ReferenceNotesUnit6LivingaHealthierLifeReadingFocusYogainAmericaTopic-relatedInformationYogameans"union"inSanscrit,thelanguageofindiawhereyogaoriginated.Yogacombinesphysicalexercises,mentalmedi-tation,andbreathingtechniquestostrengthenthemusclesandrelievestress.It'stheunionbetweenthemind,bodyandspirit.YogahasbeenpracticedforthousandsofyearsasalifephilosophytoconnecttheindividualselfwithwhatpractitionerscalltheDivine,UniversalSpirit,orCosmicConsciousness.Yogaisbestknownasatypeofexercisesystemthatstretchesandstrengthensthebodythroughvariousposescalledasanas.Butyogagoesfarbeyondjustamereexerciseroutine.Oneofthemostcompellingreasonstobeginpracticingistheholisticoutlookittakes—workingmind,body,andspirit.Body-mindyogaisaverydiversepractice,nomatterwhichschoolyouchoose.Youngandoldpeoplecangainmanybenefitsfromregularyogapractices,andasanascanbeadjustedtofitphysicallimitationsandothercomplications.Nowadays,yogaexerciseshavebecomemoreandmorepopularallovertheworld.Yogaisnotjustaphysicalexercise,butamentaldiscipline,whichoffersgreatbenefitswhenpracticedregularly.Apartfromphysicalfitness,youcanalsogetcompleterelaxationofmindbymakingyogaexercisesanintegralpartofyourlife.Therearemanydifferentschoolsofyoga,allofwhichhavetheirownuniquepracticesandphilosophies.Theprominenttypesare:Bhaktiyoga,Hathayoga,Jnanayoga,KarmayogaandKundaliniyoga.Almostalltypesofyogahavetheiruniquequalities.ThemostcommonformisHathayoga,whichincludespostures(asanas)andvariousbreathingtechniques(pranayama).AboutthetextThispassageistakenfromGaleEncyclopediaofAlternativeMedicineandGaleEncyclopediaofNursingandAlliedHealth,2002,whichisdesignedforstudentsofnursingandthealliedhealthprofessions,caregivers,andtheeducatedlayreaders.Itisafive-volumesetincludingover850signedarticlesonvariousaspectsofnursing.Itcoversnursingandalliedhealthcareeduca-tionandtraining,currenthealthissues(viewpoints,professionalimplications),testsandprocedures(descriptions,precautions,aftercare),andquipment/tools(descriptions,operation,healthcareteamroles),aswellasdiseases(causes,diagnosis,treatment)andhumanbiology/bodysystems(functions,roleinhumanhealth).Thebookfocusesprimarilyontheinterestsofnursesandalliedhealthprofessionals.Theessayswerecontributedbyphysicians,nurses,andotherhealthprofessionals.Thispassageisanexpositoryessayonyoga.Itgivesabriefintroductiontotheoriginofyoga,itsquickspreadintheUS,aswellasthebenefitsofdoingyoga.Theauthoralsotalksaboutthedifferentschoolsofyogaandtheirfocuses.Atthesametime,hegivesthebeginnersofyogasometipsforpractice.Sincethepassageisanexposition,longsentencesandpassivevoiceareusedalot.However,theauthormakesapointofwritinginclearlanguagesoreaderswillfullyunderstandhim.参考译文“瑜伽”这个词源于梵语，意思是“结合”或“联合”。传统上瑜伽是一种把个人和神，万物之灵或无穷的意识联合在一起的方法。为了帮助达到这个也被称为“自我超越”或“启蒙”的目的，设计了身体上和精神上的锻炼方法。在身体上，设计了各种瑜伽姿势来使人的身体结实、强壮，有协调性，练习这些体位能使脊柱变得柔软健康，血液更通畅地到达各器官、腺或人体组织，从而使身体各系统更健康。在精神上，瑜伽使用呼吸法（梵语为pranayama）和冥想使心境平和、净化，精神得到很好的修养。但是专家们很快指出瑜伽不是一种宗教，而是将健康与平和的心境结合在一起的一种生活方式。瑜伽在美国道格拉斯·多普勒1.瑜伽起源于古印度，是世界上最古老的哲学体系之一。一些学者估计，瑜伽至少有5,000年的历史，印度曾...