Yoga for mind or for body ? asks seekerboy

seekerboy asks:
What is yoga? Is it concerned with spirituality or
What is yoga? Is it concerned with spirituality or physical health? Who can practice it?

asked by aram (http://answers.yahoo.com/my/profile;_ylt=Ah5MTYyljk2X15V45dAUZpLd7BR.;ylv=3?show=cf5093c1b8bc8a90680880b1e8257975aa)
at yahoo answers.
The answer posted by krishnan kartha was selected as the best answer by the asker:



"Yoga is one of the six theist schools of philosophy in India. It was already there in Upanishads, texts which are part of Vedas.There are around twelve upanishads which deal directly with yoga. However, it was sage Patanjali who arranged the info and brought out "Yoga Sutra".

The yoga literally mean union. Union with your own self. Though a character called "Ishwara" (normally translated as God) is dealt with in Patanjali's Yoga sutra, the Ishwara is only a presiding factor in the book. Man has his own nmastery over his destiny, the sutras points out.

The physical posture is one of the eight aspects of yoga only.It is never treated as the prime in Yog sutra.It is just a step to Yogic practice,a primary step. The posture which soothes is the ideal posture for yoga says the Yoga Sutra (sthira Sukham Aasanam: means an Asana is one which is unwavering and comfortable).Hence, the asanaa (postures) are not yoga and Yoga is not just asana.

However a good posture allows you to control your mind and concentrate on any particular thought which in turn will lead you to a thoughtless state, the state of no-mind.This is union.or Yoga. You may just have glimspes of bliss initially.But regular and steady practice leads you to a point of no return to the world of sorrows. You will live in this earth with joy and bliss.

The postures are later development. Many diseases are cured with yogic postures and control of breath known as PRANAYAMA. However the pranayama is something to be tackled with caution. "