YOGA TERMS

ANGA

Or "limb", is a fundamental category of the yogic path.

ANJANEYASANA

The halfmoon posture. It's a really good warm-up for other asanas bending your back and gives a great stretch to the spine.

ANUSARA YOGA

A new style described as heart-oriented and spiritually inspiring, yet grounded in a deep knowledge of outer and inner body alignment.

BHAKTA

A disciple practicing Bhakti Yoga.

BHAKTI YOGA

This is the path of heart and devotion or the Yoga of devotion.

BHUJANGASANA

The cobra posture.

BIKRAM YOGA

Heat is used in Bikram Yoga in order to allow you to go deeper and safer into a Yoga Pose. It is a series of 26 poses performed in a room heated from around 90-100 degrees Fahrenheit.

CHAKRA

A center of radiating life force or energy that is located between the base of the spinal column and the crown of the head. Sanskrit for “wheels.” There are seven chakras.

CHAKRA (INTUITION) YOGA

A style of Yoga practiced in Hatha Yoga. Chakra Yoga is a holistic practice of ancient techniques, designed to stimulate the flow of energy vortexes known as chakras. It utilizes all forms and types, from the postures of hatha, to breathing practices of pranayama to mantra and meditation in a systematic self study. Chakra Yoga is also an elaborate form of tantra or kundalini yoga.

CORPSE YOGA POSE

Also called Savasana, this is the classic relaxation Yoga Pose, practiced before or in between Asanas and as Final Relaxation.

DHARANA

From the word dhri meaning “to hold firm,” this is concentration or holding the mind to one thought.

HAMSA KUMBHAKA

The Swan Breath, a gently powerful pranayama used with meditation to guide the Shakti to the swan.

HATHA YOGA

This is the most popular branch of Yoga and from which a lot of the Styles of Yoga originated including Power Yoga, Bikram Yoga, Ashtanga Yoga and Kundalini Yoga.

HIRANYAGARBHA

The mythical founder of yoga; the first cosmological principle to emerge out of the infinite Reality; also called Brahma.

INTEGRAL YOGA

This yoga style places almost as much emphasis on pranayama (control of breath) and meditation as it does on postures.

ISLAMYOGA

Islam yoga ( Islamga ) is an old kind of yoga. Islam yoga is the art and science of physical, mental, spiritual health which lead to the harmony and balance to reach the inner peace through the principles of the Islamic culture and civilization for everyone.

IYENGAR YOGA

Iyengar yoga style stresses understanding the body and how it works. Students focus on symmetry and alignment, using props — such as straps, blankets, wooden blocks, and chairs — to achieve postures. Each pose is held for a longer amount of time than in most other yoga styles.

JAPA

The process in which a devotee repeats the name of the God. The repetition can be aloud or just the movement of lips or in mind. This spiritual practice is present in the major religions of world. This is considered as one of the most effective spiritual practice.

KAPALABHATI

This refers to a Breathing Technique used specifically for cleansing.

KARMA YOGA

Yoga in which action is done as a duty, without any concern for success or failure

LAYA YOGA

The "Yoga of dissolution": an advanced form or process of Tantric yoga by which the energies associated with the various psycho-energetic centers (cakra) of the subtle body are gradually dissolved through the ascent of the serpent power (kundalini-shakti).

MEDITATION

This is one of the Five Principles of Yoga. It is the practice by which there is constant observation of the mind. It requires you to focus your mind at one point and stilling the mind in order to perceive the self.

SAMANU

This is an advanced practice for purifying the nadis that combines pranayama with chakra visualization and japa on the bija mantras of air, fire, moon and earth.

SHANTI

Peace or tranquility in Sanskrit. This inner peace is chanted to prevent curses and bad karma. Often, this is repeated three times after a prayer in order to achieve spiritual serenity.

SIVANANDA YOGA

Sivananda yoga offers a gentle approach, which takes the student through the twelve sun salutation postures and incorporates chanting, meditation, and deep relaxation in each session. Teachers encourage students to embrace a healthy lifestyle that includes a vegetarian diet and positive thinking with meditation.

VINIYOGA

This is a yoga style involves the application or use of different tools in yoga practice such as asana, chanting, pranayama (control of breath), and meditation. It is ideal for novices and more and more people are practicing it because they believed that Viniyoga has therapeutic value.

VINYASA

This is one of the Principles of Ashtanga Yoga that makes it distinct from the other Styles of Yoga. Vinyasa, which means breathing and movement, is for internal cleansing.

UJJAYI

Also called Loud Breathing, this involves drawing air in through both nostrils with the glottis held partially closed. Ujjayi is translated as "what clears the throat and masters the chest area."TANTRA YOGA

This yoga uses visualization, chanting, asana, and strong breathing practices to tap highly charged kundalini energy in the body.

SVAROOPA YOGA

This teaches significantly different ways of doing familiar Poses, emphasizing the opening of the Spine, beginning at the tailbone and progressing through each spinal area in turn.

SUN SALUTATION

Also called Surya Namaskar, Sun Salutation limbers up the whole body in preparation for the yoga asanas. SROTAS

Channels or spaces through which energy flows.

SATTVIC DIET

Considered as the purest Diet, it is the most suitable one for any serious student of Yoga. Sattvic is one of the qualities, or Gunas, of energy in the unmanifested universe.

SATSANG

(Sanskrit) Usually translated as "truth-company" or being in the company of the wise. And satsang, according to several texts of yoga, is one of the great doorways to inner freedom. As is the case with meditation and asana, the more you practice satsang, the more likely you are to experience its power—and you don't have to join an existing community in order to do this. Some of the most powerful satsangs are the ones we create informally. An informal satsang group should be small—five to seven is a good number, and you can easily form one with three, two, or even just one other person. All it takes is (1) a decision to have a spiritual dialogue; (2) some sublime and true words to spark your insight; and (3) a shared agreement on the ground rules.

PRATYAHARA

Withdrawing the senses in order to still the mind as in meditation. The fifth stage of yoga.

PRANAYAMA

Also called Yoga Breathing or Breathing Exercise, Pranayama is one of the Five Principles of Yoga which promotes proper breathing.

PRANA

Life energy, life force, or life current. These finer-than-atomic energies have inherent intelligence as opposed to atoms and electrons, which are considered to be blind forces. The Chinese call this life force chi. POWER YOGA

This is the Western version of the Indian Ashtanga Yoga.

PADMASANA

Also known as the Lotus Pose which puts the soles of the feet up, reminiscent of a lotus flower. The most renowned of all Hatha Yoga postures.

NETI-NETI

Means “Not this. Not this.” In meditation, you gently dismiss thoughts, images, concepts, sounds, and distractions by applying the principle of neti-neti or telling yourself, “Not this. Not this.”

MUDRA

A symbolic gesture transmitting or redirecting energy in yoga or meditation. This can be a whole-body gesture or a hand gesture, like pressing your palms together. It is also defined as a hand gesture.

MARJARI ASANA

The cat posture.

MANTRA

A sacred mystic syllable, word or verse used in meditation and japa to quiet the mind, balance the inner body and attain other desired aims.

LOTUS YOGA POSE

This pose is such a perfect Meditation posture (if you can do it comfortably). It is a Yoga position in which you can sit perfectly straight and be absolutely still, relaxed, comfortable, and alert.

KUNDALINI YOGA

Considered as the mother of all the Styles of Yoga, this is the most powerful Yoga ever known. It centers on awakening the Kundalini, the energy (serpent power or Bhujangini) which is found at the base of our spine or the Muladhara Chakra.

KRIYA YOGA

Kriya yoga is a set of advanced techniques, or kriyas, practiced as a type of yoga popularized in the West by Paramahansa Yogananda, which, according to those who practice it, accelerates the spiritual evolution of the practitioner. Gurus and their disciples of Yogananda's Self-Realization Fellowship have and continue to initiate into kriya yoga people professing an interest in becoming more spiritual.

KRIYA

Kriya is a traditional yoga purification movement, physical actions, or exercises that aims to awaken the kundalini energy. This provides a cleansing process of one’s inner body that results to higher knowledge and state of consciousness.

KRIPALU YOGA

Also called the Yoga of consciousness, Kripalu puts great emphasis on Proper Breath, alignment, coordination of breath and movement, and "honoring the wisdom of the body" -- you work according to the limits of your individual flexibility and strength.

JNANA YOGA

This is one of the four basic paths in Yoga (Jnana, Bhakti, Raja, and Karma). Jnana Yoga is the path of wisdom. Jnana in Sanskrit means "knowledge" and is interpreted to mean "knowledge of the true self".

JALANDHAR BANDH

A very popular air lock in the cerebral area, it is performed by a deep inhalation and taking the air behind your eyes between the ears, above your pallate, below your brain, and locking the chin by slightly pressing it downwards. This is a powerful energiser of the cerebral area. It increases the oxygen level and blood circulation, clears the sinus blocks, massages the ear drums,and cleans the nasopharangial passage. The bandh has a profound effect on the thyroid and para thyroid glands too which in turn is responsible for the overall growth of the body.

DRISHTI

Drishti is the focus of the eyes in meditation. This is the focal point where one’s gaze lies to attain concentration alignment, and inner and outer balance. One actually does this to prevent distractions, but should be looking inwardly and not concentrate on the physical object. This could be the tip of your nose or in between your eyebrows, depending on your yoga pose.

BHUJA

The arm or shoulder.

ASHTANGA YOGA

A Style of Yoga which literally means Eight Limb Yoga and revolves in Pattanjali's idea that the path of purification is composed of eight spiritual practices.

ASHRAM

A retreat or secluded place, usually where the principles of yoga and meditation are practiced.

ASANAS

Also called Yoga Postures, Asanas are gentle stretching movements designed to help balance the mind and body.