Yoga has survived 3,000 years of human history and will certainly flourish when it has lost the luster of being the fitness fad du jour. Of course 3,000 is a conservative estimate -- some scholars would argue the Indus valley civilization, which flourished between 3300 and 1700 BCE, also benefited from the practice of a kind of proto- or pre-yoga. If that is the case, yoga could claim well over 8,000 years of history. Other than language and writing, you would be hard-pressed to find a human endeavor so long in the tooth, so to speak.

The benefits of yoga are manifold. Indeed, the best teachers, or gurus, would admonish you by saying you get from yoga what you put into yoga. More sustained physical effort will yield a more supple and fit body. An emphasis on holding stances will result in more flexibility and stamina. A concentration on deep or rhythmic breathing will yield a more serene, meditative outlook on life.

Yoga, like its intimations, can mean different things depending on the translator. Derived from the root words yujir and samadhau, yoga can be translated as "contemplative absorption." It could also be translated as "control" or "uniting." Essentially, the practice of yoga, as the translations suggest, is to unite the body with the mind and one's entire being, eventually, with the higher states of consciousness. In this case, it is far more than a convenient excuse to wear fashionable yoga clothing, but is, instead, a tool for transcendence.

The emphasis at your local fitness shack is on mere physical fitness. While yoga is highly adaptable -- indeed it can be used in conjunction with any sport or fitness regime -- it does require a rested body and concentrated effort. To be sure, while some enthusiasts may well grab a pair of free weights and begin lifting will-nilly, it is the slow, rhythmic curl or press that will build the most muscle.

The slow, concentrated, and rhythmic factors of yoga prevail in the end. Indeed, the entire purpose of the art is to help the mind release its psychological hold on the body and allow the body to bend, stretch and grow more and more emboldened. When left to its own accord, the body will find it's own balance. The mind and tongue tend to get in the way, as it were. While the body generally addresses hunger -- overeating is almost always a byproduct of a stressed or dissatisfied mind.