The word Yoga comes from the Sanskrit root yuj, meaning to bind, join, attach and yoke. It also means union or communion. A dedicated yoga practice unites mind, body and emotions, and, at its highest level, the individual self with the Universal Self, or Soul. Yoga is one of the six orthodox systems of Indian philosophy. It is said to have originated in the foothills of the Himalayas over three thousand years ago and was codified by the sage Patanjali around 2000 years ago. The Yoga Sutras of Patanjali describe the eight limbs (ashtanga) of yoga. All eight limbs of yoga form a unity, they represent a holistic practice path in which the different disciplines work together. The ultimate goal of the Yoga Path is Samadhi, the total peace of mind.
"When the sun and the moon have set and the fire no longer burns and the words are silent, what serves as light for a man?" He says: "The soul, indeed, is his light, for with the soul as light he sits and moves, performs his work and returns." (Brihadaranyaka Upanishad, IV.3.6.)