Yoga and Meditation are two interrelated branches of the same great tree of Vedic knowledge that encompasses all human life and the entire universe. In this regard, it is important to understand the respective roles of Ayurveda and Yoga in the Vedic system.
“ Yoga and Ayurveda are not merely two separate but related healing disciplines of India. Each has its unique place and function, but each one overlaps with the other on various levels. ”
Yoga—particularly in its formation through the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali—is one of the six systems of Vedic philosophy (shad darshanas). These are the systems of Indian philosophy that accept the authority of the Vedas and try to systematize the meaning of the Vedic teachings.
The other Vedic systems include Nyaya (Logic), Vaisheshika (Categorization), Samkhya (Enumeration of Cosmic Principles), Purva Mimamsa (Ritual), and Uttara Mimamsa (Vedanta or Metaphysics).
Yoga to some extent pervades all the six systems and represents their practical side, outlining the prime principles and methods for developing the meditative mind that is the basis of all Vedic knowledge.