ody becomes ossified, or else holds his arm
up in the air until it becomes stiff and withered and forever after
remains in that position, or perhaps clenches his fist and holds it
tight until his fingernails grow through the palms of his hands. That
these people exist is true, but their claim to the title "Yogi" seems
as absurd to the true Yogi as does the claim to the title "Doctor" on
the part of the man who pares one's corns seem to the eminent surgeon,
or as does the title of "Professor," as assumed by the street corner
vendor of worm medicine, seem to the President of Harvard or Yale.

There have been for ages past in India and other Oriental countries
men who devoted their time and attention to the development of Man,
physically, mentally and spiritually. The experience of generations of
earnest seekers has been handed down for centuries from teacher to
pupil, and gradually a definite Yogi science was built up. To these
investigations and teachings was finally applied the term "Yogi," from
the Sanscrit word "Yug," meaning "to join." From the same source comes
the English word "yoke," with a similar meaning. Its use in connection
with these teachings is difficult to trace, different authorities
giving different explanations, but probably the most ingenious is that
which holds that it is intended as the Hindu equivalent for the idea
conveyed by the English phrase, "getting into harness," or "yoking
up," as the Yogi undoubtedly "gets into harness" in his work of
controlling the body and mind by the Will.

Yoga is divided into several branches, ranging from that which teaches
the control of the body, to that which teaches the attainment of the
highest spiritual development. In the work we will not go into the
higher phases of the subject, except when the "Science of Breath"
touches upon the same. The "Science of Breath" touches Yoga at many
points, and although chiefly concerned with the development and
control of the physical, has also its psychic side, and even enters
the field of spiritual development.

In India there are great schools of Yoga, comprising thousands of the
leading minds of that great country. The Yoga philosophy is the rule
of life for many people. The pure Yogi teachings, however, are given
only to the few, the masses being satisfied with the crumbs which fall
from the tables of the educated classes, the Oriental custom in this
respect being opposed to that of the Western world. But Western ideas