Yoga beginners :Glossary

Ajna Chakra:

The sixth chakra, also called the Sun Chakra or Brow Chakra is located at the point between the eyebrows. It is often referred to as the "third eye". It is the center of imagination, concentration, and intuition.

Anahata Chakra:

The fourth chakra, also called the Venus Chakra or Heart Chakra is located behind the heart. It is the center of compassion, love and devotion.

Ananda Yoga:

A style or school of hatha yoga that teaches affirmations, or positive thoughts, to accompany different poses. It uses poses to clear and energize the body in preparation for meditation while simultaneously focusing on the postures to heighten self-awareness.

Asana:

The third stage or limb of yoga as defined by Patanjali in his Yoga Sutras and is the postures or poses designed to help master control of the mind and body to prepare the body for meditation.

Ashram:

A peaceful retreat where yoga is taught and practiced.

Ashtanga:

Literally means "eight limbs". It refers to the eight stages or limbs of yoga as described in Pantanjali's The Yoga Sutras." These eight steps basically act as guidelines on how to live a meaningful and purposeful life.

Ashtanga Yoga:

A style or school of hatha yoga that includes an intense physically challenging workout, also referred to as "power yoga". It places equal emphasis on strength, flexibility and stamina while it synchronizes movements with breath in a continual flow of action to create heat which produces a cleansing or detoxifying effect of the body.

Astral Body:

Yogic philosophy sees the body as a vehicle for the soul in its journey toward enlightenment and as such is really three "bodies". The astral body is the vehicle of the spirit corresponding with the mind. It contains the prana, intellect and emotions. It is higher than the physical body, but below the causal body.

Ayurveda:

A medical science that originated in India five thousand years ago and is based on the existence of a primal energy and the belief that when an individual's energy flow is smooth, health is maintained. Ayurveda is a holistic approach to health that recognizes the importance of mind-body balance.

Bhagavad Gita:

One of India's most beloved and famous sacred texts, it is the epic story of Arjuna, a warrior prince, who confronts moral dilemmas and is led to a better understanding of reality through the intercession of the god Krishna. It provides the philosophical basis of yoga.

Bhakti Yoga:

A branch or path of yoga. It is the path of love and devotion which sees the Divine in all of creation and places devotion to the Divine ahead of everything else. It provides us with an opportunity to cultivate acceptance and tolerance for everyone we come into contact with.

Bikram Yoga:

A style or school of hatha yoga that emphasizes a high-energy workout and sweating which focuses on cleansing the body from the inside out. It is also referred to Choudhury Yoga or the Yoga College of India.

Brahman:

A Hindu priest, also an Indian caste.

Breath of Fire:

See Kapalabhati

Causal Body:

Yogic philosophy sees the body as a vehicle for the soul in its journey toward enlightenment and as such is really three "bodies". The causal body is the subtlest of the three bodies. It houses the spirit and contains the karmic blue-print that determines the person you are. It is higher than the physical and astral bodies.

Chakras:

The seven major energy centers in the astral body; they correspond to nerve centers located along the spine in the physical body. They move in ascending order starting with the base of the spine, the genitals, the solar plexus, the heart, the throat, between the eyebrows and the crown of the head.

Ch'i:

Chinese word for life force.

Corpse Pose:

See Shavasana

Crown Chakra:

See Sahasrara Chakra

Dharana:

The sixth stage or limb of yoga as defined by Patanjali in his Yoga Sutras and is the practice of concentration which precedes meditation. It strives to slow down and discipline the mind so that it becomes single-pointed and focused. Extended periods of concentration naturally lead to meditation.

Dharma:

One's duty or path in life; the duty of being true to oneself.

Dhyana:

The seventh stage or limb of yoga as defined by Patanjali in his Yoga Sutras and is contemplation or meditation. At this stage the mind has been quieted, and in the stillness, it produces few or no thoughts at all which allows the achievement of a state of profound mental and emotional calm and to focus on the inner person or soul.

Dristi:

A soft gaze, focus or awareness that keeps you attentive to what your body is doing in relation to your breath and your mind. Depending on the posture you may focus on the tip of the nose, the thumb, the third-eye point (an internal point located behind the middle of the forehead, the horizon line or a point on the floor or wall in front of you.

Guru:

A spiritual teacher or advisor who helps direct the yogi or yogini toward enlightenment.

Hatha Yoga:

A branch or path of yoga. It is the path that deals primarily with control of the physical body and consists of asanas (postures), pranayamas (breathing exercises), and meditation.

Heart Chakra:

See Anahata Chakra

Hinduism:

The major religion of India.

Integral Yoga:

A style or school of hatha yoga that combines all the paths of yoga: asana (postures), pranayama (controlled breathing), meditation, prayer, chanting, selfless service and self-inquiry into one approach. Emphasis is placed on relaxation, alignment, and finding your comfort center while practicing yoga.

ISHTA Yoga:

An emerging style or school of hatha yoga taught at Yoga Zone studios. The acronym ISHTA stands for the Integrated Science of Hatha, Tantra and Ayerveda and is derived from the Sanskrit word ishta which means "personalized" and is a style of yoga that adapts to the needs of the individual.

Iyengar Yoga:

A style or school of hatha yoga that focuses on alignment, symmetry and technique. This style of yoga also relies a lot on props: wood blocks, benches, chairs, sandbags, blankets, bolsters and straps as a support system to achieve greater symmetry and extension in the posture. It is the most widely practiced form of yoga in the West.

Jnana:

Knowledge or wisdom.

Jnana Yoga:

A branch or path of yoga. It is the path of the mind and requires development of the intellect through the study of the scriptures and texts of the yogic tradition.

Jupiter Chakra:

See Svadhishthana Chakra

Kapalabhati:

A breathing exercise involving rapid abdominal breathing which is carried out to cleanse the respiratory tract; also called "Breath of Fire". This is one of the 6 kriyas, or cleansing exercises.

Karma:

Literal translation of this Sanskrit word means "action". Karma operates through the law of cause and effect, meaning that everything happening to you is the effect of your past actions.

Karma Yoga:

A branch or path or yoga. It is the path of selfless service by performing actions without wanting reward or payment. The principle of Karma Yoga is that what we experience today is created by our actions in the past. Therefore, all of our present efforts become a way to consciously create a future that frees us from being bound by negativity and selfishness.

Kripalu Yoga:

A style or school of hatha yoga that teaches the basic mechanics of yoga postures and introduces the concepts of breathwork. It is less concerned with the structural detail of the postures and is a more inner-directed form of yoga. It emphasizes the student's mental and emotional states as the poses are held and encourages a gentle, compassionate and introspective approach. Kripalu teachers emphasize the importance of accepting the body, encouraging students to note where tension is held or simply to recognize their strengths and weaknesses.

Kriyas:

Six cleansing and energizing techniques for purification of the physical body; purity of the body encourages purity of the mind.