The entire practice of Yoga is verily this universal latter part of religion just refered to above. These two terms, religion and Yoga, are almost identical in their meaning. The special feature to be noted regarding Yoga is that it represents the universal spiritual mystic that underlies all religions of mankind, and is therefore a common and thus unifying factor in the religious life of human society. Whereas, as an observed historical phenomenon, the diversified religious systems have tended to separate man from man and split up human society into mutually exclusive groups that refuse to harmonize with one another. Yoga tends to bring out the inner unity that exists at the central core of all religions, and its non-sectarian techniques bring people closer in spiritual ties of inner unity.
Yoga is to religion what food and eating are to the science of nutrition.
Yoga is to religion what actual physical exercise is to the subject of physical culture and national health. Yoga is a scientific methodology of religion and Yoga practice guides the Yoga follower in the path of practical religion towards the true goal of all religion, namely God-experience. Yoga constitutes man s purposeful movement towards God, which actually comprises the very quintessence of all religion. This surely is the truth about Yoga. While Yoga divides its practices to suit the different temperaments and capacities of the various individuals, it declares at the same time the indivisible oneness of the aim of all religious life, and the oneness of the goal of all religious strivings, namely God the Universal Spirit who is addressed by various names like Jehovah, Allah, Almighty Father, etc.