The Meaning of the Word Yoga

The word "yoga" is from a Sanskrit word with religious connotations.

The term "yoga" is derived from the Sanskrit root yuj ("to yoke"); which is equivalent to the modern English word for "yoke".  Both comes from the Proto-Indo-European root *yeug- which is "to join" or "unite".

It is generally translated as union of the individual atma  or the person's soul with the Paramatma or the universal soul. This means the human body mind and spirit becomes one with the Divine.  The person then who wants to try yoga may be called a yogi.  In Sanskrit, it is referred to as yogin for male and yogini for female. These title are often used to refer to advanced practitioners of yoga and not for beginners.

Yoga and Religion

Yoga is so closely linked to religion that in the practices of Hindu, Buddhist, Sikh, and Jain, the spiritual goals of yoga are forms part of the religions. Some yogis point out that the distinction between religion and yoga lies in its purpose. For religion, the main purpose is the fulfillment and promotion of culture, values, beliefs and rituals. Yoga, on the other hand, is more focused on attaining self-realization.  Religion and yoga then are complementary. It is hard to get to one without using the other.

 The yoga traditions originated from India but the efforts of modern yogis helped propagate the study and practice of yoga in the West. Prominent yogis are Swami Vivekananda and Paramahansa Yogananda.  Their efforts pave the way for yoga to progress.  Western practice of yoga though sometimes reduced it to mere physical exercises not for the attainment of deeper spirituality that was originally intended to be.