| Yoga Glossary |
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|
|
| Words in Sanskrit/Hindi |
Meanings in English |
| Abhyantara |
Internal |
| Abhyasa |
practice - the act of practicing |
| Acharya |
teacher |
| Adwaita |
a philosophy according to which there is no duality - only a
singular state of consciousness |
| Agni |
fire |
| Agnisar kriya |
one of the shatkarmas (cleansing practices) -intestinal cleansing |
| Aham |
ego |
| Ahamkara |
Pride, Ego |
| Ahimsa |
non-violence, non-injury - one of the yamas of ashtanga yoga |
| Ajapa japa |
spontaneous repetition of 'soham' mantra |
| Ajna chakra |
energy circle located behind the forehead, also called psychic centre –
one of the seven energy centers |
| Akasha |
ether, space |
| Alasya |
Laziness |
| Anahata chakra |
energy circle located in the heart region; also called pranic centre -
fourth of the seven energy centers. |
| Ananda |
bliss, ecstasy |
| Anandamaya kosha |
The sheath of bliss |
| Annamaya kosha |
Anatomical sheath of man |
| Antar |
inner, internal |
| Antar dhauti |
internal yoga cleansing (shatkarma) techniques |
| Antar kumbhaka |
internal breath retention. The stage of pranayama where breath is
retained after inhalation. |
| Antar mouna |
internal silence - a meditation practice. |
| Antaranga-sadhana |
Practice concerning the internal quest |
| Antaratma-sadhana |
Practice concerning the innermost quest |
| Anubhava |
experience, realization |
| Anusasanam |
Discipline |
| Aparigraha |
Freedom from greed |
| Arambhavastha |
Beginners stage |
| Ardha |
half |
| Ardha Baddha Padmottanasana |
Half hold/stretch lotus pose |
| Ardha dhanurasana |
half bow yoga pose |
| Ardha matsyendrasana |
half spinal twist yoga position |
| Ardha padmasana |
half lotus pose |
| Asana |
yoga position or yoga pose, also called yogasana.
A balanced position for smooth energy flow in specific areas of the body and mind. |
| Ashrama |
residential place of people living together in yogic tradition. |
| Ashtanga yoga |
the eight fold path of yoga as outlined by Patanjali: yama, niyama, asana, pranayama
, pratyahara, dharana, dhyana, samadhi |
| Ashwini mudra |
practice of contracting the anal sphincter. |
| Asteya |
Non-stealing |
| Atman |
soul. |
| Aum |
see Om |
| Avidya |
ignorance |
| Avirati |
Desires |
| Bahir / bahya |
outside, external |
| Bahir kumbhaka |
external breath retention. The stage of pranayama where breath is retained
after exhalation. |
| Bahiranga |
External quest |
| Bahiranga trataka |
concentrating the attention (gaze) upon an external object such as a candle flame. |
| Bandha |
a posture in which organs and muscles are contracted to create energy lock
in a specific area. |
| Basti |
a colon cleansing technique (shakarma), yogic enema |
| Bhagvad Gita |
a part of the famous Hindu epic 'Mahabharata'.
Teachings of Lord Krishna to his disciple Arjuna at the commencement of
the battle of Kurukshetra, with explanations on sannyasa yoga, karma yoga,
bhakti yoga, and jnana yoga. |
| Bhakti |
devotion |
| Bhakti marg |
Path of devotion |
| Bhakti yoga |
the yoga of devotion. |
| Bhastrika pranayama |
'bellows' breathing technique in which the
breath is forcibly drawn in and out through the nose in equal proportions,
like the pumping action of the bellows. |
| Bhramari pranayama |
breathing practice in which a soft "humming-bee" sound is produced
during exhalation to stimulate the Ajna Chakra |
| Bhranti darshana |
False ideas, delusions |
| Bhujangasana |
cobra' pose. |
| Brahmacharya |
Celibacy |
| Brahman |
supreme consciousness, absolute reality. |
| Buddhi |
Intelligence |
| Chakra |
Energy circle or wheel, in yoga this refers to the energy centers lying
along the confluence of the nadis (energy channels) |
| Chandra |
moon |
| Chandra nadi |
ida nadi |
| Chidakasha |
psychic space in front of the closed eyes, just behind the forehead. |
| Chin mudra |
hand gesture in which the first finger is kept at the root of the thumb,
the last three fingers are unfolded. |
| Chitta |
Consciousness which comprises mind, intellect |
| Chitta vritti |
Movement of the mind/consciousness |
| Danda |
stick |
| Danda dhauti |
one of the cleansing techniques (shatkarmas), used to clean the
oesophagus with a stick. |
| Danta dhauti |
teeth cleansing technique |
| Dhanurasana |
bow' pose; backward bending yoga pose |
| Dharana |
practice of concentration; sixth of the eight fold path in ashtanga yoga |
| Dharma |
duty, righteous path |
| Dhauti |
second of the shatkarmas; cleansing technique of the eyes, ears, tongue,
forehead, oesophagus, stomach, rectum and anus |
| Dhyana |
Meditation |
| Diksha |
initiation given by the guru. |
| Dosha |
three humours of the body; see kapha, pitta, vata |
| Dugdha neti |
nasal irrigation or cleansing technique using milk |
| Dukha |
Misery, pain |
| Ekagra |
Single pointed concentration |
| Ghatavastha |
Intermediate stage of yoga, |
| Gheranda Samhita |
Text on yoga, written by the sage Gheranda in the 15th century |
| Ghrita neti |
neti (nasal cleansing technique) performed with ghee |
| Gomukhasana |
cow's face' posture |
| Gorakshasana |
Yogi Gorakhnath's' pose |
| Guna |
quality of nature viz. tamas, rajas, sattwa |
| Guptasana |
the 'secret' pose |
| Guru |
spiritually enlightened soul, who can dispel darkness, ignorance and
illusion from the mind and enlighten the consciousness of a devotee/disciple |
| Guru-sishya parampara |
The tradition of teaching, where a Guru imparts his knowledge to his desciples |
| Hatha yoga |
science of yoga which purifies the whole physical body by means of
shatkarma, asana, pranayama, mudra, bandha and concentration |
| Hathayoga Pradipika |
Treatise on yoga compiled in the 12th century by the sage Svatmarama |
| Hridaya akasha |
psychic space of the heart centre |
| Ida nadi |
one of the main energy channels running on the left side of the spine
from the mooladhara (base) chakra to the ajna chakra in the head. |
| Isvara pranidhana |
Surrender to God |
| Jala |
water |
| Jala basti |
The yoga technique of enema using water - one of the yoga shatkarma |
| Jala neti |
a shatkarma technique - cleansing of the nasal passages with water
by alternating the flow of water in the nostrils, preferably using a neti pot. |
| Jalandhara bandha |
throat lock' to restrict the flow of bereath through the throat - done by
resting the chin on the upper sternum (chest). |
| Japa |
continuous chanting i.e repetition of a mantra |
| Jihva dhauti |
one of the shatkarma techniques for cleansing the tongue. |
| Jivatma |
The individual self |
| Jnana |
knowledge, understanding, wisdom |
| Jnana marg |
Path of knowledge |
| Jnana mudra |
the gesture of knowledge - in this the index finger is bent so that its
tip is joined with the tip of the thumb, the other three fingers are spread out. |
| Jnana yoga |
the yoga of knowledge - attained through spontaneous self-analysis
and investigation of abstract and speculative ideas. |
| Kaivalya |
Eternal emancipation |
| Kapal |
skull or cerebrum |
| Kapalbhati pranayama |
a breathing technique aimed at cleaning the frontal part of the brain;
also called skull polishing - done through rapid breaths with more
force on exhalation. |
| Karana sharira |
Causal body, one of the three layers of the body |
| Karma |
action; the act of doing |
| Karma marg |
Path of selfless service without thought of reward |
| Karma yoga |
the yoga of action - aims at supreme consciousness through action;
discussed in Bhagavad Gita |
| Karna dhauti |
one of the shatkarma which involves cleansing the ears. |
| Karya sharira |
Gross body, one of the three layers of the body |
| Kati chakrasana |
waist rotating' pose. |
| Kevala kumbhaka |
spontaneous cessation of breath without any conscious effort. |
| Klesha |
|
| Klesha |
afflictions or tensions or Trouble - according to yoga there are 5 such
afflictions present in humans from birth |
| Koormasana |
tortoise' pose - an advanced posture. |
| Kosha |
sheath or body; realm of experience and existence. |
| Kriya |
activity, dynamic yogic practice |
| Kriya yoga |
the practice of kundalini yoga |
| Ksipta |
Distracted |
| Kukkutasana |
cockerel' pose |
| Kumbhaka |
Retention of breath |
| Kumbhaka |
breath retention |
| Kundalini |
Divine, cosmic energy which is latent in every being |
| Kundalini shakti |
refers to the human's potential energy lying dormant in mooladhara
(base) chakra like a coiled serpent. When awakened it rises up through
the sushumna nadi. |
| Kundalini yoga |
philosophy expounding the awakening of potential energy and inherent
consciousness within the human body and mind. |
| Kunjal kriya |
a shatkarma (cleansing) technique that involves the cleansing of the
stomach by drinking in water and then expelling it by inducing vomiting. |
| Laghoo shankha prakshalana |
a shatkarma technique - also referred as the short intestinal wash.
Involves the drinking of several glasses of water and the expelling it
through stool after a series of exercises (asanas); in the process a
thorough cleansing of the colon takes place. |
| Laya yoga |
union with the supreme consciousness through pranayama or devotion.
Literally, union by absorption |
| Maha |
great |
| Maha bandha |
the great lock - combines the three locks in yoga - the moola bandha,
jalandhara bandha and uddiyana bandha - together with breath retention. |
| Maha mudra |
the great gesture - combines the practice of moola bandha, shambhavi
and khechari mudras simultaneously. |
| Maha nadi |
literally means 'great nadi', which is the 'sushumna' in yoga |
| Mahabharata |
The oldest of the Indian epics, dating to the first millennium BC |
| Makara |
crocodile |
| Makarasana |
crocodile' pose |
| Manas |
The Mind |
| Manas chakra |
the energy center above the ajna chakra - is depicted with six petals |
| Manipura chakra |
the energy centre in the spinal column located behind the navel - corresponding
to the solar plexus. |
| Manomaya kosha |
The mental or the emotional sheath, one of the five sheaths of the body |
| Mantra |
subtle sound vibration, which through repetition aims at expanding one's
awareness or consciousness. |
| Mantra shakti |
the power of mantra |
| Matsyendrasana |
a spine twisting pose |
| Mayur |
peacock |
| Mayurasana |
peacock' pose - advanced pose aims at strengthening the arms and
stimulating the manipura chakra. |
| Moksha |
liberation from the cycle of birth and death. |
| Moola |
root |
| Moola bandha |
energy lock created by the contraction of the perineum in the male
and the cervix in the female. |
| Mooladhara chakra |
lowest energy centre in the human body where the kundalini shakti
(serpent power) resides - situated in the perineal floor in men and
the cervix in women. |
| Moorchha pranayama |
fainting or swooning breath' in which the breath is inhaled slowly and
retained for an extended period. |
| Mouna |
silence - the practice of silence |
| Muda |
Dull, inert |
| Mudra |
literally means 'gesture' - mudra expresses and channelizes cosmic
energy within the mind and body. |
| Nadi |
energy channels in the body, similar to the meridians in acupuncture |
| Nadi shodhana pranayama |
breathing technique - is the 'alternate nostril breathing' or 'balanced
breathing' - balances the energy flow in the channels and purifies the
energy channels (nadi) by balancing the flow of breath through the right and left nostrils. |
| Nasagra/nasikagra mudra |
hand gesture adopted during pranayama to alternate the flow of breath through the nostrils. |
| Nauli |
abdominal massage' - a cleansing technique (shatkarma) involving the
contraction of the rectus abdominal muscles. |
| Neti kriya |
another shatkarma (cleansing technique) - involves cleaning of the nasal
passages or sinus irrigation jala neti forms a part of the various neti kriyas. |
| Nidra |
sleep |
| Nirbija |
Seedless |
| Nirodha |
Restraint |
| Nispattiavastha |
State of becoming one with the body, mind and self |
| Niyama |
Ethical disciplines |
| Om |
the universal mantra; cosmic vibration of the universe; represents the four
states of consciousness |
| Pada |
foot; section of a literary work |
| Padahastasana |
Foot hand pose |
| Padangusthasana |
Big Toe Posture |
| Padmasana |
lotus pose - a seated meditative posture |
| Pancha makara |
the five tantric practices : mansa(meat), madhya(wine), matsya(fish),
mudra(grain), and maithuna(sexual intercourse) |
| Pancha tattwa |
the five elements - earth, water, fire, air and ether |
| Param |
highest, supreme, God |
| Paramatma |
the supreme atma; God |
| Parichayavastha |
Third stage of yoga practice, when the intelligence and body become one,
stage of perception of nada |
| Parigraha |
Possessiveness |
| Parivrtta Trikonasana |
Revolved three angle pose |
| Parmataman |
The universal self |
| Paschimottanasana |
back stretching pose |
| Patanjali |
A sage, the founder of Yoga; believed to have lived some time between 200-500 BC |
| Pingala nadi |
one of the main energy channels running on the right side of the spine from
the mooladhara (base) chakra to the ajna chakra in the head by intersecting
various chakras on the way. |
| Plavini pranayama |
breathing technique which involves gulping air and swallowing it into the
stomach and retaining it |
| Poornima |
full moon night |
| Prakamya |
fulfillment of desire |
| Prakasha |
inner light |
| Prakriti |
Nature |
| Pramada |
Carelessness |
| Pramana |
proof |
| Prana |
vital energy force sustaining life and creation |
| Pranamaya kosha |
The vital or the organic body, one of the five sheaths of the body |
| Pranayama |
|
| Pranayama |
Technique of breathing and breath control which regulates energy flow
and aims at maintaining energy balance, Expansion of the vital energy
through the regulation of the breath |
| Prasad |
an offering usually food to and from the guru or higher power |
| Prasarita Padottanasana |
extended leg stretch pose |
| Pratyahara |
Internalisation of the senses |
| Pratyahara |
sense withdrawal; first stage of concentrating on the mind during meditation |
| Pravritti |
nature of the mind |
| Prithvi tattwa |
the earth element |
| Purana |
eighteen ancient books consisting of legends and mythological
narrations dealing with creation, recreation and the genealogies of sages and rulers |
| Purusha |
man; pure consciousness |
| Purusha shakti |
The Seer or the soul |
| Purushartha |
purpose of the consciousness, of man's existence- the four basic
needs or desires, arth, kaama, dharma, moksha |
| Raja yoga |
yoga in which union is achieved through concentration of mind |
| Rajasic |
Vibrant quality of nature |
| Rakta bindu |
red bindu, same as beeja(seed) bindu, shakti bindu; the potentially
creative bindu from which creation springs; often refers to the ovum. |
| Rechaka |
exhalation |
| Rudra |
Lord Shiva ; Rudra is one of the holy trinity |
| Sahasrara chakra |
highest energy centre located at the crown of the head |
| Sakshi |
witness |
| Samadhi |
Self Realization, the final stage of ashtanga yoga in which concentration
becomes one with the object of concentration; supreme union. |
| Samshaya |
Doubt, problem |
| Samskara |
impressions stored in the mind that form the basis of our beliefs,
attitudes and personality. |
| Samyama |
Integration |
| Sankalpa |
spiritual resolve. |
| Sannyasi |
one who has renounced the world in seek of self-realization. |
| Santosha |
contentment |
| Saraswati |
Goddess who bestows knowledge of fine arts and power of speech |
| Sarvaanga sadhana |
Holistic practice which integrates the body, mind and the self |
| Sarvangasana |
shoulderstand - an inverted posture |
| Sat |
truth |
| Satguru |
guru who has attained self-realization |
| Sattvic |
Luminous nature |
| Sattwa guna |
quality unwavering purity |
| Satya |
Truth |
| Saucha |
Cleanliness |
| Seetkari pranayama |
Breathing technique which involves hissing leading to a cooling effect
upon the whole body. |
| Shabda Brahman |
cosmic causal state. |
| Shakti |
Vital energy |
| Shambhavi mudra |
a yoga gesture in which one focusses at the mid-eyebrow centre |
| Shashankasana |
moon pose |
| Shatkarma |
the six yogic techniques of purification of the body, viz. neti, dhauti,
nauli, basti, trataka, kapalbhati |
| Sheetali pranayama |
cooling breath' - a pranayama technique that lowers the body temperature
by inhaling through the mouth while letting the breath flow in over the tongue. |
| Shishya |
disciple; student |
| Shvasa-prashvasa |
Uneven respiration or unsteadiness |
| Siddha yoni asana |
the female counterpart of the siddhasana meditative posture,
in which the left heel presses the entrance to the vagina |
| Siddhasana |
a meditative seating posture in which the left heel presses the
perineum (stimulating the mooladhara chakra); also called as
the adept's pose or the 'pose of perfection'. |
| Sirshasana |
inverted pose - the 'headstand' in which the body is inverted and
balanced on the crown of the head |
| Soham |
represents a mantra in meditation; literally means, 'I am That'.
Represents the Psychic sound with the sound 'so' during inhalation
and 'ham' during exhalation. |
| Soma chakra |
sixteen petalled chakra situated above ajna and manas chakras |
| Styana |
Lack of interest |
| Sukhasana |
a comfortable meditative pose; also called the 'easy pose' or
simply the cross-legged pose. |
| Sukshma sharira |
The subtle body, one of the three layers of the body |
| Surya bheda pranayama |
breathing technique in which inhalation is done through the right nostril ; increases vitality |
| Surya nadi |
see 'pingala nadi' |
| Surya Namaskara |
Sun Salutation |
| Sushumna nadi |
main energy channel in yoga, in the centre of the spinal cord through
which kundalini shakti flows. |
| Sutra neti |
yogic technique to cleanse the nasal passage using a special thread |
| Svadhyaya |
Self study |
| Svatmarama |
Author of Hathayoga Pradipika |
| Swadhishtana chakra |
Energy centre located above the organ of generation |
| Swadhisthana chakra |
second chakra in the spinal column, above the mooladhara. |
| Swastikasana |
auspicious pose -meditative posture similar to siddhasana |
| Tadasana |
palm tree pose- standing posture |
| Tamas |
the quality of inertia, laziness, procrastination. |
| Tamasic |
Inertic nature |
| Tapas |
Practice with discipline, devotion and religiosity |
| Tiryaka bhujangasana |
twisting cobra pose |
| Tiryaka tadasana |
swaying palm tree pose |
| Trataka |
one of the cleansing techniques (shatkarma) in which the gaze is
focussed upon an object such as a candle flame. |
| Uddiyana bandha |
abdominal retraction lock'; drawing in of the abdomen towards the backbone
after exhaling |
| Ujjayi pranayama |
a kind of breathing technique which produces a light sonorous sound. |
| Utkatasana |
squatting position |
| Uttankoormasana |
Tortoise pose |
| Utthita Hasta Padangustasana |
extended hand toe posture |
| Uttihita Parsvakonasana |
Revolved side angle pose |
| Uttihita Trikonasana |
Extended three angle pose |
| Vajrasana |
the 'thunderbolt' pose; a kneeling posture with buttocks resting upon the heels. |
| Vama swara |
flow of breath in the left nostril |
| Vaman dhauti |
yogic technique to cleanse the stomach by voluntary vomiting.
There are two types: kunjal kriya (regurgitating of water) and vyaghra (regurgitating of food) |
| Varisara dhauti |
yogic cleansing technique in which a large quantity of water is drunk
in conjunction with asanas to cleanse the entire digestive tract; also
known as shankhaprakshalana. |
| Vashitva |
ability to control all objects, living and non-living |
| Vastra dhauti |
yogic detoxification technique in which a specially prepared cloth is
swallowed and removed after ten minutes, in order to remove mucus from the stomach |
| Vatsara dhauti |
a cleansing technique in which the air swallowed into the stomach is belched out. |
| Vayu tattwa |
air element |
| Vedas |
four ancient texts- Rig, Yajur, Sama, Atharva, which are further divided
into Samhita, Brahmana, Aranayaka and Upanishads. They were revealed
to the sages and saints of India which explain and regulate every aspect of
life from supreme reality to worldly affairs. The oldest books in the library of mankind. |
| Veerasana |
hero,s pose - for concentration and discrminative thinking. |
| Vijnanmaya kosha |
Intellectual sheath, one of the five sheaths of the body |
| Viksipta |
Scattered and agitated |
| Virabhadrasasana |
Warrior Pose |
| Vishuddhi chakra |
Energy centre situated behind the throat |
| Vyadhi |
Physical ailments |
| Yama |
Ethical codes for daily life |
| Yamuna river |
emanating from Yamnotri in the Himalayas and joining Ganga near Allahabd,
North India;refers to pingala nadi in the pranic body. |
| Yoga |
state of union between two opposites - body and mind; individual and universal
consciousness; a process of uniting the opposing forces in the body and mind
in order to achieve supreme awareness and enlightenment. |
| Yoga abhyasa |
practice of yoga. |
|
|
| Yoga nidra |
a deep relaxation technique also called 'yogic sleep' in which mind and body is
at complete rest but with complete awareness. |
| Yoga Sutras |
A collection of aphorisms on the practice of yoga, attributed to sage Patanjali |
| Yogabhrastha |
Falling from the grace of yoga |
