The yoga practiced today differs from traditional yoga primarily in terms of the motivation of the practitioners. In the traditional sense, the goal of yoga and the motivation for practicing it was self-determination, spiritual liberation and complete mental alertness. Only a few people followed this path.
Today, yoga is mainly practiced in the interest of health. The side effects of Hatha yoga practice, such as physical and mental health, are at the heart of the practitioner’s motivation. As can be seen from the brief historical overview, Patanjali’s Asthanga Yoga is the basis for today’s types of yoga.