Yoga is an ancient holistic system of self-development with an added benefit of health management, which affects all aspects of our existence - physical, mental, emotional and spiritual. It is not merely an exercise routine or a religion, but a way of life. Following the path of yoga leads you on a journey of personal growth.

There are many forms of yoga like bhakti yoga, karma yoga, kriya yoga, raja yoga, hatha yoga, etc. and ofcourse the modern versions such as bikram yoga, iyenger yoga, power yoga and many more.

Hatha Yoga is a form of Yoga that emphasizes postures and breath awareness for the purpose of steadying the mind & body and gaining control over vital energy. These practices bring peace to the restless and develop flexibility and inner strength and are groundwork for spiritual enlightenment.

From the yogic point of view, human being is composed of five layers or Pancha Koshas;

• The Annamaya Kosha (physical level consisting of the muscles, bones and the layer of skin),
• The Pranamaya Kosha (Physiological level, 'Prana' meaning vital-energy, the circulation of breath
  in the entire body),
• The Manomaya Kosha (Mental level, emotions, memory, nervous system),
• Kosha (Intelligence, wisdom, knowledge, higher state of conciousness) and,
• The Anandamaya Kosha (Blissfulness, ultimate liberation).

A person functions simultaneously at every layer and each layer is dominant in each person's activities. But given the situations in life, the outermost layer which is the grossest in value is the most active and as you go inner and inner, it becomes subtler and ultimately reach self-realisation. The values become finer and finer as you go from the external layer to the innermost layer.

Yamas and Niyamas : The first two, Yamas (Restraints) and Niyamas (Observances) are ten good common-sense guidelines for leading a healthier, happier life for bringing spiritual awareness into a social context. They are for you to think about and ponder over with a rational mind, because yoga is not about mindlessly accepting externally imposed rules-it is about finding the truth for yourself-and 'connecting' with it. The yamas and niyamas help in managing our energy in an integrative manner, complementing our outer life to our inner development. They are about being honest with the true Self.

Asanas : The third limb, Asanas help in balancing and harmonizing the basic structure of the human body. The asanas being the main yogic instrument of balancing the body, they consist of various physical postures, which are designed to release tension, improve flexibility and maximize the flow of vital energy. The regular practice of yogasanas has an immense amount of therapeutic value. Besides various physiological benefits, they positively affect our minds, our life force energies as well as our creative intelligence. Regular practice helps to keep our body fit, controls cholesterol level, reduces weight, normalizes blood pressure and improves heart performance. Physical fitness thus achieved leads to reduction of physical stress and greater vitality. Asanas harmonize our pranic ability and mental energy flow by clearing any blockages in the subtle body leading to mental equilibrium and calmness. They make the mind strong thus enabling our huma body to suffer pain and unhappiness stoically and with fortitude.

Pranayama : Next is Pranayama, more than a breath-control exercise, pranayama is all about controlling the life force or prana. Since breath or prana is basic to life, the practice of pranayama helps in harnessing the prana in and around us, and by deepening and extending it, pranayama leads to a state of inner peace. The practices of pranayama-the correct breathing technique helps to manipulate our energies. Most of us breathe incorrectly, using only half of our lung capacity. Pranayama is a technique, which re-educates our breathing process, helps us to release tensions and develop a relaxed state of mind. It also balances our nervous system and encourages creative thinking. In addition, by increasing the amount of oxygen to our brain it improves mental clarity, alertness and physical well being. When practiced along with yogasanas the benefits of pranayama are more pronounced.

Pratyahara : Pratyahara involves rightly managing the senses and going beyond them instead of simply closing and suppressing them. It is a bridge between the physical and the spiritual, the gross and the subtler bodies. It is the fifth limb of ashtanga yoga. It is essential to practice pratyahara for achieving the three meditative stages of dharana, dhyana and samadhi.

Dharana : Dharana, Dhyana and Samadhi are the last three limbs of ashtanga yoga. The last three limbs of Ashtanga Yoga are the three essential stages of meditation. Dharana involves developing and extending our powers of concentration.

Dhyana : Dhyana is the state of meditation, when the mind attains the ability to sustain its attention without getting distracted. Strictly speaking, unlike the other six limbs of yoga, this is not a technique but rather a state of mind, a delicate state of awareness. This state rightfully precedes the final state of samadhi.

Samadhi : Samadhi or total absorption, is the ability to become one with the True Self and merge into the object of concentration. In this state of mind, the perceiver and the object of perception unite through the very act of perception-a true unity of all thought and action. This is the acme of all yogic endeavors-the ultimate 'yoga' or connection between the individual and the universal Soul!

The practice of Yoga helps us to triumph over each level of our existence. In the beginning of practicing yoga, the primary focus is upon the outermost layer of the body, or the annamaya kosha. This long and rewarding process of opening, strengthening and aligning the physical structures of the body clears the channels or "nadis" of the body for enhanced flow of prana. The pranamaya kosha is a more subtle layer concerned with the flow of breath and the circulation of life-energy. Throughout your practice, deep and slow breathing increases your life-energy and positively affects your mind, body, and spirit. Yoga influences the mental layer by both calming the wandering tendencies of the mind and by awakening a more embodied intelligence throughout the body.

The last two layers are the most subtle experiences of our selves. When we are in the wisdom layer of the self we experience a deeper knowing, communion, and insight into our essential nature and the world. The very core of our self is the experience of freedeom (moksha), peace (shanti) and ecstatic union (samadhi).

The postures and breath work of yoga blend well with many healing modalities and work wonders in management and in many cases even correction of physiological and psychological disorders.