Table 3.
Commonly used Sanskrit terminology in yoga
| SANSKRIT TERM | APPLIED DEFINITION |
|---|---|
| Yoga | To yoke together to unite |
| Jnana yoga | Path of wisdom |
| Bhakti yoga | Path of devotion |
| Kriya yoga | Path of action |
| Raja yoga | Royal path |
| Hatha yoga | Ha signifies prana (vital force, life energy) and Tha indicates mind or mental energy. Hatha encompasses the dialectical elements of heating and cooling, active and passive, energizing and calming, which are individually developed and then brought into balance. |
| Yoga Cikitsa | Yoga therapy |
| Asana | “Seat,” physical poses |
| Prana | Life force energy |
| Pranayama | Breathing practices: heating, cooling, cleansing, and balancing |
| Pratyahara | Drawing the senses inward |
| Dharana | Concentration |
| Dhyana | Uninterrupted concentration |
| Samadhi | Becoming united as one with the object of concentration |
| Kriya | Cleansing and purification of physical organs or subtle energy channels |
| Mudra | Gesture with a part of the body, e.g., the hand with thumb and forefingers touching, or the whole body, e.g., bowing, to stimulate an awareness or attitude |
| Bandha | Directing attention to an area of the body (throat, abdomen, or perineum) then through muscular action and subtle awareness deepening the awareness of energy in the area |
| Mantra japa | Silent repetition of a meaningful sound or word(s) |
| Kirtan | Chanting or singing mantras out loud |
| Yoga Nidra | Yogic sleep; guided, progressive relaxation of body, mind, and emotions to help achieve intentions |