Complete Comprehensive Yoga Terms Glossary: Essential Terms And Definitions You Must Know

Abhyasa – Constant exercise; a focused and engaged spiritual practice.
Adho – Translated as “downward”, as in Adho Mukha Svanasana for downward facing dog.
Ahamkara – The “I-maker” or the yogic concept of ego.
Ahimsa – Practicing non-violence or non-harming towards all living things.
Ananda – An ecstatic state of complete bliss and love.
Apana – The second-most important of the five types of prana in Hatha Yoga and Ayurveda.
Ardha – Translates to “half,” as in Ardha Chandrasana or Half Moon Pose.
Asana – The physical yoga poses in hatha yoga.
Ashram – A yoga hermitage or a school of yoga.
Ashtanga – Translated as “eight-limbed yoga,” this is the eight-limbed path described by Patanjali in the Yoga Sutras.
Ashtanga Vinyasa Yoga – This challenging and athletic system of hatha yoga was popularized during the 20th century by Sri K. Pattabhi Jois.
Atman – The transcendental and eternal Self or indwelling spirit.
Bandha – An energetic lock or seal in hatha yoga, requiring a contraction of muscles and internal focus to constrain the flow of prana or energy.
Bhagavad Gita – The oldest Sanskrit book on yoga that is embedded in the larger Mahabharata epic.
Bhakti – The practice of cultivating love and devotion directed toward the Divine.
Bikram – A style of yoga is practiced in a heated room with a set sequence of asanas.
Buddhi – The highest aspect of the mind which is considered to be the seat of wisdom.
Chandra – The moon, as in Ardha Chandrasana or Half Moon Pose.
Chakra – A swirling wheel of light and energy in the body.
Chaturanga – The yogi pushup movement used to move from plank to the ground.
Dharma – The role, purpose, and path in life that leads one to truth, peace, and enlightenment.
Dhyana – Meditation from a sustained state of mental focus and, the seventh limb of Patanjali’s eight limbs of yoga.
Drishti – A focal point used in yoga to set your gaze and help with concentration, balance, and focus.
Duhkha – A bad space or a negative state of mind that leads to suffering or ignorance.
Dwi – The number Two; used in poses with names like Dwi Hasta Bhujasana, or Two Hand Arm Pose.
Eka – The number One; used in many poses that focus on one limb, like Eka Pada Rajakapotasana, or One Leg Pigeon Pose.
Flow – See “vinyasa.”
Granthi – One of the three “knots” or blockages in the central energy channel or nadi which prevents a full ascent of the serpent power to achieve enlightenment in tantra yoga.
Guna – One of the three main qualities or constituents of nature: tamas (inertia), rajas (overactivity), and sattva (equanimity).
Guru – A spiritual teacher or leader who offers knowledge and guides one to the path of awakening and union.
Hatha – The “forceful path.” Ha is translated to the Sun, and Tha, to the Moon. One goal of Hatha Yoga is to balance the sun and moon energy in the body.
Hasta – The hand (or arm).
Iyengar – One of the more popular styles of yoga, this tradition emphasizes detail, precision and alignment in the performance of asanas.
Japa – The recitation of Sanskrit mantras or prayers, commonly used in Bhakti Yoga or mantra meditation.
Jnana – The yogic path of knowledge and wisdom.
Karma – The law of cause and effect. A yogi’s goal is to not accumulate any further karma in his or her lifetime.
Kirtan – The devotional and ecstatic singing and chanting of hymns and mantras in a community gathering.
Kosha – One of the five sheaves or envelopes that surrounding the transcendental Self (atman) like Russian nesting dolls.
Kriya – A completed action; used as a yogic technique for cleansing or purification.

Kundalini – A powerful energy represented as a coiled snake located at the base of the spine.
Manas – The lower mind that processes thoughts and emotions.
Mantra – A sacred word, sound, or phrase, often in Sanskrit, that is used for meditation or prayer.
Marga – A path or way towards liberation (moksha).
Matsya – A fish, as in Matsyasana, or Fish Pose.
Mudra – A symbolic hand gesture used in meditation and yoga.
Mukha – Face, as in Adho Mukha Svanasana, or Downward-Facing Dog Pose.
Nadi – Energy channels through which prana flows in the subtle body.
Nidra – Sleep, as in Yoga Nidra, or Yogic Sleep.
Niyama – The second limb of Patanjali’s eight limbs of yoga, referring to observances for healthy living and spiritual enlightenment.
Om – A sacred sound and spiritual icon in Indian religions. It signifies the essence of the ultimate reality, consciousness.
Pada – Foot or leg, as in Eka Pada Rajakapotasana, or One-Legged King Pigeon Pose.
Prana – Life force or vital energy that sustains life and runs through our body.
Pranayama – Yogic breathing exercises.
Pratyahara – Withdrawal of the senses, the fifth limb of Patanjali’s eight limbs of yoga.
Purusha – The eternal and infinite consciousness.
Raja – Translates to “royal,” and refers to the completeness and comprehensiveness of this path, as in Raja Yoga.
Rasa – The juice or essence of our emotions and experiences.
Sadhana – Spiritual practice or discipline to achieve a specific goal.
Sakshi – The nonjudgmental observer or witness consciousness.
Samadhi – A state of intense concentration achieved through meditation, the final limb of Patanjali’s eight limbs of yoga.
Samskara – Mental and emotional patterns or imprints that drive our thought and behavior.
Santosha – Contentment, one of the Niyamas in Patanjali’s eight limbs of yoga.
Sattva – One of the three gunas, signifies purity, knowledge, and harmony.
Seva – Selfless service for the betterment of the community.
Shanti – Peace, calmness, tranquility.
Shatkarma – Six cleansing techniques in Hatha Yoga.
Shiva – One of the principal deities of Hinduism, considered as the patron god of yoga and arts.
Surya – The sun, as in Surya Namaskar, or Sun Salutation.
Sutra – A thread or line that holds things together, refers to an aphorism or a collection of such aphorisms in the form of a manual.
Svadhyaya – Self-study or introspection, one of the Niyamas in Patanjali’s eight limbs of yoga.
Tantra – A ritualistic and ceremonial approach to spirituality.
Tapas – Disciplined use of our energy, one of the Niyamas in Patanjali’s eight limbs of yoga.
Tejas – Inner radiance or the fire that fuels all transformation.
Ujjayi – A specific breath technique that involves breathing through the nose with the throat slightly constricted.
Utkata – Powerful or fierce, as in Utkatasana, or Chair Pose.
Vairagya – Non-attachment or desirelessness.
Vinyasa – A style of yoga characterized by stringing postures together so that you move from one to another, seamlessly, using breath.
Yama – The first limb of Patanjali’s eight limbs of yoga, referring to moral disciplines or ethical standards.
Yantra – A mystical diagram used in the Indian religions for meditation and concentration.
Yoga – A spiritual, mental, and physical practice that originated in ancient India.
Yogi/Yogini – A practitioner of yoga. In contemporary terminology, yogi is often used for men and yogini for women.