People’s preoccupation with fitness and the ever growing self-conscious attitude towards lifestyle diseases have drawn people back to the age-old practice of Yoga as a means of leading a healthy life.Today, many people identify yoga only with asana, the physical practice of yoga, but asana is just one of the many tools used for healing the individual; only three of the 196 sutras mention asana and the remainder of the text discusses the other components of yoga including conscious breathing, meditation, lifestyle and diet changes, visualization and the use of sound, among many others.In Yoga Sutras, Patanjali outlines an eightfold path to awareness and enlightenment called ashtanga, which literally means “eight limbs”.(Desikachar, 2005)

Traditionally, Yoga was described as a disciplined way of life. It originated in India around 4000-5000 years ago and subsequently developed as a philosophy,science and psychology.The aims of yoga include development of a pain free body which is strong and flexible; optimal and balanced functioning of the autonomic nervous system along with the physiological systems and a mind which is calm,clear and tranquil.Beyond these specific outcomes, yoga practices are intended to facilitate self transformation at every level of functioning, with the goal of improving the overall quality of life. (Kaley-Isley , Peterson et. al. , 2010)
The first, Hatha yoga is that branch of yoga that focuses on physical exercises to master the body along with mind exercises to withdraw it from external objects. On the other hand, the method of controlling the mind first and body through it, is called Rajyoga. The method of effecting the union by the sheer force of will power is called Jnanayoga and that through the medium of the power of speech is Mantrayoga. (The Science of Yoga,