Yoga is a polysemic term that is often used and misused in an array of varying contexts. The word योग in Sanskrit comes from the root “to yoke” & suggests a binding together of two or more elements, like yoking the senses, or connecting the individual to the Divine. However, texts reveal from an early stage that Yoga could also reference yoking as a form of control, implying a highly self-disciplined way of meditating.

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Thus, when you this word appears attached to any other term, the intention is to would be associated with the above sense of binding, linking, or via disciplined means in a general sense.​

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I often return to this question to contemplate the ongoing evolution of this challenging & pluralistic tradition. In modern times, Yoga has gained a character often associated with wellness rather than its metaphysical heart.​

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We might think of Yoga as a way to clear the inner space in a disciplined manner from which one stimulates latent potential & cultivate the highest nature of the self.​

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It is important to remember that Yoga is not simply about postures, stretching or some dynamic series. Yoga frees us from strife and teaches us to cultivate balance, stability, & mobility necessary to increase the life force, the prāṇā प्राणा, & even to navigate new states of consciousness.

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However, though there are many different approaches to Yoga & Meditation, scholars have revealed that although the paths are many, they all are relatively similar in their formula with stylistic differences; it is the ultimate destinations which are more diverse. Therefore, there is a type of Yoga suitable for each individual, no one way is superior to another nor is there a "one-size-fits-all", the emphasis is on practice, but one's true intention is entirely personal.