Paramahansa Yoganada described yoga this way

"Yoga is an art as well as a science. It is a science because it offers practical methods for controlling body and mind, thereby making deep meditation possible. And it is an art, for unless it is practised intuitively and sensitively it will yield only superficial results.

"Yoga is not a system of beliefs. It takes into account the influence on each other of body and mind, and brings them into mutual harmony. So often, for instance, the mind cannot concentrate simply because of tension or illness in the body, which prevent the energy from flowing to the brain. So often too the energy in the body is weakened because the will is dispirited or paralysed by harmful emotions.

"Yoga works primarily with the energy in the body, through the science of pranayama, or energy control. Prana means also breath. Yoga teaches how, through breath control, to still the mind and attain higher states of awareness.

"The higher teachings of yoga take one beyond techniques and show the yogi or yoga practitioner how to direct his concentration in such a way as not only to harmonise human with divine consciousness, but to merge his consciousness in the Infinite."