Yoga Glossary

power of creation, the experience of having created some external visible object.

the desire for completion.

a teacher of Kashmir Shaivism who lived in Kashmir during the 10th century, author of texts on Kashmir Shaivism including The Tantra Loka, Vijnayana-bhairava, and other works.

internal.

practice, the act of practicing.

Teacher or Guru.

Downward.

Downward Facing Dog Pose.

Downward Facing Tree Pose or Handstand.

Non duality.

a philosophy according to which there is no duality, only a singular state of consciousness

fire, the god of fire.

one of the shatkarmas (cleansing practices), intestinal cleansing.

Fire Log Pose

ego

pride or ego

non-violence, non-injury, one of the yamas.

spontaneous repetition of 'soham' mantra.

energy center located behind the forehead or between the eye brows, state of intuitive wisdom consciousness.

Shooting Bow Pose

ether or space.

the 16th century king of Kashmir who built the famous Shalimar Gardens.

not able to hold on to what has been undertaken.

laziness

located in the Himalayas, a sacred place dedicated to the god Shiva.

Immortality

Nectar of everlasting life.

energy center in the "subtle body" associated in the "physical body" with the heart.

energy center located in the heart region, fourth of the seven chakras.

Melting Heart Pose

bliss, ecstasy.

Happy Baby Pose

divine presence governing the yamas & niyamas.

the sheath of bliss.

Side Reclining Leg Lift Pose.

the most subtle impurity of consciousness, when one can not hold on to the Shiva state, when one has a feeling of being incomplete.

means of increasing self-awareness using mantra, breath, and cognitive organs.

unsteadiness in the body.

Salutation Seal.

Low Lunge or Crescent Pose.

tnatomical sheath of man.

inner or internal.

internal yoga cleansing (shatkarma) techniques.

internal breath retention, the stage of pranayama where breath is retained after inhalation.

internal silence, a meditation practice.

the individual, limited being.

experience, realization.

power of revealing.

called heart-oriented, this yoga integrates the celebration of the heart, universal principles of alignment, and energetic asanas.

One of the vital airs which move in the sphere of the lower abdomen.

Supta Balasana or Knees to Chest Pose.

nongreed, nonhoarding, one of the five yamas, or restraints, which are the first of the eight stages of classical Yoga.

half

Half Frog Pose.

Half Moon Pose.

half bow yoga pose.

Half spinal twist yoga position.

Half Boat Pose.

Half lotus pose.

Standing Half Forward Bend.

hero of the Mahabharata and central figure of the Bhagavad Gita.

state in which no traces of thought are present.

in practice is the point where after in an asana one holds the breath and the mind goes into silence.

yoga movement, position, pose or posture.

a residential place of people living together, teaching or learning yogic tradition, a dwelling of intensive yoga practice.

1) eight fold path of yoga: yama, niyama, asana, pranayama, pratyahara, dharana, dhyana, samadhi 2) challenging yoga to build strength, flexibility, and stamina.

a Vedic ritual sacrifice.

practice of contracting the anal sphincter.

Ego

Eight Angle Pose.

Nonstealing, one of the five yamas, or restraints, which are the first of the eight stages of classic Yoga.

soul, the individual being.

the universal mantra, cosmic vibration of the universe, represents the four states of consciousness, Sanskrit word meaning "all" represents the omnipresence ofÊParamatma - also Om

Spirit or Mystic having moved beyond materialism or ego.

An incarnation of God.

Trance

Ignorance

Health Science in India

outside, external

external breath retention. The stage of pranayama where breath is retained after exhalation.

concentrating the attention upon an external object such as a candle flame.

a posture in which organs and muscles are contracted to create energy lock in a specific area.

A bond.

a colon cleansing technique.

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.

Ashtanga Yoga pose dedicated to Sage Bhairava.

One who practices Bhakti.

devotion

Yoga of devotion.

'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.

breathing practice in which a soft "humming-bee" sound is produced during exhalation to stimulate the Ajna Chakra

cobra pose.

active yoga performed in a hot environment.

Point or Dot, worn on forehead as third eye.

Enlightenment although literally means awakened.

Enlightened being.

Purity, chastity, nonlust.

supreme consciousness, absolute reality, God, divinity.

Awakened one or enlightened one.

The intellect.

literally meaning "wheels", in yoga this refers to the seven energy or "life force" centers lying from the base of the spine to the head.

moon

ida nadi

a thin, round flat bread.

disciple

psychic space in front of the closed eyes, just behind the forehead.

state of consciousness where being, consciousness, and bliss shines.

hand gesture in which the first finger is kept at the root of the thumb, the last three fingers are unfolded.

a stage in the experience of the rise of kundalini when the breath stops and becomes congealed low in the body.

breath exercise of even inhalation and exhalation that involves all respiratory muscles.

stick

one of the cleansing techniques (shatkarmas), used to clean the oesophagus with a stick.

Standing Separate Leg Head to Knee Pose, often used in Bikram yoga.

Standing Separate Leg Stretching Pose, often used in Bikram yoga.

Standing Bow Pulling Pose, often used in Bikram yoga.

Standing Head to Knee Pose, often used in Bikram yoga.

teeth cleansing technique.

seeing a revered person or being either with physical sight or in vision.

a god or being.

additional name for the Great Mother.

bow pose, backward bending yoga pose, , often used in Bikram yoga.

from the word dhri meaning "to hold firm", practice of concentration, or one-pointedness, sixth of the eight fold path in ashtanga yoga, the sixth of the eight stages of classical Yoga.

duty, righteous path, self-discipline, work, duty, or destiny, the life of responsibility and right action.

second of the shatkarmas, cleansing technique of the eyes, ears, forehead, tongue, stomach, esophagus, rectum and anus.

meditation or contemplation, single-pointed focus of mind on either a form, thought or sound, quieting the mind, the seventh of the eight stages of classical Yoga.

initiation given by a guru.

the three humours of the body, see kapha, pitta, vata.

A focused gaze, is a means for developing concentration and balance. It also relates to the 5th limb of yoga, pratyahara, regarding sense withdrawal as well as the 6th limb dharana relating to concentration.

nasal irrigation or cleaning technique with milk.

misery, unhappiness, pain

goddess of truth.

a natural breathing pattern that is relaxed and nonmanipulated.

Flying Crow Pose.

One-Legged King Pigeon Pose.

Sage Koundinya I Pose.

One-Legged King Pigeon Pose.

focused or "one pointed" awareness.

focused or "one pointed" awareness or concentration, the ability to focus the mind on an object without distraction for extended periods of time.

in mythology, the elephant-headed son of Shiva and Parvati, the god who removes obstacle.

India's most sacred river.

Womb Embryo Pose garbha "womb" pinda "embryo" asana "pose".

Eagle Pose, often used in Bikram and other forms of yoga.

clarified butter that originated in South Asia often made from the milk of water buffalo.

neti (nasal cleansing technique) performed with ghee.

cow's face' posture

Yogi Gorakhnath's' pose

quality of nature viz. tamas, rajas, sattwa

qualities of natural phenomena, everything in the universe exhibits these three qualities in varying degrees.

one who has gone beyond the three gunas.

the 'secret' pose

spiritually enlightened soul, who can dispel darkness, ignorance and illusion from the mind and enlighten the consciousness of a devotee/disciple, Teacher, spiritual preceptor, spiritual teacher.

worlds or universes where gurus reside.

son of the wind god, depicted as a monkey, a great devotee of Rama who helped Rama in his fight with Ravana.

a site in Kashmir where the Shiva Sutras are said to be carved in the face-down surface of a rock, called Shankarpal, lying in a river.

Many yoga styles spring from hatha. It is the yoga of physical well-being, designed to balance body, mind, and spirit, a science of yoga which purifies the whole physical body by means of shatkarma, asana, pranayama, mudra, bandha and concentration, the path of yoga that starts with the practice of asanas.

injury, harm, or violence.

one of the major religion of India.

psychic space of the heart centre.

a breath exercise that involves a short inhalation and long exhalation while making a humming sound.

one of the main energy channels running on the left side of the spine from the mooladhara chakra to the ajna chakra in the head.

god of thunder.

remembrance, which is one of the five niyamas, or observances, and the second of the eight stages of classic Yoga.

Iyengar Yoga, Founder B. K. S. Iyengar, a form of yoga known for its use of props as aids in performing asanas (poses). A traditional yoga based on the eight limbs of yoga as writen by Patanjali in the Yoga Sutras.

water

the yoga technique of enema using water - one of the yoga shatkarma

a shatkarma technique - cleansing of the nasal passages with water by alternating the flow of water in the nostrils, preferably using a neti pot.

throat lock' to restrict the flow of bereath through the throat - done by resting the chin on the upper sternum (chest).

continuous chanting i.e repetition of a mantra

one of the shatkarma techniques for cleansing the tongue.

knowledge, understanding, wisdom

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.

the yoga of knowledge - attained through spontaneous self-analysis and investigation of abstract and speculative ideas.

skull or cerebrum.

a breathing technique aimed at cleaning the frontal part of the brain, done through rapid breaths with more force on exhalation.

action, the act of doing.

the yoga of action, supreme consciousness through action.

The achievement of union with the Supreme Universal Soul through action.

one of the shatkarma which involves cleansing the ears.

waist rotating pose.

spontaneous cessation of breath without any conscious effort.

afflictions or tensions, according to yoga there are 5 such afflictions present in humans from birth.

tortoise pose.

sheath or body; realm of experience and existence.

activity, dynamic yogic practice.

the practice of kundalini yoga.

cock pose.

breath retention.

man's retained energy or potential energy and consciousness.

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.

philosophy expounding the awakening of potential energy and inherent consciousness within the human body and mind.

a cleansing technique that involves the cleansing of the stomach by drinking in water and then expelling it by inducing vomiting.

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.

Abhinavagupta's master.

Master of Kashmir Shaivism.

goddess of prosperity and beauty; consort of Vishnu.

a female Kashmiri Shaivite saint and 14th century poet.

an ancient Kashmiri king who invited the sage Atri Gupta to come live in his court to teach him Shaivism; from Atri Gupta the line of teachers of Kashmir Shaivism descended.

state of meditation which is like sound sleep, in which one is unaware of outside world and the state of meditation, both.

union with the supreme consciousness through pranayama or devotion. Literally, union by absorption.

on Practice and Discipline in Kashmir Shaivism - a book by Lakshmanjoo that includes discussion of the yamas and niyamas.

play

phallic emblem, usually of stone, representing the creative power of Shiva.

loincloth

in the theory of speech (vak), this is the middle state, where one resides only in thoughts.

Kashmiri name for the god Ganesha.

great

the great lock - combines the three locks in yoga - the moola bandha, jalandhara bandha and uddiyana bandha - together with breath retention.

the great gesture - combines the practice of moola bandha, shambhavi and khechari mudras simultaneously.

literally means 'great nadi', which is the 'sushumna' in yoga.

crocodile

crocodile pose.

A garland, wreath.

Garland Pose.

the energy center above the ajna chakra - is depicted with six petals.

the energy centre in the spinal column located behind the navel - corresponding to the solar plexus.

sound of syllables repeated by Yogis to produce a change in consciousness.

subtle sound vibration, which through repetition aims at expanding one's awareness or consciousness.

the particular universal force toward which a mantram is directed.

state of meditation in which the breath becomes balled and enters the central channel for the rise of kundalini.

the power of mantra.

state of meditation in which one experiences perception of worldly activities and then God-consciousness in the background.

semi-mythical sage; progenitor of the human race.

in Kashmir Shaivism, the theory of the alphabet.

A fish.

a spine twisting pose.

the illusion of individuality.

power as manifested in all states, enabling one to be fixed in contemplation of one's own nature.

the state of impurity that creates differentiation in one's consciousness.

peacock

peacock' pose - advanced pose aims at strengthening the arms and stimulating the manipura chakra.

a state of complete silence and inner awareness, reflection, a process of introspect.

liberation from the cycle of birth and death, liberation, freedom, release.

root

energy lock created by the contraction of the perineum in the male and the cervix in the female.

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.

fainting or swooning breath' in which the breath is inhaled slowly and retained for an extended period.

silence - the practice of silence.

unconscious or unaware state of mind.

literally means 'gesture' - mudra expresses and channelizes cosmic energy within the mind and body.

Face.

a lock, or tightening, of the rectal muscles.

chakra located at the base of the spine "energy center in the subtle body".

saint, sage.

energy channels in the body, similar to the meridians in acupuncture

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.

Commonly said at the end of yoga class by the instructor and the students. One beautiful interpretation: I honor that place in you where the whole Universe resides. And when I am in that place in me and you are in that place in you, there is only one of us.

I bow to you.

hand gesture adopted during pranayama to alternate the flow of breath through the nostrils.

Refuge, help.

abdominal massage' - a cleansing technique (shatkarma) involving the contraction of the rectus abdominal muscles.

A boat.

another shatkarma (cleansing technique) - involves cleaning of the nasal passages or sinus irrigation; jala neti forms a part of the various neti kriyas.

sleep

Restraint, suppression.

rule; there are 5 rules described in the Ashtanga Yoga of Patanjali.

Self-purification by discipline. The second stage of yoga mentioned by Patanjali.

the universal mantra; cosmic vibration of the universe; represents the four states of consciousness (also Aum).

foot; section of a literary work

The foot or leg; also part of a book.

The big toe.

A lotus.

lotus pose - a seated meditative posture

the five tantric practices : mansa(meat), madhya(wine), matsya(fish), mudra(grain), and maithuna(sexual intercourse)

the five elements - earth, water, fire, air and ether

The author of the yoga sutras. The propounder of Astanga yoga. He put it on paper, so the world could experience it.

highest, supreme, God

the supreme atma; God

stage of perception of nada

A beam or a bar used for bolting or shutting a gate.

Lateral side stretch.

Entire, complete.

Boat pose.

Turned around, revolved.

Twisting triangle.

The side, flank; lateral.

A fetter, trap, noose.

West; the back side of the body.

Intense stretch of the back side of the body from the nape to the heels.

back stretching pose

Seated forward bend.

author of the Yoga Sutras and preacher of the eight-fold (ashtanga) yoga

energy channel terminating at the right big toe, between poosha and pingala channels

Pain, suffering, pressure.

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.

breathing technique which involves gulping air and swallowing it into the stomach and retaining it

full moon night

Intelligence, wisdom.

fulfillment of desire

inner light

nature

proof

Breath, respiration, life, vitality, wind, energy, strength. It also connotes the soul.

vital energy force sustaining life and creation

Rhythmic control of the breath. The fourth stage of yoga.

technique of breathing and breath control which regulates energy flow and aims at maintaining energy balance

an offering usually food to and from the guru or higher power

Spread out, stretched out.

sense withdrawal; first stage of concentrating on the mind during meditation

Withdrawal and emancipation of the mind from the domination of the senses and sensual objects. The fifth stage of yoga.

nature of the mind

the earth element

Kindness or agreeable speech

eighteen ancient books consisting of legends and mythological narrations dealing with creation, recreation and the genealogies of sages and rulers

pure consciousness

purpose of the consciousness, of man's existence- the four basic needs or desires, arth, kaama, dharma, moksha

East, the front of the body.

The intense stretch of the front side of the body.

Pose of the intense stretch of the front side of the body.

A king, a ruler.

yoga in which union is achieved through concentration of mind

King pigeon.

The achievement of union with the Supreme Universal Spirit, by becoming the ruler of one's own mind by defeating its enemies. The chief of these enemies are: Kama (passion or lust), krodha (anger or wrath), lobha (greed), moha (delusion), mada (pride) and matsara (jealousy or envy). The eight-fold yoga of Patanjali shows the royal road (raja-marga) for achieving this objective. The chief of these enemies are: Kama (passion or lust), krodha (anger or wrath), lobha (greed), moha (delusion), mada (pride) and matsara (jealousy or envy). The eight-fold yoga of Patanjali shows the royal road (raja-marga) for achieving this objective.

red bindu, same as beeja(seed) bindu, shakti bindu; the potentially creative bindu from which creation springs; often refers to the ovum.

exhalation

The second syllable in the word 'guru', meaning light.

Lord Shiva ; Rudra is said to have sprung from Brahma's forehead and is one of the holy trinity.

spiritual aspirant or student.

Quest, spiritual practice.

a Hindu holy man, or ascetic.

retreat where Lakshmanjoo went as a young man to meditate.

highest energy centre located at the crown of the head, just above the top of the head.

state of meditation in where we are also aware of outside world.

witness

A locust.

With support.

A state in which the aspirant is one with the object of his meditation, the Supreme Spirit pervading the universe, where there is a feeling of unutterable joy and peace.

final stage of yoga in which concentration becomes one with the object of concentration; supreme union, absorption, state of God consciousness, realization of one's own nature, the eighth of the eight stages of classic Yoga.

power of destruction.

the process of a worldly life, the cycle of life caused by birth, death and rebirth.

strong impressions in the mind that create our beliefs, attitudes and persona.

Six.

spiritual resolve.

one who has renounced the world in seek of self-realization.

a language used in of Yoga, Hinduism and Buddhism, and an official languages of India, considered "historical".

contentment, one of the five niyamas, second of the eight stages of classic Yoga.

Goddess who bestows knowledge of fine arts and power of speech.

All, whole.

The whole body.

Shoulder stand.

shoulderstand

truth

guru who has attained self-realization.

quality unwavering purity.

truth, also one of the yamas.

A corpse, a dead body.

Corpse pose.

Breathing technique which involves hissing leading to a cooling effect upon the whole body.

A bridge.

The construction of a bridge. Name of an asana in which the body is arched.

cosmic causal state.

vital force, energy.

a yoga gesture in which one focusses at the mid-eyebrow centre.

peace, tranquility, or bliss

moon pose.

the six yogic techniques of purifying the body.

cooling breath, a pranayama technique that lowers the body temperature by inhaling through the mouth while letting the breath flow in over the tongue.

disciple, student.

A sage, seer or prophet; also a semi-divine being of great purity and holiness.

having achieved spiritual realization.

the female counterpart of the siddhasana meditative posture, in which the left heel presses the entrance to the vagina.

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'.

A Lion

The head.

inverted pose - the 'headstand' in which the body is inverted and balanced on the crown of the head.

represents a mantra in meditation; literally means, 'I am That'. Represents the Psychic sound with the sound 'so' during inhalation and 'ham' during exhalation.

sixteen petalled chakra situated above ajna and manas chakras.

a prop used as an extension of the arm to assist in yoga.

a comfortable meditative pose; also called the 'easy pose' or simply the cross-legged pose.

treated with kindness, befriended

The sun.

breathing technique in which inhalation is done through the right nostril ; increases vitality.

main energy channel in yoga, in the centre of the spinal cord through which kundalini shakti flows.

yogic technique to cleanse the nasal passage using a special thread.

second chakra in the spinal column, above the mooladhara.

auspicious pose -meditative posture similar to siddhasana.

mountain pose, palm tree pose, used in many forms of yoga, Hatha, Bikram . . .

the quality of inertia, laziness, procrastination.

twisting cobra pose.

swaying palm tree pose.

Scale Pose.

one of the cleansing techniques (shatkarma) in which the gaze is focussed upon an object such as a candle flame.

Triangle Pose, often used in Bikram Yoga.

Balancing Stick Pose, often used in Bikram Yoga.

ubhaya "both", padangusta "big toe", asana "pose".

abdominal retraction lock'; drawing in of the abdomen towards the backbone after exhaling.

a kind of breathing technique which produces a light sonorous sound.

the flow of the Spanda principle that takes place between any two things, two thoughts, two steps, two observations, etc.

a collection of Hindu spiritual writings following from the Vedas.

Seated Wide Legged Stradle, upavistha "seated", kona "angle", asana "pose"

means, way.

Wheel Pose.

Raised Hands Pose.

urdhva "upwards" mukha "face", paschima "west" (back of the body), ut "intense", tan "stretch", asana "pose".

Upward Facing Dog.

Standing Split.

Camel Pose, often used in Bikram Yoga.

squatting position, chair pose, awkward chair pose, awkward pose, often used in Bikram Yoga, utkata "powerful, fierce", asana "pose".

Abhinavagupta's grandmaster; a poet and mystic who composed songs in praise of Shiva, known as the Utpalasutravali.

Standing Forward Bend.

Tortoise pose.

Lizard Pose.

Standing Big Toe Pose, uttihita "extended, stretched", hasta "hand", padangusta "big toe", asana "pose".

Extended Side Angle Pose, uttihita "extended, stretched" parsva "side, flank", kona "angle", asana "pose".

Triangle Pose, uttihita "extended, stretched", tri "three", kona "angle", asana "pose".

the 'thunderbolt' pose; a kneeling posture with buttocks resting upon the heels.

flow of breath in the left nostril

yogic technique to cleanse the stomach by voluntary vomiting. There are two types: kunjal kriya (regurgitating of water) and vyaghra (regurgitating of food)

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.

ability to control all objects, living and non-living

yogic detoxification technique in which a specially prepared cloth is swallowed and removed after ten minutes, in order to remove mucus from the stomach

a cleansing technique in which the air swallowed into the stomach is belched out.

air element

four ancient texts- Rig, Yajur, Sama, Atharva, which are further divided into Samhita, Brahmana, Aranayaka and Upanishads. TheyÊwere revealed to the sages and saints of India which explain and regulate every aspect of life from supreme reality to worldly affairs.Ê The oldest books in the library of mankind.

hero's pose - for concentration and discrminative thinking.

In yoga, it is ofter used to discribe a style of yoga where movements are tied together, and usually practiced in conjuction with the breath.

Inspired.

one of the energy centres located in the spine behind the throat and connected with the cervical plexus, tonsils and thyroid gland.

An Enclosure.

sage involved in the ancient writings of the Upanishads.

god of death, calculator of time.

means "restraints", nonviolence, truthfulness, nonstealing, celibacy, and nonhoarding, five of the ten ethical guidelines of classic Yoga.

emanating from Yamnotri in the Himalayas and joining Ganga near Allahabd, North India;refers to pingala nadi in the pranic body.

a diagram or pictorial representation of a mantram.

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, from the Sanskrit yug meaning "to join together or yoke"; a system of techniques to enable the joining of the physical and emotional/spiritual bodies.

practice of yoga.

a deep relaxation technique also called 'yogic sleep' in which mind and body is at complete rest but with complete awareness.

a collection of concise aphorisms on the aims and practices of Yoga as collected and written by the scholar Patanjali.

one who has attained Yoga, or union of the two bodies, one who practices Yoga on a committed basis.

womb

era of time.

a meditation.