What is yoga?

Welcome to Saha Space! I’m really glad you found your way into a space where we  grow and move together. 

So let’s talk yoga! What is yoga, actually?

The word yoga comes from the Sanskrit root “Yuj” — meaning to unite.

But unite… what, exactly?

Mind + body
Breath + movement
Internal + external
Physical + spiritual
Individual self + something bigger

Honestly, I could keep going. And I'd love to hear what yoga is bringing together for you too.

But the premise here is that this union already exists and we’re just becoming aware of it. 

Here's a quick history lesson:

Traditionally, yoga is said to have originated with Adi Yogi or the first Yogi (Lord Shiva), who passed the teachings on to the Saptarishis (seven sages) to share with the world.

Over time, those teachings evolved into the many forms of yoga we see today.

Emphasis on many. There are so many styles out there that I’ve gotten confused by — here's a simple breakdown of the most common ones.

Hatha Yoga is the foundation and everything else was built from there. 

The word breaks down into:

• Ha (Hakar) = sun energy

• Tha (Thakar)= moon energy

With the focus on cultivating the perfect balance.

Vinyasa Yoga

This just means to connect.

Breath to movement, posture to posture. That flowy feeling you might be picturing? That’s vinyasa.

Ashtanga Yoga

This one’s deeper than just a sweaty sequence.

“Ashtanga” means eight limbs — a full system for how to live, not just move.
Postures (asana) are just one of those eight.

The style you often see in studios is Ashtanga Vinyasa, which combines traditional Hatha poses to create structured sequences with breath-based movement.

There are many other styles like Iyengar, Bikram, Kundalini, etc. I could go on and on but let’s start here.

Now, if you’re not sure where to start…here’s what I wish someone told me:

Try a few classes. Explore a little.
But then… pick one path and stay with it for a bit.

A foundation in Hatha makes everything else feel more intuitive later. Because you’ve got the base down and now you can be creative with it.

I spent way too long bouncing between studios trying to find the “perfect” class — and honestly, it just made things more overwhelming than they needed to be. I’ve tried Bikram (def NOT my jam), Katonah, Bhakti Yoga, you name it really. 

But eventually I found my way to what I’m loving now: alignment-based vinyasa.

Oh & one last thing! Asana is just ONE part of yoga.

There are seven other limbs.

But that’s a conversation for another day ;)

Talk soon! I’m really glad you’re here!
Pankti

P.S. Curious how Kung Fu Panda can teach you something about yoga? Watch this!