What is yoga? Meaning, history and the eight limbs explained

What is yoga? In simple words, yoga is a practice from ancient India that uses posture, breathing, meditation and ethical living to steady the body and quiet the mind. Most people meet it today as a set of physical poses, but the poses are only one of eight parts described in the classical texts. This guide explains the meaning of the word, the history of yoga from the Vedas to the present, the eight limbs of yoga shown in the circle above, the main paths of yoga, and how you can begin at home today.

Yoga meaning: what the word means

The word yoga comes from the Sanskrit root yuj, which means “to yoke”, “to join” or “to unite” — the way a farmer yokes two oxen to one plough. So if you ask what yoga means in English, the closest translation is “union” or “joining”: joining attention to the breath, body to mind, and, in the spiritual traditions, the individual self to something larger. The same root gives a second meaning, “concentration”, which is closer to how the classical texts use it.

A yogi (or yogini) is a person who practises yoga seriously. Asana means “seat” or “posture”, so yogasana simply means a yoga posture.

The classical definition

The most quoted definition comes from Patanjali’s Yoga Sutras. The first sutra (1.1), atha yoga anushasanam, means “now begins the teaching of yoga”. The second (1.2), yogash chitta vritti nirodhah, defines it: “yoga is the stilling of the movements of the mind.” That is the core meaning and concept of yoga: not bending, but a steady, quiet mind. The Bhagavad Gita adds two more short definitions: yoga is “evenness of mind” and “skill in action”.

History of yoga: where it comes from

The history of yoga in India stretches over thousands of years, but the early part is uncertain. Here is the story in short, with the dates given as scholars usually give them — often as a range, because ancient Indian texts were passed down orally long before they were written.

The Indus Valley: an open question

Seals from the Indus Valley (Harappan) civilisation, around 2500–1900 BCE, include a famous figure seated with the knees out and heels together, sometimes called the “Pashupati seal”. Some writers see it as the earliest image of a yogic posture. Many historians disagree, because the Indus script has not been deciphered and we cannot know what the figure meant. It is fair to say yoga may have roots this old, but there is no firm evidence.

The Vedas (about 1500–500 BCE)

The Vedas are the oldest texts of the Hindu tradition. In the Rigveda, the word yoga mostly means yoking horses to a chariot. The Vedas also describe tapas (discipline and austerity), sacred chanting and seers who entered deep states of meditation, ideas that later fed into yoga.

The Upanishads (from about 800 BCE)

The Upanishads turned from ritual to inner knowledge. The Katha Upanishad gives one of the first clear descriptions of yoga: when the senses and the mind are still and steady, that state is called yoga. The Shvetashvatara Upanishad describes sitting upright with the body, head and neck in line, calming the breath and practising in a quiet place — a recognisable meditation practice.

The Bhagavad Gita

In the Gita, part of the epic Mahabharata, Krishna teaches the warrior Arjuna several kinds of yoga: the yoga of action (karma yoga), of devotion (bhakti yoga) and of knowledge (jnana yoga). Its message — that yoga can be lived in daily duties, not only in a forest retreat — explains why yoga is called a way of life rather than just an exercise.

Patanjali’s Yoga Sutras (roughly 200 BCE–400 CE)

The Yoga Sutras gather earlier teachings into 195–196 short threads (sutras) in four chapters. They set out the eight limbs, explain how the mind works and describe the goal of freedom (kaivalya). Asana gets only a few lines: a posture should be “steady and comfortable”. Scholars disagree on the exact date, but most place the text somewhere in this range.

Hatha yoga and the Hatha Yoga Pradipika (15th century CE)

From around the 11th century, hatha yoga texts began to focus on the body as a way to still the mind: postures, breath control, locks (bandhas), seals (mudras) and cleansing practices (shatkarma). The best-known manual, the Hatha Yoga Pradipika by Svatmarama, describes 15 postures, several forms of pranayama and the aim of preparing the body for meditation. What hatha yoga is today grew directly from these teachings.

Modern yoga (19th century to today)

Swami Vivekananda introduced yoga philosophy to Western audiences at the World’s Parliament of Religions in Chicago in 1893, which marks the start of the history of yoga in the United States. In the 20th century, the teacher T. Krishnamacharya in Mysore developed much of the posture-based practice known worldwide, passing it to students such as B.K.S. Iyengar, K. Pattabhi Jois and T.K.V. Desikachar. Yoga spread through books, studios and gyms, and in 2014 the United Nations declared 21 June the International Day of Yoga.

The history of yoga timeline below puts these stages side by side.

The eight limbs of yoga explained (Ashtanga yoga’s 8 limbs)

Patanjali called his method ashtanga — from ashta (eight) and anga (limb). The 8 limbs of yoga are not steps you finish one by one; like the limbs of a body, they grow together. The circle at the top of this page shows them in order. Here is each one in plain language, with what it can look like in daily life.

1. Yama — how you treat others

Five restraints: ahimsa (non-violence), satya (truthfulness), asteya (not stealing), brahmacharya (moderation of the senses) and aparigraha (not grasping or hoarding). In practice: speak kindly, keep your word, take only what you need.

2. Niyama — how you treat yourself

Five observances: shaucha (cleanliness), santosha (contentment), tapas (discipline), svadhyaya (self-study) and ishvara pranidhana (surrender to something greater). In practice: a tidy space, gratitude, turning up on the mat even when you would rather not.

3. Asana — posture

Originally a steady, comfortable seat for meditation; today it includes the full range of yoga poses. What asana does in yoga is prepare the body so you can sit still without pain or restlessness.

4. Pranayama — breath control

Prana means life force and ayama means extension. Pranayama techniques lengthen and guide the breath. A simple start is alternate nostril breathing, which many people find calming.

5. Pratyahara — withdrawal of the senses

Turning attention inward so that sounds, screens and cravings stop pulling at you. Closing the eyes in a pose and noticing only the breath is a small taste of it.

6. Dharana — concentration

Holding attention on one point: the breath, a sound, a candle flame (trataka) or a mantra. The mind will wander; the practice is bringing it back.

7. Dhyana — meditation

What is dhyana in yoga? It is concentration that has become effortless — an unbroken flow of attention. You cannot force it; it grows out of steady dharana. Our meditation guide explains how to start.

8. Samadhi — absorption

The 8th limb of yoga is samadhi: a state of complete absorption in which the sense of a separate “me” doing the meditating falls away. Patanjali describes it as the aim of the whole path.

This eight limbs of yoga chart sums up the 8 limbs of Ashtanga yoga at a glance:

Do not confuse the eight limbs of Ashtanga yoga with Ashtanga Vinyasa yoga, the fast, set sequence taught by K. Pattabhi Jois, or with Ashtanga Namaskara, the eight-limbed pose in Surya Namaskar where eight points of the body touch the floor. All three share the word “eight”, but they are different things.

Paths of yoga: raja, hatha, bhakti, karma and jnana

Yoga is not one method. Traditional teachers describe several paths that suit different temperaments; many people walk more than one.

• Raja yoga — the path of meditation. The “royal” path, usually linked with Patanjali’s eight limbs: training the mind through concentration and meditation.
• Hatha yoga — the path of the body and breath. Postures, breathing, bandhas and cleansing to prepare for meditation. Almost every modern style of hatha yoga comes from here.
• Bhakti yoga — the path of devotion. Love and surrender to the divine through prayer, chanting and service.
• Karma yoga — the path of action. What is karma yoga? Doing your work and duty well, for its own sake, without clinging to reward — the central teaching of the Bhagavad Gita.
• Jnana yoga — the path of knowledge. Study, reflection and self-inquiry into the question “who am I?”, closely linked with Vedanta philosophy.

Later traditions add others, such as kriya yoga and kundalini yoga, which combine breath, sound and meditation.

Modern yoga: what it looks like today

For most people, yoga today means a class or a home practice of poses, breathing and relaxation. Common styles include slow hatha, flowing vinyasa (what people mean by “yoga flow”: moving with the breath from pose to pose), long-hold yin, supported restorative yoga and guided Yoga Nidra, a lying-down relaxation that feels like conscious sleep. Yoga therapy adapts practices for health problems, working alongside medical care. The types of yoga page compares 25 styles.

Yoga has become one of the most popular forms of exercise in the world. In the US alone, the share of adults who practised yoga rose from 5% in 2002 to about 16% in 2022, according to the National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health.

What yoga is not

• Not only stretching. What does yoga involve? Posture, breath, attention and the way you live — stretching is one small part.
• Not a competition. The most flexible person in the room is not the most advanced yogi.
• Not a requirement to change your beliefs. Yoga grew up in Hindu, Buddhist and Jain traditions and its philosophy comes from Indian thought, so it is often considered part of Hinduism. But people of every faith and none practise it; you can respect its roots without adopting a religion.
• Not a cure. Yoga may ease many symptoms and support treatment, but it does not replace medical care.
• Not only for the young or bendy. Chair yoga, gentle yoga and breathing work suit almost everyone, from children to seniors.

What is yoga vs Pilates? Pilates is a 20th-century exercise method focused on core control. Yoga is far older, includes breathing, meditation and philosophy, and its physical side emphasises flexibility and balance as well as strength.

What is yoga good for?

What is yoga really about for most people now? They use yoga for flexibility, strength, balance, stress relief, better sleep and a calmer mind. Research suggests it can help with back and neck pain, anxiety, stress and quality of life, though results vary and it works best as part of a healthy routine. For the full picture, with honest evidence and risks, read the benefits of yoga. Why is yoga important in our life? Because it is one of the few practices that trains body, breath and attention at the same time — and it needs almost no equipment.

How to begin yoga

What is yoga for beginners in practice? Ten to fifteen minutes of simple poses, a few slow breaths and a short rest, done most days. You can start yoga at home today:

1. Learn a few basic poses. Mountain, Cat and Cow, Child’s pose, Cobra and Downward Dog are a good base. The yoga for beginners guide explains them.
2. Follow a guided session. The free guided sessions show every pose on a 3D figure you can rotate, with voice guidance in 28 languages.
3. Add breathing. Two minutes of slow, even breathing before or after the poses.
4. End with rest. Lie still in Savasana for a few minutes; it is where the practice settles.
5. Be regular, not intense. A little every day teaches more than one long session a week.

If you have a health condition, are pregnant or have had recent surgery, talk to your doctor before starting, and choose gentle poses first.