Yoga Ashram

Glossary of Sanskrit Terms

Words you will hear during your visit to the Ashram

asana – yoga posture that is held steady and comfortably
akasha – space
ananda – bliss
ashram – spiritually based community, a place of effort and learning
atma – soul
agni – fire
antar – inner
aum – seed of the universe, cosmic mantra
bandha – pranic lock and redirection
bhakti – devotion
bija – seed
bindu – nucleus
brahman – universal consciousness
buddhi – higher intelligence
chakra – wheel, vortex
chidakasha – space behind the eyes
chitta – consciousness, mind
dharana – concentration
dharma – inner knowledge of one’s correct duty or obligation
dhyaana – state of meditation, union with the object of contemplation
diksha – initiation
drashta – witness, seeing/vision
guna – quality of nature
guru – remover of darkness, teacher
hridaya – heart
kama – desire/lust
karma – action
kaya – body
keval – pure
kirtan – devotional songs; musical chanting of mantras
kundalini – latent power/energy
laghoo – small
maala – thread, garland, beads used for meditation
maya – illusion or creative power
maha – great
mala – impurity
manas – mind
mantra – subtle sound vibrations which liberate mental forces
moksha – liberation
mouna – silence
mudra – psycho-neural gesture which redirects pranic energy
paramahamsa – a title denoting the entrance to higher sadhana
parampara – tradition
prakriti – nature/manifest reality
prana – vital-life force
pranayama – expansion of prana, breathing practices
prema – divine love
purusha – man/unmanifest reality
poorna – full
raja – royal
sadhana – regular practice of spiritual disciplines
samadhi – self-realisation
samskara – unconscious memories which set up impulses and reactions, impressions
sannyasa – the tradition through which yoga has been passed on through thousands of years
sanskrit – ancient indian language
seva – devoted, selfless service
shraddha – faith
sthairyam – steadiness/stillness
sutra – thread
swami – master of the self
tantra – ancient philosphy of universal consciousness and transcendental energy
vairagya – dispassion, detachment
vedic – of or concerning the Vedas, collection of revealed wisdom
viveka – discrimination
vritti – mind fluctuations and modifications, forces which dominate the mind
yoga – philosophy and practices leading to union of individual and cosmic consciousness
yogi – adept in yoga - practioner, one who is trying.

Mantras

gayatri – a mantra that invokes wisdom, knowledge and illumination (see mantra)
mahamrityunjaya – powerful healing mantra

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Rocklyn Yoga Ashram, operated by Yoga Association of Victoria Inc. as an autonomous entity, remains committed to the tradition of Satyananda Yoga and continues the teachings of the Satyananda system of yoga.