As per the Rishis, the word “Yog” simply means Union - nothing more, nothing less. It is not limited to asana, pranayama, flexibility, or physical culture. Those are tools, not the destination.
The origin of Yog is attributed to Lord Shiv, regarded as the Adi Yogi - the first source of transmission. Over time, practices expand, interpretations multiply, and distortions creep in. But the essence remains unchanged: Yog is union - of the individual with the absolute.
Texts like the Bhairav Vigyan Tantra describe multiple methods, yet all of them ultimately aim at the same state - Yog. Methods differ; the goal does not.
In more structured philosophical form, Patanjali’s Yoga Sutras (composed roughly 2,200 years ago) codified classical yoga into 196 aphorisms. The central definition given is: Yoga is the cessation of the fluctuations of the mind. From that stillness arises self-realization — Samadhi. Patanjali outlined the Eight Limbs (Ashtanga Yoga):
Yama – Ethical restraints
Niyama – Personal discipline
Asana – Steady posture
Pranayama – Regulation of breath
Pratyahara – Withdrawal of senses
Dharana – Concentration
Dhyana – Meditation
Samadhi – Complete absorption
The text itself is structured into four sections:
Samadhi Pada (definition and nature of yoga),
Sadhana Pada (practice),
Vibhuti Pada (attainments), and
Kaivalya Pada (liberation).
One queried - "I see today western countries adopting Yoga from the point of pop spirituality. It is true that they see Yoga as more than physical exercise but they have placed it as tool of mindfulness. Nothing wrong in that but then point is they stop there. I believe majority of Indians also stop there. We know it’s our own knowledge of centuries but not clear on why we need to pranayam beyond the health benefits. Actually strength training in gym can help more in muscle building and body fat percentage reduction. Where I am going at is , in public discourse in India specifically we are not clear why we need to do Yoga. Why do Yogis do yoga? What benefits other than flexibility and toned body? It will be great if someone can share more on what was the basis of yoga? How yoga links with Mantra vibration and body tuning? Otherwise we will prepare our body but will not know how it can be an instrument"
Today, especially in the West, yoga is often framed as mindfulness or advanced stretching. There is nothing inherently wrong with that - but stopping there limits the depth. The same limitation exists in India as well. Many practice pranayama for health benefits but rarely question its deeper purpose. Why did yogis practice it? Because the body is not the final goal - it is the instrument. Breath refines prana; prana refines mind; mind, when stilled, reveals union.
No culture can “own” yoga, nor reduce it to pop spirituality. The real responsibility lies with the seeker - to explore it sincerely, not superficially. Trademarking techniques or rebranding ancient knowledge does not expand truth; it only commercializes fragments of it. As far as what is available and known to men, Western or any other country cannot own just anything or bring pop spirituality. Our task should be to have inner quest to know the prime form of it from the way which is best suited for us. Much of what Yogis do and what benefits they really get is listed in Patanjali Yoga (Ashtanga Yoga) and beyond it too is available to the deserved people. To each, their own. Let anyone spread the same thing in a different way, under a different name and even get a what you call "Trademark" or "Patent"; this only lead to a fall.
As for personal experience - practices like Kapalbhati and Anulom Vilom go far beyond fitness. Kapalbhati, when practiced correctly on an empty stomach, generates internal heat and clarity. Anulom Vilom, done consistently in clean air and with patience, stabilizes the nervous system and sharpens cognition. With long-term discipline, memory improves, mental clarity deepens, and perception becomes precise. These are not mystical exaggerations - they are consequences of sustained nervous system regulation and pranic balance.
I would share on Kapalbhati and Anulom Vilom. Kapalbhati should be done on an empty stomach, at least 6 hours after your last meal. Your face begins to shine like the sun, a brightness emanating from within. My neighbour's daughter would often ask her mother, “Which cream does he use?” Lol.
Anulom Vilom was my starting point. It only requires fresh air (better AQI) and consistency. Within a few days, I was practicing it for a minimum of 1 hour without breaks - and I was just a school-going kid. You close the right nostril with your thumb and inhale from the left; then close the left with your middle and ring finger, exhale from the right, and inhale again. After the first inhale, it becomes a continuous OUT–IN alternating rhythm. You can learn the basics from any Baba Ramdev video. The many modern variations introduced later are, in my view, unnecessary.
With sustained practice, intense cleansing began - at one point, I could expel coin-sized black mucus formations from each nostril. At that intensity, even two coins in a one-hour session was possible. Afterward, you feel light as a feather literally.
Almost two years earlier, I had written down a friend’s phone number during a landline call - it was the Nokia 3310 era and thrown the paper away. Two years later, while doing Anulom Vilom, the number resurfaced clearly in memory - 9426459xxx. I called, and it was correct. From that day onward, my numerical ability sharpened significantly. I was already good at Maths, but after that, I felt unrestricted with numbers.
People casually throw around terms like subconscious, conscious, unconscious, especially in online forums, without understanding the depth of what they’re referring to. Language tries to define the limitless mind, but terminology is only an approximation. Whether one acknowledges it or not, there are layered states of awareness - somewhat resonating with jagrit, swapna, sushupti, turiya, and even turiyateet. And beyond that, there is still more.
Greetings! Love and Light from Aastha Musings~