Learn new words and languages to keep the mind in shape
Yoga class may bring new words to your vocabulary, mostly based in sanskrit, the following are some terms you may hear or read while learning about yoga.Yoga
asana: seat, used in yoga practice to mean posture, or pose. eg: garudasana=eagle pose
namaste: A form of greeting, often said with the hands pressed together at the center of the chest, or conveyed through the hand gesture, without words. The word breaks down to nama-bow, as-I, te-you. It is a respectful for of acknowledging another person's
Surya Namaskarum: Sun Salutations, This set of movements warms up the body , making it limber and pliable to start the day, or start class.
Drishti: view, sight. Usually as a gazing point in class, whether out in front of you, or in part of your body, (forehead, nose, navel)
Chakra: wheel, refers to one of 5 -7 centers of energy in our bodies, each associated with a color, scent, tone, as well as psychological and physiological conditions. A brief introduction here.
Om: the original mantra, made up of the three natural sounds our vocal chords create when the mouth is open(Ah), partially opened (Uh), and closed(Mm), encapsulating everything in one word.
Mantra: derived from 'to think,' a sound or phrase repeated at length in order to have an effect on the mind of the person reciting it
Mudra: hand gesture (hands together at namaste, touching one finger to the thumb of the same hand, etc.)
Hatha Yoga: Forceful Yoga, a major branch of yoga that focuses on transformations mostly through postures, breathing.
karma: action, activity of any kind, sometimes in terms of destiny based on previous action.
Karma Yoga: Yoga of action, the liberating path of self-transcending action
Kundalini-shakti: coiled power, spiritual energy, housed in the lowest center (chakra) of the body.
Kundalini-Yoga: the yogic path focusing on the kundalini process as a means of liberation by raising the energy from the lowest chakra to the highest.
Dharma: bearer, used in different ways, but often in a sense of virtue or law, or the proper order of all things
guru: teacher
Prana: life/breath, our existence, the force that takes our body through this life, and our breath, the physical manifestation of that life force.
Nadi: conduit, one more than 72,000 channels of the body that circulate the life force.
Pranayama: extending lifeforce, the practice of being aware of and regulating your breath
Ujjaii: breathing technique used in an active yoga class. Performed by constricting the vocal chords and drawing the breath in and out through the nose, making an audible breath, with friction generating from the throat.
Ayurveda: life science,traditional system of medicine originating in India
Sutra: thread, aphorisms or verses, or a text made up of such statements, eg: Patanjali's Yoga Sutra
Bhagavad Gita: Lord's Song, old yoga text that contains the teachings of discerning life's principles, portrayed through the story of Prince Arjuna's discussions with Krishna as he made crucial decisions during a great battle more than 3500 years ago.
asana: seat, used in yoga practice to mean posture, or pose. eg: garudasana=eagle pose
namaste: A form of greeting, often said with the hands pressed together at the center of the chest, or conveyed through the hand gesture, without words. The word breaks down to nama-bow, as-I, te-you. It is a respectful for of acknowledging another person's
Surya Namaskarum: Sun Salutations, This set of movements warms up the body , making it limber and pliable to start the day, or start class.
Drishti: view, sight. Usually as a gazing point in class, whether out in front of you, or in part of your body, (forehead, nose, navel)
Chakra: wheel, refers to one of 5 -7 centers of energy in our bodies, each associated with a color, scent, tone, as well as psychological and physiological conditions. A brief introduction here.
Om: the original mantra, made up of the three natural sounds our vocal chords create when the mouth is open(Ah), partially opened (Uh), and closed(Mm), encapsulating everything in one word.
Mantra: derived from 'to think,' a sound or phrase repeated at length in order to have an effect on the mind of the person reciting it
Mudra: hand gesture (hands together at namaste, touching one finger to the thumb of the same hand, etc.)
Hatha Yoga: Forceful Yoga, a major branch of yoga that focuses on transformations mostly through postures, breathing.
karma: action, activity of any kind, sometimes in terms of destiny based on previous action.
Karma Yoga: Yoga of action, the liberating path of self-transcending action
Kundalini-shakti: coiled power, spiritual energy, housed in the lowest center (chakra) of the body.
Kundalini-Yoga: the yogic path focusing on the kundalini process as a means of liberation by raising the energy from the lowest chakra to the highest.
Dharma: bearer, used in different ways, but often in a sense of virtue or law, or the proper order of all things
guru: teacher
Prana: life/breath, our existence, the force that takes our body through this life, and our breath, the physical manifestation of that life force.
Nadi: conduit, one more than 72,000 channels of the body that circulate the life force.
Pranayama: extending lifeforce, the practice of being aware of and regulating your breath
Ujjaii: breathing technique used in an active yoga class. Performed by constricting the vocal chords and drawing the breath in and out through the nose, making an audible breath, with friction generating from the throat.
Ayurveda: life science,traditional system of medicine originating in India
Sutra: thread, aphorisms or verses, or a text made up of such statements, eg: Patanjali's Yoga Sutra
Bhagavad Gita: Lord's Song, old yoga text that contains the teachings of discerning life's principles, portrayed through the story of Prince Arjuna's discussions with Krishna as he made crucial decisions during a great battle more than 3500 years ago.