The word Yoga literally translated from Sanskrit means "to yoke" or "union": union of the small, or ego self, with the Divine Self. It is believed that the Ultimate Truth of our existence is always this state of Yoga. Yoga is a state of being, therefore we can't really "do" yoga. What we can do are practices like asana (posture), pranayama (breath work), and meditation that bring us closer to this Ultimate Truth.
Ultimate Truth is indescribable; impossible to explain using words. You will only know it through experience. Our spiritual practices work to peel off layers of illusion (maya) which hold us back from understanding our true nature, which is wholeness, or if you prefer, emptiness.
Buddha, whose teachings are a wonderful inspiration for one's yoga practice, taught that "our fundamental nature of mind is a luminous expanse of awareness that is beyond all conceptual fabrication and completely free from the movement of thoughts" (translated by Dzogchen Ponlop Rinpoche). However, just as clouds move over the sun and hide it's vibrance, certain temporary obscurations limit us from discovering our true nature. So we challenge the physical body through asana, cleanse the energetic body through pranayama, and sharpen the mind through meditation so that every so often the veil is lifted and we are able to witness the truth of our existence. Now if we can simply always be aware of our true nature!
How lucky we all are to have access to these powerful practices. It has been said that if you practice yoga, you have been practicing it for lifetimes. Therefore, we all have the potential to reach enlightenment before our souls leave this physical body.
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"In asana practice, each part of the body becomes an expression of the desire to realize God. The hands, fingers, feet, toes, and all the body parts express this yearning for the Divine."
~Sharron Gannon and David Life
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