Yoga

 In the West, the term "yoga" is today typically associated with Hatha Yoga and its asanas (postures) or as a form of exercise.  The three main focuses of Hatha yoga are asana, breathing, and meditation.

Asana (Sanskrit आसन āsana [ˈɑːsənə] 'sitting down', < आस ās 'to sit down') is a body position, typically associated with the practice of Yoga, originally identified as a mastery of sitting still.  In the context of Yoga practice, asana refers to two things: the place where a practitioner sits and the manner (posture) in which he/she sits. 

Asana later became a term for various postures useful for restoring and maintain a practitioner's well-being and improve the body's flexibility and vitality, with the goal to cultivate the ability to remain in seated meditation for extended periods.

Benefits of Practice

• improve flexibility
• improve strength
• improve balance
• reduce stress and anxiety
• reduce symptoms of lower back pain
• be beneficial for asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD)
• increase energy and decrease fatigue
• shorten labor and improve birth outcomes
• improve physical health and quality of life measures in the elderly
• improve diabetes management
• reduce sleep disturbance
• reduce hypertension

The emphasis on the physical benefits of yoga, attributed to practice of the asanas, has de-emphasized the other traditional purposes of yoga which are to facilitate the flow of prana (vital energy) and to aid in balancing the koshas (sheaths) of the physical and metaphysical body.