The Sanskrit word Yoga has several meanings–the one that resonates best for me is ‘to yolk or join.’ New Yogis (male) and Yoginis (female) alike might be surprised to learn that Yoga grew out of an oral tradition dating back thousands of years. 2,000 years ago, Patanjali, an Indian sage translated this oral history in the Yoga Sutras which is the classical treatise on yogic life and philosophy. This is a collection of 195 statements which guides the yogi/yogini on how to face the challenges of being human–for spiritual growth. Hatha yoga, known as the physical asana practice of yoga, was developed to prepare the physical body and nervous system for stillness–necessary for a deep meditative practice.