Yoga

• The term yoga refers not only to a form of exercise but to a meditative practice in Hinduism. Hindus use yoga to activate and clear the chakras, seven spiritual centers located throughout the human body. It helps them achieve mental clarity through various physical poses and exercises, controlled breathing and meditation. There are several different types of yoga, each with a different philosophy and which focuses on a different part of enlightenment and reflection. Spirituality is deeply tied to Hinduism and yoga helps the religion's followers reach deeper levels of spirituality.
  
  

Puja

• Puja is a type of meditation performed by Hindus. Most perform a daily puja every morning at home as well as special puja during festivals or before starting a new venture. At home, Hindus have a shrine set up somewhere that contains pictures of deities as well as offerings to the deities, including water, light, incense or fruit. Prayers or chanting can be included in a puja as well as reflection on the deities.
  
  

Ayurveda

• Hindus practice an alternative form of medicine known as Ayurveda, which focuses on a healthy balance between essential physical principles expressed in English by the terms air, bile and phlegm. Ayurveda encourages its users to lead a healthy life daily, but also has diagnostic methods and treatment options to treat the various illnesses that occur throughout life. Treatments in Ayurvedic medicine are plant or herb based and can also include dietary therapy.
  
  

Namaste

• Namaste is a traditional Hindu gesture of greeting in which a person bows slightly with their hands put together in front of them with their fingers pointing up. Users of this greeting often say the word, "Namaste," while bowing, although bowing with the hands together silently carries the same meaning. The term can be translated to mean "I bow to you." While it may seem like just a greeting to most people, for Hindus the greeting has a far deeper meaning. Greeting someone with Namaste is acknowledging that the same life force flows through him.