The word Yoga, योग in Sanskrit, comes from the Sanskrit root yuj, which means “to join” or “to yoke”.
Yoga is an ancient art, or science, that consist of physical, mental and spiritual practices that help to transform and harmonise the body, mind and spirit. The continued practice of yoga will lead to a sense of peace and well-being, and also a feeling of being at one with the environment and the rest of the world.
As defined at the site of the Yogananda Paramahansa Self-Realization-Fellowship, “Yoga is a simple process of reversing the ordinary outward flow of energy and consciousness so that the mind becomes a dynamic centre of direct perception no longer dependent upon the fallible senses but capable of actually experiencing Truth.” More on the “What is Yoga, really“.