Yoga Terms
COMMONLY USED YOGA TERMS
• Asana: literal translation is “seat” but currently used to mean poses or postures
• Bandha: internal muscular “locks” that support the toning and internal lifting including mula bandha (the pelvic floor), uddiyana bandha (abdominals up to diaphragm), and Jalandhara bandha (the throat)
• Chakra: energy centers in the body (in the western world, 7 are used starting at the base of the spine to the top of the head). The chakras are: the root, sacral, solar plexus, heart, throat, third eye, and crown
• Chaturanga: from plank, lowering yourself slowly down to the mat while keeping the elbows close to the body
• Drishti: focal point of gazing (useful for balancing poses)
• Heart Center: center of the chest
• Mantra: a sound or phrase repeated to increase concentration
• Mudra: a hand position
• Namaste: the light in me bows or honors the light in you
• Om: a mantra with many meanings considered the origin of sound, often described as the universal sound of consciousness
• Prana: life force (for example, the sun and food)
• Pranayama: breathwork (breathing exercises)
• Savasana: corpse pose used as the final resting pose of class
• Sun salutation: “Surya namaskar” is a sequence of poses often used to warm up at the beginning of class
• Ujjayi: described as ocean breath because it is audible on the inhale and exhale
• Vinyasa: postures linked together with breath into a flow
• Yoga: to yoke or bind body and breath