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Glossary

You may be in a yoga class and hear the teacher using Sanskrit words for different aspects of body, mind & soul exercises. We thought you might find this list helpful in translating some of the more commonly used terms. Use always the box on the right to navigate our Glossary. Feedback for corrections and additions is welcome: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

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RAJA YOGA - yoga of meditation

PATANJALI'S SYSTEM OF RAJA YOGA:

1)  YAMA - the principles of common morality:
     - AHIMSA - the principle of non-violence, the refusal to hurt any living being
     - SATYA - truth, love of truth
     - ASTEYA - not stealing, honesty
     - BRAHMACHARYA - continence, faring according to Brahman, search for Brahman, the Supreme; celibacy
     - APARIGRAHA - not accumulating, not collecting unnecessary things

2) NIYAMA - the principles of inner discipline:
     - SAUCHA - inner purity
     - SANTOSHA - inner contentment
     - TAPAS - austerity, ascetism, strict self-control
     - SVADYAYA - studying, reading
     - ISHWARA PRANIDHANA - devotion to Lord

3) ASANA - posture, position of the body

4) PRANAYAMA - the control of the prana

5) PRATYAHARA - withdrawing the senses from the external object

6) DHARANA - concentration

7) DHYANA - meditation
 
8) SAMADHI - the highest state of consciousness, where knowledge, knower and the object of knowledge becomes one


RAJAS GUNA - passion, suffering, aggressiveness, restlesness


RAKSHAS - demon, demonic being


RASA - taste, pleasure, nectar
- AMRAS - "fruit juice", enjoyment of food, (A= mango)
- CHAMRAS - the pleasure of sensual enjoyment (CHAM = skin)
- RAMRAS - the divine nectar, enjoying the divine (RAM = The Lord Ram)


RECHAKA - exhaling


RISHI - a sage


RUPA - form, beauty