yoga

While popular yoga is now mostly understood in terms of health and fitness, Yoga really states that it is possible to unite with the original ground of Beingness we call God. Yoga means to yoke, join, or unite with that field of Origin which we have termed God. Yoke (English) and Joch (German) are both directly derived from Yuga or Yoga (Sanskrit). Yoga does not claim to be a religion nor does it offer to be a better tool than religion. Properly understood, religion itself is a form of yoga and it also means to tie back or unite.

Some rare individuals are still looking at Yoga as something strange and even unholy. However, many claims, including the health benefits and improvements in intuition and one's power of concentration, are now supported by various scientific studies. If you are interested in Scientific Research into the many benefits of Yoga, you may want to check out the page Meditation & the Brain.

Yoga is part of the six original systems of Hindu philosophy. The Bhagavad Gita mentions three major Yoga systems called Karma Yoga, Bhakti Yoga, and Jnana Yoga. There are at least two more major Yoga systems. In his 'Yoga Sutras', Patanjali deals with Ashtanga Yoga which is now generally referred to as Raja Yoga.
Kriya Yoga is also mentioned in Pantanjali's Yoga Sutras and in the Bhagavad Gita assuring its place among the great Yoga systems. Finally, there is Hatha Yoga which is introduced in the classic 'Hatha Yoga Pradipika'.

One should not forget to mention that there are a number of equally important sub-systems like Mantra Yoga, Laya Yoga, Kundalini Yoga, Siddha Yoga, Tantra Yoga, Integral Yoga, etc.
For quick definitions of various yoga traditions, see: Yoga Traditions

Religious conduct may also be expressed in terms of yoga. For example:
The religious requirement to love God could be called 'bhakti yoga'.
Any selfless work for our fellow neighbor would be 'karma yoga'.
A profound understanding of religious scripture is the understanding of 'jnana yoga'.
Following the commandments finds its parallel in 'raja and ashtanga yoga'.
The religious requirement to pray without ceasing or loving God with all your mind is a form of concentration; prolonged concentration is the very definition of meditation and contemplation.
Thus yoga is the practical side of religion that tries to go beyond social gatherings and waiting for some kind of reward system after death. It concentrates on the actual but forgotten requirements that can still be uncovered when religious scripture is studied carefully.