Yoga Basics Dictionary

bhakti yoga: n (Sanskrit) "Union through devotion." Bhakti yoga is the practice of devotional disciplines, worship, prayer, chanting and singing with the aim of awakening love in the heart and opening oneself to God's grace. Bhakti may be directed toward God, Gods or one's spiritual preceptor.

Bhakti yoga seeks communion and ever closer rapport with the Divine, developing qualities that make communion possible, such as love, selflessness and purity. Saint Sambandar described bhakti as religion's essence and the surest means to divine union and liberation. He advised heartfelt worship, unstinting devotion and complete surrender to God in humble, committed service. From the beginning practice of bhakti to advanced devotion, called prapatti, self-effacement is an intricate part of Hindu, even all Indian, culture.

Bhakti yoga is embodied in Patanjali's Yoga Darshana in the second limb, niyamas (observances), as devotion (Ishvarapranidhana). Bhakti yoga is practiced in many Hindu schools, and highly developed in Vaishnavism as a spiritual path in itself, leading to perfection and liberation. In Saiva Siddhanta, its cultivation is the primary focus during the kriya pada (stage of worship).

See: bhakti yoga, prapatti, sacrifice, surrender, yajna.

(See also: Bhakti yoga , Hinduism, Body Mind and Soul)

Bhakti Yoga

Type of yoga or spiritual exercise involving devotion to a god or a guru.

(See also: Bhakti Yoga , New Age Spirituality, Body Mind and Soul)

raja yoga: (Sanskrit) "King of yogas."

Also known as ashtanga yoga, "eight-limbed yoga." The classical yoga system of eight progressive stages to Illumination as described in various yoga Upanishads, the Tirumantiram and, most notably, the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali.

The eight limbs are as follows.

1)    yama: "Restraint." Virtuous and moral living, which brings purity of mind, freedom from anger, jealousy and subconscious confusion which would inhibit the process of meditation.

2)    niyama: (Sanskrit) "Observance." Religious practices which cultivate the qualities of the higher nature, such as devotion, cognition, humility and contentment- giving the refinement of nature and control of mind needed to concentrate and ultimately plunge into samadhi.

3)    asana: "Seat or posture." A sound body is needed for success in meditation. This is attained through hatha yoga, the postures of which balance the energies of mind and body, promoting health and serenity, e.g., padmasana, the "lotus pose," for meditation. The Yoga Sutras indicate that asanas make the yogi impervious to the impact of the pairs of opposites (dvandva), heat-cold, etc.

4)    pranayama: "Mastering life force." Breath control, which quiets the chitta and balances ida and pingala. Science of controlling prana through breathing techniques in which lengths of inhalation, retention and exhalation are modulated. Pranayama prepares the mind for deep meditation.

5)    pratyahara: "Withdrawal." The practice of withdrawing consciousness from the physical senses first, such as not hearing noise while meditating, then progressively receding from emotions, intellect and eventually from individual consciousness itself in order to merge into the Universal.

6)    dharana: "Concentration." Focusing the mind on a single object or line of thought, not allowing it to wander. The guiding of the flow of consciousness. When concentration is sustained long and deeply enough, meditation naturally follows.

7)    dhyana: "Meditation." A quiet, alert, powerfully concentrated state wherein new knowledge and insight pour into the field of consciousness. This state is possible once the subconscious mind has been cleared or quieted.

8)    samadhi: "Enstasy," which means "standing within one's self." "Sameness, contemplation." The state of true yoga, in which the meditator and the object of meditation are one.

See: yoga, asana, samadhi, raja yoga.

(See also: Raja Yoga , Hinduism, Body Mind and Soul)

Shabda Yoga: An ancient method that involves chanting, devotional music, and simple hatha-yoga and kundalini-yoga postures and techniques.

Shabda Yoga is a means of dissolving blockages, increasing vitality, and merging with the divine energy of the cosmos. The Sanskrit word shabda literally means sound.

(See also: Shabda Yoga , Body Mind and Soul, Alternative Health, Alternative Health Dictionary)

A Yoga Dictionary from Asanas to Zerosis

Note that all words in grey (like the following examples; Yoga, Kundalini, Enlightenment) in the dictionary are links to archives with articles related to that word or expression.

From "Easy Steps to Yoga" by Sri Swami Sivananda.

The Sanskrit word 'yoga' is derived from the root verb yuj, which means union. The supreme union of individual mind and cosmic mind is yoga. In his Yogasutras , Patanjali advocated the eight-fold path of astanga yoga . Its eight limbs are: yama (self-restraint), niyama (life-regulating moral rules and observances), asana (postures of bodily restfulness), pranayama (breath control), pratyahar (withdrawal of senses), dharana (fixing the mind on the Supreme), dhyana (absorption of self), and samadhi (liberation of the soul).

Read more here: » Patanjali Yoga Sutras: Supreme Union of Body, Mind, Soul with the Patanjali Yoga Sutras

L'Chaim Yoga: Variation of hatha yoga taught by Kay Abrahams, of New York City. It involves guided relaxation, Hebrew prayer, and makko-ho. (L'Chaim is a Hebrew expression that means to life and is used as a toast.)

(See also: L'Chaim Yoga , Body Mind and Soul, Alternative Health, Alternative Health Dictionary)

Kundalini Awakening

Kundalini awakening or pranic awakening and its cross-tradition similars-the spontaneous spinal rockings known in Judaism as davening and in Sufisim as zikr; the "taken-over" gyrations of gospel "holy ghost" shaking and dancing and charismatic/pentacostal "mani-festations"; the Dionysian "revel"; QuakerismÕs and Shakerism's autonomic quaking and shaking; Tai Chi guided by chi itself; the shamanic trance-dance; BuddhismÕs and Raja-YogaÕs effortless "straight back" (uju-kaya) meditation; the yogically derived ecstatic belly-dance and Flamenco; and even the full-bodied, spontaneous Reichian "reflex"-literally embody the spiritual path.

Read more here: » Kundalini Awakening: Kundalini and Sahaja Yoga (Spontaneous Yoga)

Kriya Yoga (Kriya): Ancient yogic method rediscovered, renamed, expounded, and revived by Babaji, the guru of Lahiri Mahasaya. Lahiri Mahasaya popularized it in modern India, and Paramahansa Yogananda (1893-1952) advanced it in the United States.

Kriya theory posits apana (eliminating current), prana (the life force), an omniscient spiritual eye, and the transmutation of oxygen atoms into life current.

(See also: Kriya Yoga , Body Mind and Soul, Alternative Health, Alternative Health Dictionary)

Buddhism: Basic Buddhist Dictionary

A basic dictionary of Buddhism terms. Please note that all words in grey like " Buddhism " are links to an archive with related articles.

A dictionary Of Siddha Yoga Terminology. From Abhanga to Yogini.

Please note that all words in grey, like "enlightenment" or "kundalini" are hyperlinked to archives further explaining the term. At the corresponding archive you will also find articles related to the term.

Although there are many Asanas (8,400,000 according to the scriptures) the practice of the 12 basic yoga postures brings out the essence and all major benefits of this wonderful system.

Read more here: » Yoga Postures: What is Proper Exercise - 12 Basic Yoga Postures

Kriya Yoga

The yoga of cleansing or purification.

(See also: Kriya Yoga , New Age Spirituality, Body Mind and Soul)

hatha yoga: (Sanskrit) "Forceful yoga."

Hatha yoga is a system of physical and mental exercise developed in ancient times as a means of rejuvenation by rishis and tapasvins who meditated for long hours, and used today in preparing the body and mind for meditation.

Its elements are

1)    postures (asana),

2)    cleansing practices (dhauti or shodhana),

3)    breath control (pranayama),

4)    locks (bandha, which temporarily restrict local flows of prana) and

5)    hand gestures (mudra), all of which regulate the flow of prana and purify the inner and outer bodies.

Hatha yoga is broadly practiced in many traditions. It is the third limb (anga) of Patanjali's raja yoga. It is integral to the Saiva and Shakta tantra traditions, and part of modern ayurveda treatment. In the West, hatha yoga has been superficially adopted as a health-promoting, limbering, stress-reducing form of exercise, often included in aerobic routines.

Esoterically, ha and tha, respectively, indicate the microcosmic sun (ha) and moon (tha), which symbolize the masculine current, pingala nadi, and feminine current, ida nadi, in the human body. The most popular hatha yoga manuals are Hatha Yoga Pradipika and the Gheranda Samhita.

See: hatha yoga, asana, kundalini, nadi, yoga, raja yoga.

(See also: Hatha yoga , Hinduism, Body Mind and Soul)

siddha yoga: (Sanskrit) "Yoga of perfected attainment, or of supernatural powers."

1)    A term used in the Tirumantiram and other Saiva scriptures to describe the yoga which is the way of life of adepts after attaining of Parasiva. Siddha yoga involves the development of magical or mystical powers, or siddhis, such as the eight classical powers. It is a highly advanced yoga which seeks profound transformation of body, mind and emotions and the ability to live in a flawless state of God Consciousness.

2)    The highly accomplished practices of certain alchemists.

See: siddha yogi, siddhi.

(See also: Siddha yoga , Hinduism, Body Mind and Soul)

Arhatic Yoga (Arhatic Yoga System): Syncretic form of yoga developed by Choa Kok Sui, an exponent of Kriyashakti, Pranic Healing, and pranic psychotherapy. Its design is to activate and align chakras, safely awaken the 'sacred fires' of the body, and increase longevity. Its theory posits golden energy, kundalini, and physical and spiritual bodies. The Center for Pranic Healing, in New York City, defines arhatic as a highly integrated human being equipped with very developed intuition, advanced mental powers, highly refined emotions and engaged in a great contribution to the Divine Plan.

(See also: Arhatic Yoga , Alternative Health, Body Mind and Soul)

ashtanga-yoga

The eight-phase system of yoga practice taught by the sage Patanjali in his Yoga-sutras.

(See also: ashtanga-yoga , Bhakti, Bhakti Yoga, Bhakti Dictionary, Body Mind and Soul)

acu-yoga: Combination of self-applied acupressure and a group of yogic postures and stretches. It activates the points and energy pathways of acupuncture.

(See also: Acu-yoga , Alternative Health, Body Mind and Soul)

Astanga-yoga - the yoga system consisting of eight parts: yama (control of the senses) , niyama (control of the mind) , asana (bodily postures) , pranayama (breath control) , pratyahara (withdrawal of the mind from sensory perception) , dharana (steadying the mind) , dhyana (meditation) , and samadhi (deep and unbroken absorption on the Lord in the heart).

(See also: Astanga-yoga , Bhakti, Bhakti Yoga, Bhakti Dictionary, Body Mind and Soul)

ACU-YOGA

Acu-Yoga is a system of exercises integrating the knowledge of two holistic methods of health maintenance - acupressure and yoga. Both relax muscular tension and balance the vital life forces of the body.

Yoga does this through controlling the breath while holding the body in certain postures. Acupressure does this by directly manipulating body energy through a system of points and meridians.

Each Acu-Yoga posture naturally presses and stretches certain nerves, muscles, and acupressure points, awakening the meridians and releasing the tension in the points so that energy (chi) can circulate freely. This energy is the source of all life, and its flow is the key to radiant health. The process balances the body and stimulates it to heal itself.

(See also: ACU-YOGA , Alternative Health, Massage, Bodywork, Body Mind and Soul)