| Ahimsa |
- |
non-injury (one of the yama principles) |
| Ananda |
- |
bliss |
| Aparigha |
- |
non-greed, non-hoarding, non-acceptance of gifts (one of the yama principles) |
| Arddha Matsyendrasana |
- |
Half spinal twist |
| Arddha Salabasana |
- |
Half locust pose |
| Ashram |
- |
a spiritual community where seekers practice and study the teachings of a spiritual guide |
| Ashtanga Yoga |
- |
the Yoga of eight limbs; another name for Raja Yoga Asteya - non-stealing (one of the yama principles) |
| Atma |
- |
the Self |
| |
| Bandha |
- |
bond; lock |
| Bija |
- |
seed |
| Brahmacharya |
- |
(lit. relating to Brahman) continence, celibacy (one of the yama principles) |
| Bujanghasana |
- |
cobra pose |
| |
| Chakra |
- |
wheel; one of the subtle energy centers governing the various aspects of our being |
| |
| Dhanurasana |
- |
Bow pose |
| Dharana |
- |
concentration (the sixth of the eight limbs of Ashtanga Yoga) |
| Dharma |
- |
duty, righteousness, moral |
| Dhyāna |
- |
meditation (the seventh of the eight limbs of Ashtanga Yoga) |
| |
| Guna |
- |
one of the qualities of nature (sattva/balance, rajas/activity and tamas/inertia) |
| Guru |
- |
(lit. remover of darkness) spiritual guide, teacher |
| |
| Hatha (lit.) ha |
- |
sun/effort; tha – moon/reflection |
| Hatha Yoga |
- |
the physical aspect of Yoga practice, including postures (asanas), breathing techniques (pranayama), seals (mudras), locks (bandhas) and cleansing practices (kriyas) |
| |
| Japa |
- |
repetition of a mantram |
| Jivanmukta |
- |
liberated living soul |
| Janusirshasana |
- |
Head to knee pose |
| |
| Karma |
- |
action and reaction |
| Kundalini |
- |
(lit. coiled energy) the personal energy stored at the base of every individual’s spine |
| |
| Matsyasana |
- |
Fish pose |
| Mudrā |
- |
sign, seal or symbol; an energy configuration |
| |
| Nadi Suddhi |
- |
(Hatha Yoga) pranayama in which one breathes alternately through left and right nostrils which purifies the energy channels |
| Niyama |
- |
observance (the second of the eight limbs of Ashtanga Yoga; see Book II, Sutra 32) |
| |
| OM |
- |
the cosmic sound vibration which includes all other sounds and vibrations, the basic mantram, the absolute Brahman as sound |
| |
| Paschimotanasana |
- |
full forward bend |
| Prana |
- |
the vital energy |
| Pranayama |
- |
the practice of controlling the vital force, usually through control of the breath (the fourth of the eight limbs of Ashtanga Yoga) |
| Pratyahara |
- |
sense control; withdrawal of the senses from their objects (the fifth of the eight limbs of Ashtanga Yoga) |
| Puja |
- |
worship service |
| |
| Salabasana |
- |
Locust pose |
| Santosha |
- |
contentment |
| Sarvanaghasana |
- |
Shoulder stand |
| Sat |
- |
existence or Truth |
| Sat-chid-ananda |
- |
existence-knowledge-bliss absolute |
| Satyam |
- |
truth, truthfulness (one of the yama principles) |
| Shanthi |
- |
peace |
| Sivasana |
- |
corpse pose |
| Surynamaskaram |
- |
Sun Salutation |
| Swami |
- |
monk/renunciate; member of the Holy Order of Sanyas |
| |
| Tapas(ya) |
- |
(lit. to burn) spiritual austerity; accepting but not causing pain (one of the niyama principles) |
| |
| Viveka |
- |
discrimination of the real from the unreal |
| |
|
|
| Yama |
- |
abstinence/restaints (the first of the eight limbs of Ashtanga Yoga; see Book II, Sutra 30) |
| Yoga |
- |
(lit. union) union of the individual with the Absolute, any course that makes for such union; unruffled state of mind under all conditions |
| Yoga Mudrā |
- |
(Hatha Yoga) a posture which awakens the spiritual force within the individual |
| Yoga Nidra |
- |
Deep relaxation |
