Yoga Glossary: Terms De-Coded

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From The Spirit Trainers

The benefits of yoga are innumerable and range widely - - from physical and mental to spiritual and emotional. But between the oddly named positions and the foreign terminology, it can be intimidating for beginners. So before you start hitting the mats and twisting yourself into cobras and downward dogs, ease yourself into a yogi mindset by familiarizing yourself with some of the most common yoga terms.

Asana (ah-sa-nah):
A yoga position, yoga pose, or flow series. A balanced position for smooth energy flow in specific areas of the body and mind.

Dharma (dar-mah):
Duty or righteous path.

Guru (goo-roo):
Gu means darkness, Ru means removal. Translated: That which takes us from darkness to light. The teachings of yoga are said to be the true, timeless guru. Can also mean an enlightened spiritual teacher.

Heart Center:
Located in the heart, lungs and thymus gland, the heart center is the seat of compassion and love. This is where our lower animal self meets our elevated spiritual self and where we find our humanity.

Higher Self:
The Spirit, or Soul: the undying part of you, which is part of the Divine.

Mantra (mahn-tra):
Translated means "mind wave". Usually, a sound or word that holds a sacred or spiritual meaning, used with the intention to refocus the mind in the direction of our higher self, or some aspect of the divine. (Note: any word repeated over can become a mantra, so choose your conscious - - and even unconscious - - thoughts and words carefully. They will work to manifest themselves in the physical world).

Namaste (nahm-ah-stay):
Greeting often heard in yoga classes. Roughly translated: The light in me greets the light in you, and when it does, we are one.

Root Lock:
Actual name: mulbandha. Applying the root lock is the act of squeezing up on the muscles of the rectum, sex organs, and navel center. This works to "lift" the energy from the lower chakras (energy centers) to the higher chakras.

Sanskrit:
A non-religious, spiritual language handed down and practiced for generations. It is said that these words hold collective energy from all the people who have practiced them before you.

Third Eye:
Located at the center of the forehead, just above the brow line. When meditating, yogi close their eyes and look upward towards this mystical third eye, which is said to be the seat of intuition in the brain.