Reasons to do yoga (or, one, anyway)

Very impressive and beautiful in a physical kind of way but it is not really yoga. Yoga is not achieved through exercise or stretching or poses or breathing in a certain way or acting or thinking in a certain way. Yoga is one thing and one thing only and that is:

"the cessation of the fluctuations of mind matter"

(Patanjalis Yoga Sutras)

Training the mind, taming the mind, controlling the mind, concentrating the mind is not yoga, yoga is only achieved when the mind has been transcended and Self sits in pure Self awareness within Self. Awareness without thoughts. If you can think it, it's not Yoga

Asanas as beneficial as they are for health and relaxation are not really Yoga. A more accurate term would be "mind body integration practice", great for health, strength, all around fitness and stress reduction but not actually Yoga.

(Please don't hate me, I just had to say this)

@wavecraver - I understand where you are coming from on that.... However the common US lexicon on "Yoga" is interpreted differently. Much like the modern incarnation of Valentine's Day is not about being a religious martyr. @cloud nice post, wonder is she was a gymnast first?

"hey girl, whachoodoin after yoga class? What say we go have a beer and really free our minds of that nasty matter?!"

#thumbnail

I like how they made it look like she just rolled outta bed and did that. I wonder if she had bad breath?

Bad breath? Doubt it. I bet she craps cotton candy.