home>yoga >Yoga glossary

Yoga Glossary

ASANA

Physical yoga exercise, practised to improve the control of the mind and body. In Sanskrit, this word means posture or position.

ASHTANGA YOGA

An intense, physical practice characterised by the use of flowing movements between each position and an emphasis on the breath.

BHAGAVAD GITA

The Hindu scripture that provides the philosophical basis of yoga.

BIKRAM YOGA

Yoga style practiced in a hot room based on the 26 postures of its founder, Bikram Choudury.

CHAKRAS

The seven energy centres in the body where astral nerves come together. They correspond to the nerve plexuses located along the spine in the physical body.

DIAPHRAGM

The flat muscular sheet below the ribcage. Separates the chest cavity from the abdominal cavity. Its movement controls breathing.

IYENGAR YOGA

Iyengar yoga emphasizes posture and the development of balance and alignment. See BKS Iyengar for more

HATHA YOGA

The word Hatha is made up of the Sanskrit syllables Ha (sun) and Tha (moon). Hatha yoga indicates the union of these two opposites. It is the path of yoga that deals primarily with the physical body, but in addition to asanas and pranayama it includes all the other practices such as ethical behaviour and mediation.

KARMA

The literal translation of this work means 'action', which is understood also to include the reaction. Karma operates through the law of cause and effect, meaning that everything that is happening to you is the effect of your past actions in this life or a past life.

KUNDALINI

The primordial cosmic energy, or Shakti, dormant within each individual.

MANTRA

A mystical syllable, word, or phrase used to focus the mind during meditation. Can be repeated mentally or out load. Om is the best known mantra.

MEDITATION

The state of consciousness characterised by stillness and inner calm. The ultimate goal is the attainment of supreme spiritual peace.

OM

The sacred monosyllable, which symbolises God as the Absolute. Om is the universal mantra, containing all the other mantras and sounds.

PRANA

The vital energy or life force.

PRANAYAMA

Yoga breathing exercises designed for cleansing and strengthening the mind and body. In the more advanced stages, pranayama enables the practitioner to control the flow of prana, or vital energy, in the body.

SIVANANDA YOGA

Sivananda is one of the world's largest schools of yoga and follows a set structure that includes breathing, classic asanas, relaxation, as well as principles of diet and positive thinking. See Swami Sivananda & Swami Vishnu Devananda for more

RAJA YOGA

The 'royal' path of yoga, the branch applying mainly to mental control. Raja yoga is also seen as the scientific or step by stop approach.