THE LANGUAGE OF YOGA



TEACHER TRAINING YOGA : THE LANGUAGE OF  YOGA

Tai Chi  poses are still called by their original Chinese names. The reason for this is that Tai Chi practitioners have always felt that the essence of the movements is captured more fully in the original names. This is also true of the Sanskrit words used to describe many of the hatha asanas and the meditative practices. You will notice, if you attend a yoga class, and read other yoga books, that the name for some of the poses will `vary. Perhaps this is because the practice of yoga is so much older than the first written collations of it. Whatever, many people find the original names, whether they are strictly correct or not, very soothing and excellent tools for tuning the mind into the activity.


A
Asana - A hatha posture
Atman - The individual self
Abhaysa - Sanskrit word for practice.
Asteya - The principle of non-stealing, from Pantajali's five abstinences.
Agarigrapha - The principle of non-possessiveness. One of Pantajali`s five abstinences.
Ahimsa - The principle of nonviolence. One of the five abstinences outlined in Pantajali's Yoga Sutras
Ajna - The sixth chakra, located between the eyebrows and referred to as the 'third eye'. It is the source of intellectual thought and insight

B
Brahman - The universal self.
Bhujangasana - The cobra asana.
Bramachanya - The observance of continence.
Bhakti Yoga - One of the six paths of yoga, advocating devotion

C
Chakrasana - The wheel asana also known as the crab.
Chakra - A source of energy. There are seven located along the body's central channel, the spine.

D
Dhanurasana - The bow asana.
Dhyana - The sixth limb of yoga, where the mind learns to contemplate.
Dharana -  The sixth limb of yoga, requiring the mind's learning to concentrate fully on an object.

G
Gomukhasana - The cow-face asana.
Gyana - One of the six paths of yoga, advocating study.
Gunas - The three different categories of foodstuffs according to yogic diet.

H
Halasana - The Plough asana.
Hatha yoga - The Only Yoga discipline that involves physical movement,

I
Ishvara Prandihana - Attentiveness to the Divine.

K
Kundalini - Literally means “the coiled serpent”.
Karma - One of the six Paths of yoga, advocating actions.

M
Matyasana - The fish asana.
Mayurasana - The peacock asana
Matsyendrasana - The spinal twist asana.
Manipura - Chakra located in the solar plexus that is considerate, the source of the “life force”.
Muladhara - The chakra located at the base of the spine, and said to be where the kundalini sleeps
Mantra - A sound or chant repeated to aid meditation. Also given to one of the six paths of yoga, advocating the used of sound.

N
Nadas - Mystic sounds used as an aid to meditation.
Niyamanas - The Sanskrit name for the observances outlined by PantaJali.
Namis - The channel which carry the "life-force” throughout the body. chakras are located were the namis intersect.

P
Padmasana - The lotus position
Prana - The 'life force' or 'breath of life'.
Paschimotanasana - The forward bend asana.
Prasarita padottanasana - The wide side-stretch asana.
Pranayama - The yogic system of breath control. Means literally “interruption of breath”.
Pratyahara - The fifth of the eight limbs of yoga, involving the mind’s withdrawal from domination by the senses.

R
Rajasic- Food which is spicy and stimulating.

S
Sattva - Harmony
Sattvic - Pure foods.
Sitali - The cooling breath.
Simhasana - The lion asana.
Saucha - The observance of purity.
Satu Bhandasana - The bridge asana.
Samprayana - Awareness of all things.
Sarvangasana - The shoulder stand asana.
Surya namaskar - The “Salute to the sun”.
Shavasana - The corpse asana for relaxation.
Sushumna - The central channel of the body corresponding with the spine.
Samadhi - The eighth limb of yoga, when super consciousness is achieved
Santosha - The principle of contentment. One of   Pantajali's five observances.
Satya - The principle of truthfulness and Integrity. One of  Pantajali's five abstinences.
Siddhis - The psychic powers that, ancient yogis claimed came about through meditative practice.
Sahasraha - The chakra situated at the crown of the head and symbolized by the thousand-petal led lotus.

T
Tadasana -The mountain asana.
Trikonasana - The triangle asana.
Tamasic - Foods which are fermented or overripe.
Tapas - The principle of austerity. One of pantajali`s five observances.

V
Vrittis - Thought waves.
Vrksasana - The tree asana.
Vairagya - Non-attachment.
Vajrasana - The thunderbolt asana.
Vishuddha - The chakra located at the brachial plexus, said to induce fruitful study.

Y
Yogi - An expert in the art of yoga.
Yoga - The harnessing of mental and physical energy, the mind to the body, to achieve a higher consciousness.