The word Yoga derives from the Sanskrit root "Yug" which means to unite, bind together, union and communion; it means the balance of the soul that enables us to look at life with equanimity in all its aspects.
Like a well-cut diamond, it has many facets, each reflecting a different tone of light, so the word Yoga reflects a meaning and reveals different aspects of the whole range of human effort directed towards achieving inner peace and happiness.
Stay quiet in the face of success or failure. This balance is called Yoga.
Yoga is not for those who eat too much or too little, nor for those who sleep too much or too little. Yoga destroys all pain and pain with moderation in eating and resting, regulating activities and harmonizing sleep and waking.
Yoga is the method by which the restless mind is calmed and the vital energy is directed into constructive channels.
Like a powerful river, when appropriately harnessed by dams and canals, it creates a vast reservoir of water, prevents famine and supplies a great deal of energy for the industry, so even in the mind, when controlled, it provides a reserve of peace and generates abundant energy for human elevation.
Taken from "Theory and practice of Yoga" BKS Iyengar
