 The simple show explains yoga. When you think of yoga, you probably imagine exercise and complicated positions, but actually it's traditionally based on meditation and spirituality. Believed to originate from the 5th or 6th century BC, yoga is an Indian practice that also covers religion and philosophy. Yoga is a philosophical school of Hinduism, and therefore some consider it a way of life. It offers guidance on ethical practices, offers self-development techniques, and blends in its own brand of metaphysics. Yoga supports the concept of a personal God, with the ultimate goal of achieving a liberated, unified state of existence, called Kevalya. Hatha yoga, however, the physical practice more commonly seen in the West, became popular in the 1980s and has been on the rise ever since. Over 20 million people practice it in the U.S. alone. Its physical postures, known as arsanas, are used to relieve health problems, reduce stress, and make the spine and muscles more limber. You might recognize some of the positions, the bow pose, the warrior pose, and the downward-facing dog. The latter helps build bone density, and because the heart is above the head, encourages blood circulation. However you practice yoga, there's now a special day to celebrate it. June 21st. Sit down, close your eyes, and find some inner peace and harmony.