Yoga Means Yoke, in the Sense of Union
Yoga is a system of physical and mental discipline. Its name means joining together.
Yoga is a system of physical postures, breathing and meditation originating in ancient India. Sanskrit *yoga* means a yoking or union, and it is a direct cousin of English *yoke*: both descend from the same Indo-European root *yeug*, to join, which also gives Latin *iungere* and English *join*, *junction* and *conjugal*. The physical postures known in the West are one limb of a much larger classical system that is chiefly philosophical and meditative.
- A discipline. *Practising yoga.*
- Union. *The literal sense.*
- Asana — a posture. *An asana.*
- Yoke — the same root. *A yoke.*
- Sanskrit — *yoga*. *The source.*
Word forms
| Form | Word | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Noun | yoga | Yoga. |
| Agent | yogi | A yogi. |
| Adjective | yogic | Yogic. |
| Related | yoke | A yoke. |
| Sanskrit | yoga | Union. |
- She teaches yoga.Practice.
- Yoga means union.Etymology.
- Yoke is a cousin.Family.
The yeug family
- Yoga — Sanskrit, a union
- Yoke — English, the joining bar for oxen
- Join and junction — through Latin *iungere*
- Conjugal — joined in marriage
- Yugoslavia — from a Slavic relative meaning south
Sanskrit *yoga*, a yoking or union, from the Indo-European root *yeug*, to join.
Are yoga and yoke related?
Yes. Both descend from an Indo-European root meaning to join, which also gives join and junction.
Is yoga only about postures?
No. The postures are one limb of a larger classical system that is chiefly philosophical and meditative.