I have some familiarity with the relationship between yogic practices and meditation practices due to my enrollment in a past mediation course offered here at Stockton with Patricia Donahue. In the class we routinely referenced and practiced yoga techniques to coincide with our mediation techniques. Aspects of yoga such as breath control, focus, and calmness are all relevant in meditation as well. All of these traits are good traits to have when attempting to slip into a state of deep meditation.
Certain meditation positions are also relatable to yoga stances and postures. An example would be the lotus position common in Zen Buddhism. Zen Buddhists will meditate in the lotus position by crossing both of their legs and holding their feet up by their hips or upper inner thighs. This is a position that requires a good amount of flexibility, something that an experienced yoga practitioner would be able to accomplish.
Although there are many similarities between yoga and meditation, being proficient at yoga does not mean you will automatically be a proficient meditator. The goals of meditation and the goals of yoga often do not overlap, especially in the West. A yogi in the West is often looking to improve their physical body and get a workout in, while an experienced meditator is simply trying to immerse themselves in a deep, meditative state. A yoga practitioner may have to modify their goals and expectations in order to meditate successfully.
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