Yoga, a Sanskrit word, comes from the root "yuj," which translates literally to "union". Yoga is both a system of exercises and a Hindu discipline. The purpose of practicing Yoga is to form a union with either a supreme being or with oneself.

Yoga has become, in the Western culture, a popular exercise program, a way to decrease stress and is also a spiritual path. Western Yoga is influenced mostly by Hatha Yoga or physical Yoga. The most popular Yoga programs offered today focus on promoting a healthy body by performing postures and controlling breathing.

The roots of Yoga are over 2,200 years old and lie deep in Hindu Philosophy. It is a system based on spirituality, self-control, self-knowledge and closeness to God. And it is practiced in many countries around the World. To gain a better insight about what Yoga is and what it involves, one should be aware of the many different types of Yoga. Listed below are some, but not all, of the Yoga disciplines practiced today.

Bhakti Yoga is based on the liberation of the Soul from unpleasant and negative stimuli through a devotion to God. Those who practice Bhakti Yoga follow the belief that living a life devoted God and free of materialism will bring them to a state of higher being, free of jealousy and other such human vices. Within Bhakti Yoga, there are four divisions. Sakamya Bhakti and Nishkamya Bhakti are associated with giving up the desire for material objects and realizing the importance of what you already possess, such as family, feelings of belongingness and relationship with God. Apara-Bhakti and Para-Bhakti Yoga are two stages of increasing devotion to God. Para-Bhakti Yogis, on a more devoted leven than Apara-Bhakti Yogis, live a life of uninterrupted devotion to God at all times, and their connection to a higher spirit raises their own Soul to higher level.

Japa Yoga is the practice of repeating a Mantra, in the form of a Lord's name, to attain a closer relationship to God. One may choose to use Japa of Krishna or Christ, both are correct. Japa Yoga is performed in conjunction with Dhyana mediation about the Lord. To separate one from the other is impossible in early stages. When repeating a word out loud, a mental image is induced, and when an image comes to mind a word or sound is associated with it. However, after extensive Yoga practice, one may be able to practice Japa without Dhyana.

Jnana Yoga is a system for seeking supreme knowledge of God and our Self. It aims to answer empirical yet deep questions concerning our position in life and our relation to God. Followers practice meditation on the subject of "Who am I?" in order to attain a greater understanding of the World. Jnana Yoga is part philosophy and part religion. Practitioners believe that through meditation they can achieve an elevated state of intellect.
The opposite of Jnana is Ajnana, which is ignorance. Only through the practice of Jnana can one progress out of ignorance and gain knowledge.

Karma Yoga is a system based on two principles: action and reaction. It is congruent with Isaac Newton's 3rd law of motion, which states that for every action there is an equal and opposite reaction. Karma Yoga stresses the importance of selfless devotion to others well being. Followers must come to the realization that following the "right" path will lead them away from harm and unhappiness.
Karma Yogis must perform good deeds whenever possible, but must not expect to be reward for their efforts. They should serve others, but not be servants. The drive to help must come from an internal motivation to help others. Actions must not be made from desires such as lust, frustaration, jealousy or egoism. By excercising a large giving heart, Karma Yogi's will become closer to God, develop a greater knowledge of thyself and live a simple content life.

Mantra Yoga - "OM" is the all-encompassing sound that is the heart of every vibration in the Universe. It is pronounced with a long, deep "OWWHHMMMM". When practicing Mantra Yoga, the Yogi produces the sounds of a Mantra, such as "OM" for several reasons: to unlock the positive energy within the body, to focus the mind on the meaning of the special sounds and to stress the importance of the Mantraís meaning.
Mantra Yoga is performed by repeating a word of special meaning during meditation. A Mantra must meet certain criteria to be proper. It must (1) bear a founder, (2) possess metre, (3) have a particular figure supplying its power, (4) have a string of meaningful words, (5) energy from sound and (6) a quality called Killak-pin, which means that the power of the Mantra can only be unlocked after constant repetition.
The Mantra defeats negativity through its power of human articulation. It makes a harmonious connection between the Yogi and God. What is different about Japa Yoga from Mantra Yoga is that Japa Yoga is the rhythmic repetition of the Mantra and has many different styles.

Tantra Yoga -The word tantra carries connotations of sexual style, such as tantric sex, in many pop cultures, but it has associations as well. Tantra Yoga, which is a philosophy and a system is similar to Mantra Yoga in that it focuses on releasing energy from the body in order to transcend normal existence.    Many internet sites contradict each other on how sex is intertwined into the practice, but the main focus is to harmonize the body of male and female. One application of harmony and control is sexual intercourse and that is what tantric sex refers to.