A

ABHAYA - fearless
- ABHAYA PAD (h) - liberation, same as moksha

ABHIMAN - pride, conceit, arrogance

ABHYAS - regular practice or exercise

ACAL - steady, immovable, permanent

ACARYA - highly respected teacher

ADHIBHAUTIK - influences from the physical, material world and from other creatures

ADHIDAIVIK - influences from the astral world

ADHYATMIK - influences from one's own body

ADI - first, original, the beginning, the cause, the basis
- ADI ANADI - everlasting, beyond time and space

ADVAITA - non-duality
- ADVAITA VEDANTA - the teachings about oneness, non-duality

AGNI - fire, god of fire, one of the five mahabhutas (elements)

AGYA - order, command
- AGYA CHAKRA - the centre located between the eyebrows, Third Eye centre

AHAM BRAHMASMI - "I am Brahman " - a mantra from the Upanishads

AHAMKARA - ego (see also "antahkarana") "

AHIMSA - the principle of non-violence, the refusal to hurt any living being; the first of the five yamas (see "Raja Yoga")

AJAPA - continuous, spontaneous inner repetition of the mantra

AJNA CHAKRA - see "agya chakra"

AKASHA - space, sky, ether, the fifth element (mahabhuta)
- CHIDAKASH - the space of consciousness, inner space
- GHATAKASH - the inside of a container or a vessel, the inner space of the body
- HRIDAYAKASH - the inside of the heart
- MAHAKASH - the space of the universe
- SUNYAKASH - empty space

AKASHI MUDRA - a yoga technique, gazing into the sky

AKHAND - unbreakable, that cannot be severed

AMAR - immortal, undying
- AMARLOKA - world of immortals; another name for satyaloka

AMRIT - 1. immortality; 2. nectar, ambrosia

ANADI - without beginning, uncreated, eternal

ANAHATA CHAKRA - heart centre (see also "chakras")

ANANDA - bliss, absolute joy
- ANANDAMAY KOSHA - the sheath of desires and pleasure, causal body, the innermost wrapper of the Self (see also "kosha")
- SAT CHIT ANANDA - the absolute of truth, consciousness and bliss; an epithet of the Supreme Spirit

ANITYA - changeable, transient, perishable; op. of nitya

ANNAMAY KOSHA - sheath of nourishment, the physical body; the outmost wrapper of the Self (see also "kosha")

ANTAHKARANA - general concept for the psychic functions, the inner instruments or internal organs:
1) MANAS - the mind, the inner organ of perception
2) BUDDHI - the understanding, the intellect, the ability to make decisions and draw conclusions
3) CHITTA - consciousness
- unconsciousness - deep dreamless sleep
- subconsciousness - dream consciousness
- consciousness - the waking state
- superconsciousness - samadhi, turiya

AHAMKARA - "I am a doer", ego

ANTARYAMI - inner witness

ANUBHAVA - personal experience

ANUSTHANA - an intensive exercise carried out during a pre-set time

APANA - one of the five pranas that function in the body (see "prana")

APARIGRAHA - not accumulating, not collecting of unnecessary things; fifth of five yamas

APMAN - disrespect, humiliation

ARATI - waving lights before an image, part of worship or prayer

ARTHA - 1. object, purpose, aim (see also "purushartha"); 2. wealth, money

ASANA - 1. a seat, stool; 2. posture, position of the body, third limb of Raja Yoga

ASHIRVAD - blessing, benediction
- ASHIRVAD MUDRA - the gesture of blessing

ASHRAM - (A = welcome, SHRAM = to do something); 1. hermitage, or dwelling-place of persons (generally a teacher and his disciples) devoted to the spiritual life. 2. one of the four stages or phases of a lifetime:
1) BRAHMACHARYA - life of a student (traditionally until 25 years old)
2) GRIHASTHA - life of a householder or family man, until children are grown up and independent (age 25-50)
3) VANPRASTHA - life of a hermit or retirement from active business and of thought and study relating to the inner nature of human (age 50-75)
4) SANNYASA - life of renunciation of all worldly desires and ambitions (age 75)

ASHTANGA - eight-limb
- ASHTANGA YOGA - the eight-fold path, Patanjali's system of Raja Yoga

ASTEYA - not stealing; third of the five yamas (see "Raja Yoga")

ATMA - the divine Self, the immortal soul
- ATMA CHINTAN - contemplating on atma
- ATMA GYANA - the Realization of the Self, Self-realization, knowledge of the Self
- ATMA TATTVA - the essence of the Self, the highest principle (see "tattvas")
- JIVATMA - individual soul
- MAHATMA - great soul
- PARAMATMA - supreme soul, God

AVATAR - the incarnation or descent of God on earth

AVIDYA - ignorance, non-science

AVINASHI - indestructible, imperishable, immortal

AYURVEDA - the ancient Indian medical science. Ayur=Life and Veda=Knowledge