A-L

M-Z

A-L
Ahamkar	Ego - individual self
Ahimsa	Non-violence (Yama)
Akasha	Space/sky - one of the five elements
Ananda	State of bliss
Ananta	Without end
Apana	Negative energy (moves downward)
Aparigraha/td>	Non-possessiveness (Yama)
Asana	Physical postures
Asat	Anything unreal or untrue
Astanga	Eight limbs
Asteya	Non-stealing (Yama)
Atman	Spirit that lies within; source of true inner balance
Artha	Natural pursuit of wealth
Ayama	To master
Avidya	Incorrect knowledge; mis-understanding
Bandha	To bind or lock
Bhagavad Gita	A part of the classic Mahabharata - Krishna teaches Yoga to Arjuna
Bhakti Yoga	Yoga of Devotion - Power of Love
Bhastrika Pranayama	Bellows breathing - alternate nostril
Brahmacharya	Moderation (Yama)
Brahman	Consciousness
Bhutas	Elements - Space, Air, Light, Water, Earth
Buddha	The Awakened One - lived and taught in North India approximately 600 BCE
Buddhi	Intellect -Responsive - reacts to outside impressions
Chi	Life-force, energy
Chitt	The mind
Deva	Devine being
Dharana	State of mind where it is focused on only one point
Dharma	Alignment with what is right by universal laws
Dhyana	Meditation
Gunas	3 Qualities of the mind
Ida Nadi	Nadi on one side of spinal cord - ends at left nostril
Ishwara-Pranidhana	Awareness of Divine - surrender and offer all actions to the Divine
Isvara	God or Lord
Japa	Repetition of a mantra
Jiva	Individual; self
Jnana Yoga	Yoga of Wisdom - self-realization
Kaivalya	Ultimate state of Yoga
Kama	Natural pursuit of pleasure
Kapalabhati Pranayama	Bellows breathing
Karma	Results of actions
Karma Yoga	Yoga of Action - Purifies heart
Kriya Yoga	Body purifications
Ksipta	Agitated mind
Kundalini	Union of Prana and Apana
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M-Z
Mahat	Great principle
Manas	Sensory -the part of us which gathers impressions from the outside world
Mantra	Sacred sound
Moksha	Liberation
Maya	Illusion
Mudha	Dull mind-state
Mudra	Symbol
Mulabhanda	Base of torso - perineal floor
Nada	Sound
Nadis	Body channels where Prana flows
Nadi Sodhana Pranayama	Alternate nostril breathing
Nidra	Sleep
Nirodha	Mind-state where the mind focuses on one thing
Nirvana	Spiritual liberation
Niyama	Observances Disciplines dealing with self (Saucha, Tapas, Santosha, Ishwara-Pranidhana, Swadhyaya)
Pingala Nadi	Nadi on one side of spinal cord - ends at right nostril
Prakriti	Elemental stuff found in all the universe
Pramana	Right perception
Prana	Life-force, energy (moves upward)
Pranayama	Controlled, regulated breathing techniques
Pratyahara	Withdrawal of the senses
Purusha	Spirit - source of consciousness Literally "Godhead that dwells within the body"
Rajas	One of the 3 Gunas - energy/activity
Raja Yoga	Yoga of Physical and Mental Control
Sadhana	Practice
Sakti	Power
Samadhi	Meditative state in which only the object being meditated on is in our awareness
Samsara	Cycle of birth and death
Samskara	Habitual movement of the mind
Sankhya	Theory / Philosophical system
Santosha	Contentment
Sattva	One of the 3 Gunas - Harmony/equilibrium
Satvada	The idea that everything that we see and experience is not illusion but real
Satya	Truthfulness (Yama)
Saucha	Purity, cleanliness (Niyama)
Shakti	Female - dynamic energy
Shraddha	Faith
Siddhi	Power that is given
Siva	Male - passive energy
Sodhana	Purification
Sthira	Alertness
Sushumna Nadi	Central Nadi running through the spinal cord
Swadhyaya	Education - Study of sacred texts
Tamas	One of the 3 Gunas - Inertia
Tanu	Mild
Tapas	Austerity
Trataka	Gazing at an object to promote meditation
Udana-Vayu	Aspect of Prana which is responsible for upward movement and energy
Ujjayi Pranayama	Breathing technique which uses the back of the throat (whisper breath, ocean breath)
Vairagya	Detachment
Vayu	Air, breath
Vedas	Hindu scriptures
Vidya	High level of knowledge
Viparya	False perception
Yama	Restraints - Disciplines dealing with others (Ahimsa, Asteyam, Aparigraha, Satya, Brahmacharya)
Yoga Sutra	Classic Yoga text created by Patanjali
Yogi	Practitioner of Yoga
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