some way, transmit to us what they themselves previously learned.
The same happens in Yoga.
Everything I teach today was learned from my Sat Guru Jí and my Paramá Guru. Naturally, the way in which I understand and transmit this Philosophy reflects what I received from my Masters.
This is why, in Yoga, the relationship between Master and Disciple is not a matter of authority, but of continuity.
Each generation preserves a heritage of knowledge and transmits it to the next generation.
4.3. More than books
Not all knowledge can be fully understood through books alone. Therefore, even after numerous works on Yoga were published, direct transmission continued to be essential, because much of this Wisdom continues to be reserved — Gupta.
For this reason, the relationship between Master and Disciple continues to occupy a central place in Traditional Yoga.
4.4. A Wisdom that remains alive
It was thanks to the oral tradition that Yoga was able to cross the millennia, preserving its essence to the present day.
We now understand that Yoga is much more than a physical practice: it is a Philosophy of human development, carefully transmitted from generation to generation.
But how is all this knowledge organised? What are the tools Yoga uses to promote the integral development of the Human Being?
That is precisely what we will discover in the next chapter, as we explore the 14 Technical Disciplines of Yoga.
5. The 14 Technical Disciplines of Yoga
One of the most widespread ideas in the West is that Yoga consists simply of its positions.
In reality, Ásana is only one of the Technical Disciplines that constitute Yoga Sámkhya.
This Philosophy has a set of 14 main Technical Disciplines — in addition to other complementary disciplines — which act upon different dimensions of the Human Being, promoting the harmonious development of the body, energy, emotions and mind.
In this article, we will not explore each one individually in depth, as each discipline constitutes a vast field of study in its own right. The aim is to reveal the richness and breadth of Yoga..
The 14 Technical Disciplines of Yoga Sámkhya
1. Samyama – Dhyána/Samádhi: Meditation / Enlightenment, through control of the frequency of mental waves;
2. Pránáyáma: Breathing exercises with Pránika / energetic – emotional and neurovegetative influence;
3. Ásana: Psycho-Pránobiophysical positions;
4. Yoganidrá: Techniques for physical, emotional and mental relaxation;
5. Kriyá: Toning and cleansing of the organism;
6. Mantra: Mastery of sound, vibration and Harmony / Kírtanam: Extroverting sounds;
7. Jápa Tala: Cadenced, concentration-inducing sounds;
8. Jápa Shesha: Continuous, elevating sounds;
9. Bandha: Muscular and neuro-endocrine stimulation;
10. Yantra: Concentration symbols with psychosomatic effects;
11. Pújá: Energetic reciprocation;
12. Mudrá: Reflexological and energetic gestures made with the hands;
13. Nyása: Energetic touch and psychic projection (Káma Mana / Vijñána — from the source Hiranya Garbha);
14. Mánasika: Mentalisation, strengthening and crystallisation of the Conscious Will.
Each of these disciplines works with specific aspects of the Human Being. Together, they constitute a Great System of human development.
5.1. Far beyond the postures
When we observe this set of disciplines, it becomes clear that Yoga is far broader than we normally imagine.
Reducing Yoga merely to its postures is to look at only a small part of an extremely rich and sophisticated Philosophy, developed over thousands of years.
As I heard from my Sat Guru Jí:
“Yoga is as vast as the Cosmos, from which it comes, and as complex as the Human Being, for whom it is intended.”
This phrase remarkably captures the dimension of Yoga.
Each person approaches this practice with different motivations. Some seek to improve their flexibility, others wish to reduce stress, relieve tension or find greater emotional balance.
All of these motivations are legitimate.
However, it is important to understand that they represent only different entry points into a Philosophy whose scope is much deeper.
5.2. The discipline that has stood out most in the West
Among the fourteen Technical Disciplines, there is one that has acquired a very special place in the Western imagination.
It is Meditation.
Today, it is common to hear about meditation as though it were a practice independent of Yoga.
But has it always been this way?
Are Yoga and Meditation really two different things?
It is precisely this relationship that we will explore in the next chapter.
6. Yoga is Meditation: Samyama
After understanding the richness of the Technical Disciplines of Yoga, we arrive at the one that occupies a central place throughout this Philosophy: Samyama.
It is precisely here that we find one of the most important definitions of Yoga.
In the Yoga Sútra, Mahá rshi Patañjali begins his work in a way very similar to the Yoga Sára Upanishad.
The first two verses say:
I.1 – Atha Yogánushásanam
Now, the teaching of Yoga.
I.2 – Yoga chitta vrtti nirodhah
Yoga is the control of the frequency of mental waves.
This second statement deserves special attention.
In other words, Patañjali tells us what Yoga is by giving us the definition of Meditation (Samyama).
Therefore, according to this tradition, Yoga is Meditation.
6.1. Why does Meditation occupy a central place?
Among the fourteen Technical Disciplines of Yoga, Samyama is considered the principal discipline.
Through it, the practitioner may one day attain the highest goal proposed by Yoga: Samádhi.
However, there is a very important aspect to consider.
Although Meditation is at the centre of the practice, it needs the support of all the remaining Technical Disciplines in order to be strengthened.
6.2. Preparing the body, energy, emotions and mind
Many people wonder why Yoga devotes so much attention to the body, breathing or emotional balance.
The answer is simple.
How can we remain in Meditation if the body cannot remain comfortable for a few minutes?
How can we stabilise our attention when we are physically or energetically exhausted?
How can we quiet the mind when we are constantly carried away by emotions, worries or the endless succession of thoughts?
Before learning to master the mind, the practitioner gradually learns to develop mastery over themselves.
Each Technical Discipline contributes to this preparation. Little by little, the yogi creates the conditions necessary for deeper work upon the mind.
6.3. A gradual path
We live in a time when everything seems to demand immediate results.
In Yoga, however, development takes place gradually.
Learning to remain still for a few minutes, observing the breath or stabilising attention already represents an enormous challenge for many people.
And that is perfectly natural.
Mastery of the mind does not arise from one moment to the next.
It is the result of constant, patient and conscious practice.
Therefore, we can say that Yoga is, above all, a progressive training in self-mastery.
“Yoga and Meditation”… or simply Yoga?
It is very common to hear the expression:
“Yoga and Meditation.”
However, according to the tradition of Yoga Sámkhya, this separation does not make sense.
Meditation is not a practice independent of Yoga.
It constitutes its principal Technical Discipline.
All the work upon the remaining Technical Disciplines of Yoga converges towards it, and through it the practitioner may one day attain the great goal proposed by Yoga: Samádhi.
7. Yama and Niyama: the foundations of Yoga practice
After learning about the fourteen Technical Disciplines of Yoga and understanding the central importance of Samyama (Meditation), there is still an indispensable element to address in order to understand this Philosophy.
What foundations does the practice of Yoga rest upon?
If Yoga seeks to promote the integral development of the Human Being, that development requires a solid ethical foundation.
It is necessary to develop the way in which we relate to ourselves, to others and to life.
As we saw earlier, the Path must always be in harmony with the Grandiose End.
It is in this context that Yama and Niyama arise, presented by Mahá rshi Patañjali in the Yoga Sútra as the fundamental principles of the laws of Correct Action — the foundations of Yoga.
Patañjali himself states:
“These precepts constitute a great universal vow, and are not limited by social class, place, time or circumstance.”
(Yoga Sútra II.31)
These principles are universal because they seek to guide every Human Being, regardless of the period or culture in which they live.
7.1. The five Yama
The Yama concern social rules, the way in which we relate to others and to the world around us.
They are:
1. Ahimsá — Not killing (Not making war; always using diplomatic solutions).
2. Satya — Not lying;
3. Asteya — Not stealing (Being honest);
4. Brahmacharya — Correct transmutation of energy;
5. Aparigraha — Not coveting / Not envying.
7.2. The five Niyama
The Niyama concern individual rules, the relationship we establish with ourselves.
They are:
1. Shaucha — Purity;
2. Samtosha — Contentment;
3. Tapas — Tempering (through self-demand and self-transcendence);
4. Svádhyáya — Deep study of ancient Wisdom — Self-study and introspection (know yourself);
5. Íshvara Pranidhána — Detachment from the results of actions.
7.3. A path of continuous improvement
Practising Yoga does not mean perfectly mastering all these principles.
Above all, it means committing ourselves to continually seeking to evolve.
As I learned from my Sat Guru Jí, evolution resembles the waves of the sea: sometimes we move forward, sometimes it seems as though we are moving backwards. Progress is rarely linear.
What matters is to continue along the path, learning from each experience and seeking, at every moment, to give the best of ourselves.
Perhaps it is precisely this proposal of continuous improvement, based on timeless values, that has allowed Yoga to cross thousands of years while remaining alive and relevant.
7.4. Revealing what already exists
Yoga does not seek to create a new Human Being.
It seeks to reveal what already exists within each of us.
A diamond needs to be cut and polished in order to reveal all its brilliance.
The same happens with the Human Being.
Through its Technical Disciplines, Yama and Niyama, Yoga offers a path of development that allows us to reveal our true potential — that which has always been present.
8. After all… what is Yoga?
After everything we have explored throughout this article, we can return to the initial question.
After all, what is Yoga?
Yoga is not merely a collection of Ásana.
It is not merely relaxation.
It is not merely a breathing technique.
Yoga is a Millennia-Old Wisdom and a profound practical Philosophy of human development.
Throughout this article, we have seen that Yoga has reached us through the oral tradition, that it is organised into fourteen Technical Disciplines and that it rests upon ethical principles intended to guide the practitioner along their path of evolution.
As this path is travelled, consciousness gradually expands.
The practitioner begins to look beyond the immediate concerns of everyday life and develops an increasingly broader, more fraternal and more universal vision of existence.
They recognise their connection to other beings, to Nature and to the Cosmos of which they are a part.
It is this gradual expansion of consciousness that leads the Human Being towards the realisation of their highest potential.
This is the journey proposed by Yoga.
I hope this article has helped to clarify the true meaning of this Millennia-Old Wisdom and awakens in you the desire to continue exploring this path of self-knowledge, development and transformation.
Grateful to my Sat Guru Jí and Paramá Guru for all the transmission of Wisdom.
OM Namah Paramá Guru
OM Sat Gurave Namah
May there be love and peace
OM Bhakti Shántih