Not many people realize that yoga has many similar movements as ballet. Many people will begin practicing yoga for the flexibility advantages that it offers. Even though there are things that yoga has in common with other exercises, there are numerous other benefits to studying it. Its popularity has increased over the years in western society and is now considered the fashionable way to get into shape. It might seem like a new form of exercise, but it has actually been around for centuries originating from Eastern cultures with spiritual roots.

To the western world, yoga has become just another way to exercise and the spiritual aspects of it have been lost. Even though the techniques and movements are the same, its meaning has changed. Originally, yoga was viewed as a small part of the whole like a branch on a tree, but in western society it is viewed more as the entire tree itself losing many of the deeper rooted aspects.

The origin of yoga can't be traced exactly, but there is evidence of it beginning roughly around the same time when the seals of the Indus Valley civilization were discovered. Figures are depicted in the lotus position at around 300 BCE. The vedas were being written at about this same time which are the source of modern day yoga exercises. The culture of the Vedas created the ancient Indian obsession with yoga rituals and sacrifice. The importance of sacrifice is demonstrated in the yogic corpse asana.

The greatest sacrifice practiced in yoga signifies death by lying in place. This might seem a bit morbid, but it actually has a lot of meaning behind it. According to the teachings of the Veda, the pose as a corpse means that the understanding of death with lead to freedom.

The meaning of the word yoga can be translated as "union", the joining of the spiritual and physical worlds. Versus 4:4, 13-14 of the Vedanta Sutras state that material possessions are not attractive to a free soul. The idea of this is to be able to liberate ourselves from material objects that only have meaning in this life.

Even in modern yoga this practice is evident. It is possible to change your awareness through the practice of stillness and the asanas, thus changing our outlook on life. It is possible to begin to feel a part of the whole universe and learn how giving to others is actually helping ourselves since we are actually one, a small part of the whole.

The study of yoga is actually a small part of the whole process, which was commonly known in ancient times. Thousands of years ago the focus on breathing and postures helped improve mind, body and spirit. However, today the concentration is more on the postures and not as much on the breathing. The benefits of the breathing techniques and positions offer great medical as well as physical advantages, such as decreased stress, more energy, flexibility, and strengthened muscles.