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Originally Posted by Aditi
I am not sure why we, in the west, say just yoga when we mean the exercises. If I had to guess, I would say, maybe it means establishing a connection with the body. Does anyone here know?
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Hatha yoga (or ashtanga yoga or iyengar or any of the established schools) are basically about wellness practices for the body - especially when it encompasses a yogic lifestyle. And it's common sense that when the body feels good the mind is going to be more relaxed and less scattered, and teaches how to be in tune with the body and focus the mind - all of which is good for a meditation practice.
Yoga does also mean "union" and that means a spiritual path of some sort, of which meditation is one. But a spiritual path requires proper guidance which I don't think is going to be found in a typical yoga class.
I think the asanas were developed initially to help yogis sit for long periods in meditation.
As you see in this "Pashupati seal"
which is 4,000 years old, yoga has been around for a long time.