Glossary of Yoga Terms

Patanjali’s Yoga Sutra describes an asana (posture) as having two important qualities: sthira and sukha. Sthira is steadiness and alertness. Sukha refers to the ability to remain comfortable and experience ease in the posture. Both qualities are to be present to the same degree when practicing any posture. In the beginning, we are only able to hold a position for a short time and feel that balance. . As we continue to practice, our stamina, strength and flexibility grow and we can hold longer in the poses and still feel balanced with sthira and sukha. Try not to let your ambition and drive keep you from remembering this important combination. It is one of the tricky challenges to your true yoga practice.

Have you heard of Ayurveda and never quite understood what it is? Let me give you a basic definition that gives you a sense of it. Ayurveda is ancient India's "science of life", yoga's sister science, and has been around for over 5,000 years Its aim is to provide guidance regarding food and lifestyle so that healthy people can stay healthy and folks with health challenges can improve their health. Ayus=life and Veda=knowledge, wisdom. Ayurveda, simply means “knowledge of life” The approach involves listening to and addressing the unique needs of your body, recognizing and balancing your mental and emotional states and deepening your connection with your spirit, your essential self. Inherent, is the concept that you are the only one who can do this, because you are the only one who will truly benefit from your actions or suffer from your abuses. . Ayurveda looks to the unique predominant elements within a person to customize a path of healing using specific massage therapies, breathing techniques, meditation, aromas, nutrition, herbs, lifestyle choices, and cleansing, rejuvenating therapies.

Calms mind and emotions Increases blood supply to all organs Lowers blood pressure Decreases anxiety and fear Increases feeling of ease and relaxation Relieves tension from musculoskeletal system Reduced stress response Connects us to parasympathetic nervous system Increases flexibility in mind/body Increases self awareness Relieves emotional stress Assists digestion and elimination Liver spleen, stomach and kidneys Receive higher levels of nutrients Balances right and left hemispheres of brain

One of the most important teaching of Hatha Yoga is the way to live in balance with the opposites. ‘Ha’ means sun, and ‘Tha’ means moon. Innate to our lives is the co-existence of all aspects of existence- Light,dark Cold, hot Still, moving Downward, upward Calm, excited Etc. Learning to live in acceptance and tolerance of all that is. Co-existing, Unity, Yoga!

The kleshas describe ways in which our mind can participate in our suffering. The kleshas are often referred to as obstructions or colorings. Literally ask yourself, “In what way(s) is this thought colored?” The five kleshas or colorings are as follows:

Avidya – Ignorance, spiritual forgetting, veiling.  A sense of separation that comes from confusing our true self, timeless Unity, with our changing personality.

Asmita – Associated with I-ness.  Identification with and seeking solutions through the personality, where the “I” with all of its expectations, is always at the center of every situation.

Raga – Attraction or drawing to. The part of us that wants and desires. And Dvesha – Aversion or pushing away. That part of us that wants to avoid or be in denial. Together, these two kleshas show the binding likes and dislikes that form a cycle of craving and seeking happiness only through the personality.

Abhinivesha – Resistance to loss, fear. Existential fear and anxiety that go along with identifying myself as  limited and mortal.

Avidya is the ground for the other obstacles or colorings.  It is Avidya (spiritual forgetting) that allows us to get entangled in the thought in the first place. This is the natural tendancy of our mind. It is not bad, it just is. Within Asmita, the coloring of I-ness is nenecessary for attraction, aversion, and fear to have any power. Since we are filtered into individual units, or bodies, we forget that we are all from the same One Source. Once there is the primary forgetting called Avidya, and the rising of individuality called Asmita, there is now the potential for attachment, or Raga. Aversion or Dvesha, is the flip side of attachment. It is what we are trying to mentally push away or avoid. The resistance to losing the delicate balance among the false identities is called fear of death of those identities and our bodies which is Abhinivesha..

Witnessing these thoughts, we can learn to talk to the mind. We can train the mind, saying “Mind, this is not useful!. Or Mind, this is useful”. Witnessing, labeling, and mindfulness can help alleviate suffering.

You may have heard the term 'Prana' used during yoga classes and not been real sure what the teacher is referring to. So I thought I'd take a minute to give you just a basic idea of what this term is about. Prana is the Sanskrit word for "life force energy" Similar to Chi in China or ki, in Japan, or mana in Polynesia. It is the force that animates us, gives us life. In other words, when we die, the body is still there intact but the life force energy has left. We receive it directly through our breath, but also from the live foods we eat, fresh water, the sun, from trees and vegetation, and even through the love of other people and creatures, indirectly through music, inspiring works, and beautiful sights. This life force energy that animates our physical body flows through 72,00 nadis(energy channels) that the ancient yogis mapped out through a receptive, intuitive experience(yoga) that they felt energized and sustained their physical and energy structure , hence we feel good after our practice of postures and breathing!

Bones are magical Bones are truly remarkable It’s function is structural and physiological It is not a static tissue. It is the most dynamic material in the body. Bone is a reservoir for calcium and phosphorus. There is a constant flux of minerals in and out of the bone Bone responds to injury by rapid healing. It can be made to grow in different ways It’s affected by nutritional changes. Bones are continually being modified, reshaped, remodeled and overhauled Even when the skeleton is fully matured and there is not more shaping and sculpting to be done, the renewal and removal of bones goes on. The necessity to maintain structural strength and physiological stability keeps bone an active, changing , growing tissue until the day the organism dies. We have 206 bones Bones manufacture blood cells and store minerals Bones help regulate blood calcium levels We have 33 individual vertebrae We have an axial skeleton and an appendicular skeleton Our vital organs are protected by our skeletal system Blood cells are produced by the marrow located in bones. An average of 2.6 million red blood cells are produced each second by the bone marrow to replace those worn out and destroyed by the liver. When calcium and phosphorus are low in the blood , it will be withdrawn form the bones to replenish the supply.

Surya Namaskar - otherwise known as Sun Salutation With hands in prayer I face the sun, feeling love and joy in my heart I reach out and let the sun fill me with warmth I bow before the sun’s radiance and place my face to the ground in humble respect I lift my face to the sun and then remember, to achieve such heights, I must be as the dust of the earth I stretch up towards it’s light tying to reach it’s greatest heights and again surrender I stand tall as I remember the sun within me In India, the Sun is called Surya, it is revered as the physical and spiritual heart of our world. After all it is the source of life and light on our earth. Namaskar stems from namas, which means to bow to, to adore. The outer sun is asserted to be a replica of our inner sun corresponding to our subtle, spiritual heart, where love and compassion spring forth and touch those around us. In essence then, this sequence is a humble adoration of the light of consciousness and insight of the self. Enjoy!

A tendency to think and act spontaneously rather than from fears based on past experiences An unmistakable ability to enjoy each moment A loss of interest in judging self A loss of interest in judging others A loss of interest in conflict A loss of interest in interpreting the actions of others A loss of ability to worry Frequent, overwhelming episodes of appreciation Contented feelings of connectedness with others and nature Frequent attacks of smiling through the eyes of the heart Increasing susceptibility to love extended by others as well as the urge to extend it An increasing tendency to let things happen

Compiled by the Sage Patanjali Maharishi in the Yoga Sutras, the Eight Limbs are a progressive series of steps or disciplines which purify the body and mind, ultimately leading the yogi to enlightenment. These 8 limbs are: 1. Yamas - The Yamas or restraints (Don'ts) are divided into five moral injuctions, aimed at destroying the lower nature. They should all be practiced and developped by the letter but also more importantly in the spirit. They should all be practiced in word, thought and deed: Ahimsa or non-violence;  Satyam or truthfulness;  Brahmacharya or moderation in all things (control of all senses). Also refers to celibacy, Asteya or non-stealing, Aparigraha or non-covetousness. 2. Niyamas - The Niyamas or observances (Do's) are also divided into five and complete the ethical precepts started with the Yama.. These qualities are: Saucha or purity - this internal and external cleanliness; Santosha or contentmen; Tapas or austerity; Swadhyaya or study of the sacred texts; Ishwara Pranidhana which is constantly living with an awareness of the divine Presence (surrender to God's Will). 3. Asanas - Postures 4. Pranayama - regulation or control of the breath. Asanas and Pranayama form the sub-division of Raja Yoga known as Hatha-Yoga 5. Pratyahara - withdrawal of the senses in order to still the mind. 6. Dharana - concentration. The last 3 steps constitute the internal practice of Raja Yoga. When Dharana is achieved, it leads to the next step: 7. Dhyana - meditation is that state of pure thought and absorption in the object of meditation. There is still duality in Dhyana. When mastered Dhyana leads to the last step: 8. Samadhi - the superconscious state. In Samadhi non-duality or oneness is experienced. This is the deepest and highest state of consciousness where body and mind have been transcended and the Yogi is one with the Self or God.

Yoga teachers will often refer to "your practice," which means your individual experience with yoga as it develops over time. The amazing thing about yoga is that your practice is always evolving and changing, so it never gets boring. Although the poses themselves do not change, your relationship to them will. Anyone can start a yoga practice, even if you don't feel like you are very flexible or very strong. These things will develop over time. Another great thing about thinking about "your practice" is that it encourages the noncompetitive spirit of yoga. One of the most difficult, but ultimately most liberating things about yoga is letting go of the ego and accepting that no one is better than anyone else. Everyone is just doing their best on any given day. Quoted from Ann Pizer