Yoga
Yoga is the bringing together of the mind, body, and spirit. The three aspects are in all actuality unable to be separated. Each of the aspects interacts and plays upon the other in order to maintain harmony and health, both in the spiritual sense as well as the physical.
The basic philosophy of yoga consists of exploring the inner dimensions of the self through the strengthening of the three aspects of the self. Through techniques and practice, yoga helps to facilitate individual enlightenment for the person engaging in it.
Increasing the physical well-being through the technique known as hatha yoga. Hatha yoga is essentially used to activate the kundalini, or energy points in the body to bring about physical balance. Emphasis is mainly placed on the physical postures and poses that are meant to strengthen the body. Bodily processes are greatly enhanced by the practice of hatha yoga.
Another aspect of yoga is the raja meditation, or oneness through meditation. The employment of meditation is vital to the mastering of the mind-body connection. Through meditation, the mind is quieted and the body relaxed in effort to bring about insight and enlightenmnet of the self.
Jnana yoga is also called the yoga of wisdom. This is the most difficult aspect of the practice of yoga for several reasons. Through jnana, willpower and self-control are stressed in order to bring about the merging of the aspects of the self even further.
While yoga is not a religion by definition, many of the practices and techniques that are used by individuals who follow yogic tenets assist the individual in attaining similar goals of Buddhism.