S

SADHAKA - a person who practices yoga, a practitioner, an aspirant

SADHANA - spiritual endeavour, the carrying out of spiritual exercises

SADHU - a holy man

SAHASRARA CHAKRA - "the thousand petalled lotus", the crown chakra

SAKSHI - witness

SAM - control of the senses

SAMADHAN - keeping one's goal in mind, striving for the ultimate

SAMADHI - the highest state of consciousness, union with Divine consciousness, where knowledge, knower and the object of knowledge become one; the eighth grade of Raja Yoga
- SAVIKALPA SAMADHI - enlightment, the state of consciousness in which karmas, thoughts and wishes are still present
- NIRVIKALPA SAMADHI - the highest level, a state of complete unity with cosmic consciousness, liberation from all desires and karmas

SAMSARA - the world, the cycle of birth and death

SAMSKARAS - influences from the external world

SANATAN - a relation, eternal
- SAT SANATHAN DHARMA - the true eternal religion

SANCHIT KARMA - destiny, collected deeds from the past

SANDHYA - merging of the day and night, the time of dawn or dusk

SANKALPA - resolve, firm decision

SANNYASA - detachment from the worldly things and interests

SANT BHAV - holy, pure, positive feelings and affinity the qualities of a sant are:
- SANTOSHA - inner contentment
- SHANTI - peace, calmness
- SADHANA - regular practice
- SATYA - love of truth
- SIMPLICITY - (C put either in Sanskrit or English)
- SANTOSHA - the inner contentment, tranquility

SAGUNA - in one form, formed
- SAGUNA BHAKTI - see "bhakti"

SHARIR - body
- STHULA SARIR - the crude, physical body
- SUKSHMA SARIR - the subtle body
- KARAN SARIR - the causal body

SAVIKALPA SAMADHI - see samadhi

SAT - true, real; truth, reality, existence
- SAT CHIT ANANDA - the absolute of truth, consciousness and bliss
- SAT GURU - the true spiritual master
- SATSANG - (SAT- truth, SANG - being together ) "to be with truth", meeting with a spiritually developed person, sermon of a sannyasi, getting together for a spiritual purpose

SATTVA GUNA - purity, harmony, light, knowledge

SATTVIK MANTRA - a positive, spiritual mantra

SATYA - truth, love of truth
- PARAMSATYA - the highest truth

SAUCHA - purity, inward and outward purification

SHABDA - sound, word

SHAKTI - power, energy
- BRAHMA SHAKTI - creative power
- VISHNU SHAKTI - sustaining power
- SHIVA SHAKTI - the power to release or liberate
- ICCHA SHAKTI - will power
- KRIYA SHAKTI - the power of activity
- SHANKALP SHAKTI - the power of the resolve or wish
- MANTRA SHAKTI - the power of the mantra
- PRAKRTI SHAKTI - the power of creation
- BRAHMA SHAKTI - the divine power, Brahman
- MUL SHAKTI - two basic kinds of shakti, Prakrti shakti and Brahma shakti

SHANTI - peace, tranquility

SAT SAMPATTI - "six treasures", the third stage of raja yoga:
- SAM - control of the senses
- DAM - control of the mind, self control
- UPARATI - to be above things
- TITIKSHA - discipline, endurance, firmness, boldness
- SAMADHAN - being constantly conscious of one's goal
- SHRADDHA - trust, faith

SHIVA - one of the divine Trinity; stands for the divine aspect of the destruction of the negative and liberation; pure consciousness, the absolute good, the master of yoga, symbol of the highest consciousness

SHIVOHAM - "I am Shiva" - a mantra

SHRADHA - trust, inner confidence, confidence in the relationship between the master and yourself

SHUDDRA - a member of the lower caste

SIDDHI - extraordinary power

SIKH - a member of one of the six main religions in India

SITALI - a pranayam technique

SO HAM - "I am that" - a mantra

SREY - "good", a desire for the Realization

SUKSHMA - subtle, astral
- SUKSHMA SARIR - the astral body

SUNYAKASH - empty space

SURYA NAMASKAR - "salutation to the sun," a set of asanas

SUSHUMNA - the main nadi, in the centre of the spinal column

SUTRA - "thread," Sanskrit saying or a collection of sayings
- YOGA SUTRAS - a collection of sayings by Patanjali on Raja Yoga

SVADHISTHANA CHAKRA - the centre in the region of the sacro-iliac joint

SVADYAYA - reading and studying spiritual scriptures

SVAR YOGA - yoga of sound or yoga of energy

SVARGALOKA - heaven

SWAMI - monk, saint, a member of the sannyasi order