Simply put, yoga is a path of self-discovery. The word itself comes from the Sanskrit root yuj, to unite or to yoke. This union or joining together in the context of yoga practice has to do with balancing and uniting opposing forces within the body and mind. On a physical level this can have to do with strength and flexibility, rest and motion, left and right, hot and cold, etc. Mentally and emotionally through yoga one can achieve balance in life via thought and emotion. How? That is to be learned via the instruction and guidance of a teacher and the various methods of yoga available.