Patanjali is the one who originally described the “asanas” that are used in today’s many forms of physical “Yoga”, also known as “Hatha Yoga”. Yoga simply means “mystical union” with the Divine (or whatever you want to call it). In western society today, Yoga is the practice of “asanas” and there is little talk of meditation, spirituality or God, which were the original purpose of the practice of asana exercises as described by Patanjali.
Max Lieberman
Austerity, the study of sacred texts, and the dedication of action to God constitute the discipline of Mystic Union (Yoga).
This discipline is practised for the purpose of acquiring fixity of mind on the Lord, free from all impurities and agitations, or on One’s Own Reality, and for attenuating the afflictions.
The five afflictions are ignorance, egoism, attachment, aversion, and the desire to cling to life.
Ignorance is the breeding place for all the others whether they are dormant or attenuated, partially overcome or fully operative.
Ignorance is taking the non-eternal for the eternal, the impure for the pure, evil for good and non-self as self.
Egoism is the identification of the power that knows with the instruments of knowing.
Attachment is that magnetic pattern which clusters in pleasure and pulls one towards such experience.
Aversion is the magnetic pattern which clusters in misery and pushes one from such experience.
Flowing by its own energy, established even in the wise and in the foolish, is the unending desire for life.
These patterns when subtle may be removed by developing their contraries.
Their active afflictions are to be destroyed by meditation.
From The Yoga Sutras of Patanjali – The Threads of Union
(written between 1700 and 2200 years ago)