| TERMS |
DESCRIPTION |
 |
|
| 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 |
| Ahimsa |
non-violence, non-injury
- one of the yamas of ashtanga yoga |
| Ajapa japa |
spontaneous repetition
of 'soham' mantra |
| Ajna chakra |
energy center located
behind the forehead, also called psychic centre - one of the seven
energy centers |
| Akasha |
ether, space |
| Anahata chakra |
energy center located
in the heart region; also called pranic centre - fourth of the seven
energy centers. |
| Ananda |
bliss, ecstasy |
| 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. |
| Anubhava |
experience, realization |
| Ardha |
half |
| Ardha dhanurasana |
half bow yoga pose |
| Ardha matsyendrasana |
half spinal twist yoga
position |
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| 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. |
| Atman |
soul. |
| Aum |
see Om |
| Avidya |
ignorance |
| Bahir |
outside, external |
| Bahir kumbhaka |
external breath retention.
The stage of pranayama where breath is retained after exhalation. |
| 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 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 |
| Bhujangasana |
cobra'
pose. |
| Brahman |
supreme consciousness,
absolute reality. |
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| Chakra |
literally
meaning 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. |
| 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;
single-pointed focus of mind on either a form, thought or sound. |
| 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 |
| 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 |
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| Hatha
yoga |
science of yoga which
purifies the whole physical body by means of shatkarma, asana, pranayama,
mudra, bandha and concentration |
| 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. |
| 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. |
| Jnana |
knowledge, understanding,
wisdom |
| 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. |
| 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. |
| Karma |
action; the act of doing |
| 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. |
| Kati chakrasana |
waist
rotating' pose. |
| Kevala kumbhaka |
spontaneous cessation
of breath without any conscious effort. |
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| Klesha |
afflictions or tensions
- 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 |
| Kukkutasana |
cockerel'
pose |
| Kumbhaka |
breath retention |
| Kundalini |
man's retained energy
or potential energy and consciousness |
| 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
shankhaprakshalana |
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 |
| Makara |
crocodile |
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| Makarasana |
crocodile'
pose |
| 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. |
| 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 |
| 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. |
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| 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 |
| Niyama |
rule; there are 5 rules
described in the Ashtanga Yoga of Patanjali. |
| Om |
the universal mantra;
cosmic vibration of the universe; represents the four states of consciousness |
| Pada |
foot; section of a literary
work |
| 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 |
| Parichaya avastha |
stage of perception of
nada |
| Paschimottanasana |
back stretching pose |
| Patanjali |
author of the Yoga Sutras
and preacher of the eight-fold (ashtanga) yoga |
| Payaswini nadi |
energy channel terminating
at the right big toe, between poosha and pingala channels |
| 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 |
| Pramana |
proof |
| Prana |
vital energy force sustaining
life and creation |
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| Pranayama |
technique of breathing
and breath control which regulates energy flow and aims at maintaining
energy balance |
| Prasad |
an offering usually food
to and from the guru or higher power |
| 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 |
| 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 |
| 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
said to have sprung from Brahma's forehead and is one of the holy
trinity |
| Sahasrara
chakra |
highest energy centre
located at the crown of the head |
| Sakshi |
witness |
| Samadhi |
the final stage of ashtanga
yoga in which concentration becomes one with the object of concentration;
supreme union. |
| Samskara |
impressions stored in
the mind that form the basis of our beliefs, attitudes and personality. |
| 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 |
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| Sarvangasana |
shoulderstand - an inverted
posture |
| Sat |
truth |
| Satguru |
guru who has attained
self-realization |
| Sattwa guna |
quality unwavering purity |
| Satya |
truth-one of the yamas |
| Seetkari pranayama |
Breathing technique which
involves hissing leading to a cooling effect upon the whole body. |
| Shabda Brahman |
cosmic causal state. |
| Shakti |
vital force; 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 |
| 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 |
| Sukhasana |
a comfortable meditative
pose; also called the 'easy pose' or simply the cross-legged pose. |
| Surya bheda pranayama |
breathing technique in
which inhalation is done through the right nostril ; increases vitality |
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| Surya nadi |
see 'pingala nadi' |
| 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 |
| 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. |
| 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 |
| 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 |
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| 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. |
| Vishuddhi chakra |
one of the energy centres
located in the spine behind the throat and connected with the cervical
plexus, tonsils and thyroid gland. |
| 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. |
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