A
Ajna ~ [Sanskrit] The third eye (chakra). Located in mid-forehead.
Akasha ~ [Sanskrit] Primordial space beyond description. Ether. One of the five elements, the others being earth, water, fire, and air.
Alchemy ~ Transforming the chemistry of nature. Esoterically speaking, transforming thought patterns to shift one’s way of being and experiencing life.
Amrit ~ [Sanskrit] Nectar.
Anahata ~ [Sanskrit] The heart chakra. Root of all emotions and associated with the inner sounds that practitioners and others hear on occasion.
Ananda ~ [Sanskrit] Bliss.
Asana ~ [Sanskrit] Pose. Usually a position taken in Hatha Yoga.
Ashram: A gathering place where spiritual disciplines are taught and practiced.
Asthanga ~ [Sanskrit] The eight-fold path of meditation and yoga.
Atman: [Sanskrit] Soul.
Aura: That visible, non-physical, area around people, plants, animals, trees, and inanimate objects that sometimes manifests colors.
B
Bardo ~ [Tibetan] “in-between state.” Most often refers to the state between death and rebirth, but it can refer to any intermediate state.
Bandha ~ [Sanskrit] Bind or “lock.” Refers to muscular locks in yoga.
Bhakti Yoga ~ The path of devotion. One of the four classic paths of yoga.
Bindu ~ [Sanskrit] Sacred point (through which om manifests).
Buddha ~ Enlightened one.
C
Ceremony ~ A formal act or set of acts performed as prescribed by ritual or custom.
Chakra ~ [Sanskrit] Subtle energy centers throughout the body. Literally means circle or wheel.
Chitta ~ [Sanskrit] Memory. Do not confuse with “citta.”
Chit ~ [Sanskrit] Consciousness.
D
Dana ~ Gratitude offering.
Dharana ~ [Sanskrit] contemplation of self.
Dharma ~ [Sanskrit] Spiritual teachings. Correct action in accordance with your spiritual nature. Also the spiritual path itself.
Dhyana ~ [Sanskrit] meditation.
Discipline ~ a method of practice, or a branch of knowledge
Disciple ~ a student.
E
Eightfold Path ~ They are right view, right thought, right speech, right action, right livelihood, right effort, right mindfulness, and right concentration (also the fourth Noble Truth).
F
G
Guna[s] ~ Containing three qualities – “rajasic,” “tamasic,” and “sattvic.”
Guru ~ Spiritual teacher. Spiritual guide.
H
Hatha Yoga ~ A yoga designed to strengthen and heal the physical body.
I
Ida ~ [Sanskrit] The main lunar nadi (energy channel).
Ishta ~ [Sanskrit]
Ishwara ~ [Sanskrit]
J
Japa ~ [Sanskrit] mantric repetition (usually including one of the names of God).
Jnana Yoga ~ The wisdom path. One of the four classic paths of yoga.
K
Karika ~ [Sanskrit] A commentary or a philosophical, grammatical work in concise statements.
Karma ~ [Sanskrit] Literally “action.” The law of cause and effect, most particularly referring to the consequence of an individual’s thoughts, words, and actions modified by their intentions.
Karma Yoga ~ The path of good deeds. One of the four classic paths of yoga.
Kriya ~ To do. An action. Often associated with cleansing and purifying the mind.
Kumbhaka ~ Vase breathing (assisting practice through bhandas and retention).
Kundalini ~ [Sanskrit] The divine creative power of the universe.
L
Language ~ Communication of thoughts and feelings through a system of arbitrary signals, such as voice sounds, gestures, or written symbols.
M
Mantra ~ Sacred syllable(s) used in meditation.
Manas ~ [Sanskrit] Mind.
Manipura ~ Solar plexus chakra.
Mantra ~ [Sanskrit] Sacred phrase often used in practice, usually repetitively.
Meditation ~ Focus of the mind on a subject, a subject relating to the higher centers.
Mindfulness ~ Developing awareness through purposeful attention.
Muladhara ~ [Sanskrit] Base chakra located at the perineum.
Moksha ~ Liberation.
Mouna ~ Silence.
Mudra ~ Seal. Positioning of the hand and fingers to augment spiritual practice
Mula Bandha ~ Root lock.
N
Nada ~ The four stages of sound.
Nadi ~ [Sanskrit] The channels which connect the primary, secondary, and tertiary chakras within the body.
Namaste ~ [Sanskrit] literally “I bow to the divine in you.” Done as described in gassho entry.
Nirvana ~ [Sanskrit] To go beyond all suffering.
O
Om ~ [Aum] The sacred beginning sound of our spectrum. Amen.
P
Pingala ~ The main solar nadi. Referenced to the sympathetic system.
Practice ~
Prajna ~ Transcendental wisdom.
Prakriti ~ [Sanskrit] “That which gives shape.” At the physical level, body and mind.
Prana ~ [Sanskrit] The vital energy.
Pranayama ~ [Sanskrit] Breath exercises with spiritual intentions.
Pratyahara ~ [Sanskrit] Turning the attention from the outer world to the inner world.
Prayer ~ A spiritual practice of communicating with a deity or Divine.
Prem ~ Divine Love.
Proclivity ~ a natural inclination or propensity.
Purusha ~ [Sanskrit] Spirit. The indwelling witness.
Q
R
Raja Yoga ~ The “kingly” path, which includes the other yogic disciplines including many that deal with training body, energy, and mind. One of the four classical paths of yoga.
Rajasic ~ One of the three “gunas.” Steeped in activity.
Rita ~ the natural order of life.
Ritual ~ a customary observance or practice.
S
Samadhi ~ [Sanskrit] Deep meditative state with one-pointed mind.
Sadhana ~ [Sanskrit] Spiritual path. Spiritual practice. Spiritual discipline[s].
Sahasrara ~ The crown chakra.
Samaya ~ [Sanskrit] Vow. Commitment.
Samsara ~ [Sanskrit] . The bondage of life, death and rebirth.
Samskara ~ Impressions created by previous actions and thoughts. Proclivity.
Samyama ~ Combined simultaneous practice of Dharana (concentration, intent), Dhyana (contemplation) & Samadhi (unity). A tool to receive deeper knowledge of qualities of the object. It is a catchall term summarizing the process of psychological absorption in the object of meditation.
Sangha ~ A spiritual community following the same path.
Sat (Satya) ~ [Sanskrit] Truth.
Satori ~ Flash of insight, a revelation. To think a thought you’ve not thought before.
Sattvic ~ One of the three gunas. Characterized by peacefulness, vitality, and relaxed attention.
Shakti ~ [Sanskrit] The active manifest power that creates the universe.
Shastra ~ [Sanskrit] Science. A body of knowledge; a sacred text or teaching.
Shiva ~ [Sanskrit] One of the principal Hindu deities, worshiped as the destroyer and restorer of worlds and in numerous other forms. Shiva is often conceived as a member of the triad also including Brahma and Vishnu.
Siddhi[s] ~ [Sanskrit] Special abilities or powers.
Six Schools of Indian Philosophy: The six doctrines of orthodox Indian philosophy accepting the authority of the Vedas and therefore considered part of Hinduism.
1. Mimamsa: the School of Interpretation, largely focused on the “action part” or first half of the Vedas.
2. Vedanta: the School of Knowledge, largely focused on the second half of the Vedas.
3. Sankhya: the School of Theoretical Knowledge.
4. Yoga: the School of the Discipline of Achieving Liberation.
5. Nyaya: the School of Logic.
6. Vaishesika: the School of Pluralistic Metaphysics.
Spiritual ~ {spirituality}
Sunyata ~ Emptiness.
Sushumna ~ The central channel which is located near the spine (nonphysical).
Sutra[s] ~ [Sanskrit] Rules, guidelines of life. Teachings that are supposed to have originated with the Buddha Shakyamuni and are based on renunciation. Literally “thread.” So these scriptures are outlines to expand upon.
Svadhisthana: [Sanskrit] Sacral chakra.
Swami ~ Teacher
T
Tamasic ~ One of the three “gunas.” Characterized by slothfulness and lethargy.
Tantra[s] ~ [Sanskrit] Transformational teachings of the Buddhas referencing human energies, usually making use of both sound and light.
Tattva ~ [Sanskrit] Principle. One of the laws of the universe.
Three Gunas ~ “Rajasic,” “Sattvic,” and “Tamasic.”
Truth ~
U
Upanishad ~ Scriptures that are part of the Vedas. (Literally means, at the feet of the guru- the teacher.)
V
Vedanta ~ A complete path, one of six classical systems of Indian philosophy.
Vedas ~ The revealed knowledge which constitute the basic scriptures of the Hindus.
Vidya ~ [Sanskrit] View. Spiritual knowledge. Refer to “rigpa.”
Vishuddhi ~ [Sanskrit] Throat chakra.
Vrtti ~ [Sanskrit] Thought. Fluctuation of the mind.
Vritti Nirodha ~
W
X
Y
Yoga ~ To yoke, to unify.
Z
As we move through an asana in hatha yoga or any other activity in our daily life, our mind is confronted with a choice to accept the state of our body and being, or to reject it. Our minds are well practiced at mediating situations in an attempt to create and anticipate an ideal outcome or scenario. For instance, one’s mind may get frustrated moving in and out of a yoga pose, or through some other routine of life, because in our mind’s eye, we feel we’re not doing it right. In Reality, however, we are exactly where we need to be – it requires no reaction or explanation. Why then do we allow the mind to create these doubts? Why do we invite it to identify a reason to question, without accepting the true nature and essence of what is present?
