Glossary of Yogic Terms

Relax With Yoga, by Arthur Liebers, [1960], at sacred-texts.com

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GLOSSARY OF YOGIC TERMS

Akasa: infinite, omnipresent material of the universe.

Anima: power to assimilate oneself with an atom.

Asana: a posture; a Yoga exercise.

Ashram: Yoga retreat.

Avyakta: that which is unperceived, indiscrete.

Bandha: a mystic breathing exercise.

Brahmacarya: continence; chastity; abstinence from sexual indulgence.

Chakra: a nerve center.

Dharana: mental effort involved in selecting one object out of many for concentration.

Dhyana: contemplation; gazing.

Garima: power to be as heavy as anything.

Guna: a thing of sense.

Guru: Yoga teacher or leader.

Hatha Yoga: system of Yoga for care of the body; physical Yoga.

Ida: left nostril.

Isvata: power to create.

Jna: that which knows or discriminates.

Joytis: light.

Kaivalya: state of oneness.

Kanda: point below the navel from which 72,000 nadis issue.

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Karma: cosmic operation of a form of retributive justice, under which a person's status in life is determined by his owns deeds in a previous incarnation.

Karma-nadi: a nerve in which the vital air is supposed to reside.

Kumbhaka: retention or suspension of the breath.

Kundalini: sleeping goddess within the internal organs.

Laghima: power to be as light as cotton or any similar thing.

Mahavideha: condition in which knowledge of every description is within easy reach of the ascetic and obtainable without effort.

Mahima: power to expand oneself into space.

Mitahara: moderation in diet.

Moksha: state of bliss.

Mrnalakomalavapu: slimness of a lotus stalk; one of the goals of Hatha Yoga.

Mudra: one of the higher practices of Yoga; a psycho-physiological practice or exercise.

Muladhara: navel.

Mukti: salvation; deliverance; emancipation from rebirth.

Nadi: a nerve.

Niyama: cleanliness, contentment, mortification, study and self-surrender to good.

Padma: a nerve center.

Pingala: right nostril; also, anything conducting a positive electrical current in the human body.

Prakamya: power of having all wishes, of whatever description, realized.

Prana: life; vitality; breath; infinite, omnipresent power of the universe.

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Pranayama: regulation of the respiratory movements as a means of control of the vital forces.

Prapti: power of reaching anywhere, even to the moon. Pratibha: intuition.

Pratyahara: restraining or withholding the senses; introspection.

Puraka: inhalation.

Purusa: soul.

Raja Yoga: system of Yoga which leads to spiritual growth; mental Yoga.

Rechaka: exhalation.

Sahasradala: brain (literally, "the thousand-petaled lotus").

Samadhi: a trance; state of suspended sensation; superconsciousness; perfect relaxation.

Samatva: freedom from emotion.

Samyama: contemplation, absorption, trance; a way to several occult powers which conducts the Yogi to conscious samadhi.

Sankya Yoga: Yoga of the mind.

Siddha: a master of Yoga.

Siddhi: one of several miraculous powers.

Stilhi: state in which the mind is at a standstill.

Sunyaka: suspension of the breath.

Susumna: spinal cord.

Sutras: writings of a sage.

Vasvita: power to command all.

Vyakta: that which is perceived, sensible, discrete.

Yama: non-killing, truthfulness, non-stealing, continence and non-receiving of any gifts.

Yogin: a practitioner of Yoga.