Yoga is a 5000-year old practice which is done by a lot of people. It continues to evolve through the years to meet the needs of every individual. Nowadays, there are different forms of Yoga. Though most styles have common roots, each has its own unique features. Yoga is an ancient Indian body of knowledge that dates back more than 500" class="related_products_container"0 years ago. The word "Yoga" came from the Sanskrit word "yuj" which means "to unite or integrate." Yoga then is about the union of a person's own consciousness and the universal consciousness. Ancient Yogis had a belief that in order for man to be in harmony with himself and his environment, he has to integrate the body, the mind, and the spirit. For these three to be integrated, emotion, action, and intelligence must be in balance. The Yogis formulated a way to achieve and maintain this balance and it is done through exercise, breathing, and Meditation - the three main Yoga structures. In Yoga, the body is treated with care and respect for it is the primary instrument in man's work and growth. Yoga Exercises improve circulation, stimulate the abdominal organs, and put pressure on the glandular system of the body, which can generally result to better health. Breathing techniques were developed based on the concept that breath is the source of life. In Yoga, students gain breathing control as they slowly increase their breathing. By focusing on their breathing, they prepare their minds for the next step - Meditation.Six Branches of Yoga- Hatha Yoga or Yoga of PosturesHatha Yoga is perhaps the path of Yoga you are most familiar with since this is the most popular branch of Yoga in the West. This branch of Yoga uses physical poses or Asana, Breathing Techniques or Pranayama, and Meditation to achieve better health, as well as spirituality. There are many styles within this path - Iyengar, Integral, Astanga, Kripalu, and Jiva Mukti to name a few. - Bhakti Yoga or Yoga of DevotionBhakti Yoga is the path most followed in India. This is the path of the heart and devotion. Yogis who practice this branch sees the "One" or the Divine in everyone and everything. Bhakti Yoga teaches a person to have devotion to the "One" or to Brahma by developing a person's love and acceptance for all things.- Raja Yoga or Yoga of Self-ControlRaja means "royal". This path is considered to be the King of Yoga and this may be due to the fact that most of its practitioners are members of religious and spiritual orders. Raja Yoga is based on the teachings of the Eight Limbs of Yoga found in the Yoga sutras. - Jnana Yoga or Yoga of the MindJnana Yoga is the path of Yoga that basically deals with the mind, and as such, it focuses on man's intelligence. Jnana Yogis consider wisdom and intellect as important and they aim to unify the two to surpass limitations. Since they wish to gain knowledge, they are open to other philosophies and religion for they believe that an open and rational mind is crucial in knowing the spirit.- Karma Yoga or Yoga of ServiceKarma Yoga is the path of service for in this path, it is believed that your present situation is based on your past actions. So by doing selfless service now, you are choosing a future that is free from negativity and selfishness. Karma Yogis change their attitude towards the good and in the process, change their souls, which leads to a change in their destiny.- Tantra Yoga or Yoga of RitualsPerhaps the most misunderstood of all the paths, Tantra Yoga is about using rituals to experience what is sacred. Although sex is a part of it, sex is not the whole of it since this path aims to find what is sacred in everything we do. Tantra Yogis must possess certain qualities like purity, humility, devotion, dedication to his Guru, cosmic love, and truthfulness among other things. Tips

• Borrow or buy a yoga book that's aimed at beginners.
• There are MANY different styles of yoga, each with a different emphasis (eg stretching, strength, or fitness) and it's important to find the one that best suits you.
• Find a teacher that you like and trust, and who gives all their students individual help and attention as needed
• The best time for yoga is in the morning before breakfast, or later in the evening.
• Before beginning a yoga class you should empty your bowels and bladder, and remove mucus from your nose, throat and lungs.
• It's best to wear clothing that's loose and comfortable, for easy movement.
• Try to avoid eating (except for a light snack if you need it) for 2 hours before a class, as it will more than likely make you feel tired and heavy.
• Make sure you completely master the easy poses before you move onto the harder ones.
• If you have a permanent injury or condition that you think could be worsened by doing yoga, have a chat with your doctor about which poses might be best avoided.