The word ‘yoga’ means the meeting of ‘mind’ and ‘body’, and thus it represents a discipline involving meditations and physical exercises. Throughout many centuries, the ascetics of India have been practising this discipline to strengthen themselves in their pursuit of enlightenment. Yoga is not just a well-developed technique that works for a better living, but also a philosophy that contributes deeply to the definition and purpose of life. A practitioner of yoga never lacks in determination, courage, and bravery at the most challenging times, and can look at the coldest of storms with the warmest of smiles. Nature is the primary source of influence for the practice of yoga, alongside the spiritual aspirations of humanity. The yoga discipline constitutes alchemy of a very special sort because it aspires to produce results through the application of sheer Will and the power of unrelenting Efforts. Yoga recognises no limits for either mental or physical state of its practitioner, and always treads indefatigably for the greatest heights.

In the Yoga philosophy, a person has to awaken seven chakras in order to find illumination. There is a very strong resemblance between those seven chakras and the seven metals of alchemy. The first chakra corresponds to the metal Lead and its fear of disintegration. After overcoming the fear of disintegration, the second chakra corresponds to the metal Iron and its fear of corrosion. After corrosion, appear the fear of splitting or dissociation in the form of metal Tin, and the challenge of third chakra. The fourth chakra deals with the fear of impurity or impiety, which is the condition of metal Copper. The fifth chakra is pure but very unstable, representing the state of metal Mercury or Quicksilver. The sixth chakra reflects the fear of discoloration or stain in the form of metal Silver. The seventh chakra is the final chakra represented by the metal Gold, whose metallic state of perfection an alchemist or yogi acquires after the arduous tasks of overcoming all forms of fears and vulnerabilities of his mental and physical state.

Another powerful aspect of yoga is the ability of a yogi to use the Spinal fire or Kundalini power, which in alchemy corresponds to the Dragon fire. The spinal fire is by far the most potent tool of transmutation used by a yogi to enhance the endurance and strength of his being. There are many alchemical traditions for the merging of a serpent’s wisdom with an eagle’s glory in order to produce a dragon’s invulnerability and power. The use of spinal fire in yoga is the truest embodiment of alchemical teachings in the yoga discipline. The Dragon Fire in alchemy is a power that only a master alchemist can command in a proficient manner, and consequently accomplishing his every goal of transmutation and purification. Therefore, the discipline of yoga does qualify the legacy of great alchemical traditions by fulfilling their objectives both in its conceptual and practical outlook.