Yoga Vocabulary Quick Reference

Philosophy Foundations 2.1

1. ABHINIVESHA— Fear of death

2. ADVAITA VEDANTA— A non-dualistic understanding of Vedanta
3. AHIMSA— Non-harming, non-violence, non- killing, compassion
4. ANTARANGA YOGA— Internal aspects of the Eight Limbs of Yoga
5. APARIGRAHA — Nonattachment, non-grasping, non- possessiveness
6. ARJUNA— In The Bhagavad Gita, a warrior-prince who faces a moral crisis
7. ASANA — Posture or seat
8. ASHTANGA YOGA— Eight Limbs of Yoga
9. ASMITA — Egoism
10. ASTEYA— To not steal or misappropriate that which belongs to another
11. ATMAN— The Self, consciousness that is an individual expression of universal intelligence
12. AVIDYA — Misapprehension
13. BAHIRANGA YOGA— External aspects of the Eight Limbs of Yoga
14. THE BHAGAVAD GITA — A portion of the Mahabharata featuring "a dialogue that takes the
soul on an inward journey culminating in the ultimate state of yoga"
15. BRAHMACHARYA— Self-restraint, moderation and mindfulness in expending energy
16. BRAHMAN— The formless spirit of the Universe
17. DETACHMENT — Doing the right thing for its own sake, not for the expected results
18. DHARANA— Concentration or attention

Vocab Rev 2.1 R e p r i n t e d wi t h p e r m i s s i o n fr o m Y o g a T e a c h e r C e n t r a l

 19. DHYANA— Meditation
20. DVESHA — Aversion
21. EIGHT LIMBS OF YOGA— Raja Yoga
practices; yama, niyama, asana, pranayama, pratyahara, dharana, dhyana and samadhi
22. GITA — Another name for The Bhagavad Gita
23. GUNAS— Modes of being
24. ISHVARA PRANHIDHANA— Surrender to a higher power or Source
25. JIVATMAN— Consciousness that relates to living in the world of the senses (Alan Finger)
26. KAIVALYA PADA— Book 4 of The Yoga Sutras, On Absoluteness
27. KARMA— The law of universal causality
28. KLESHA — Obstacle or veil
29. KRISHNA — An incarnate god, in the form of a charioteer in The Bhagavad Gita
30. MAHABHARATA — An epic poem containing 18 books and approximately 100,000 verses
(the meaning of "epic" in this use is "a long narrative poem recounting the deeds of a
legendary or historical hero")
31. MAYA— The cosmic illusion caused by an error in spiritual perception
32. NIYAMAS— Observances; relationship with self; qualities of an “evolutionary
personality;” saucha, santosha, tapas, svadhyaya and ishvara pranidhana
33. PARAMATMAN— Consciousness that relates back to Brahman (Alan Finger)
34. PATANJALI— Codifier of The Yoga Sutras
35. PRAKRTI— Substance, the force that brings consciousness into manifestation
36. PRANAYAMA— Breathing techniques for directing energy
37. PRATYAHARA— Turning senses inward
38. PURUSHA— Spirit, consciousness, the principle of universal consciousness in us
39. RAGA — Attachment
40. RENUNCIATION — Active involvement without seeking rewards and results
41. SADHANA PADA— Book 2 of The Yoga Sutras, On Practice
42. SAMADHI PADA— Book 1 of The Yoga Sutras, On Absorption
43. SAMADHI— Absorption or union
44. SAMKHYA— A dualistic philosophy teaching discrimination between spirit and substance
45. SAMYAMA— Dharana, dhyana and samadhi together
46. SANSKRIT— A sacred language designed to convey subtlety and communicate spiritual
insights
47. SANTOSHA— Being at peace in the moment; being content with what we have
48. SATYA— Truthfulness in thought, word and action
49. SAUCHA— Cleanliness/purity of body and mind to allow Self-Realization
50. SHAKTI— Feminine principle
51. SHIVA— Masculine principle
52. SUTRA— Summary of teachings
53. SVADHYAYA— Gaining self-reflection through study of self and spiritual texts
54. TANTRA— A non-dualistic philosophy with practices designed to realize through experience
that everything is divine and connected
55. TAPAS— Enthusiasm, effort, self-discipline, burning off impurities
56. VEDANTA— A philosophy based on The Vedas

Vocab Rev 2.1 R e p r i n t e d wi t h p e r m i s s i o n fr o m Y o g a T e a c h e r C e n t r a l

 57. VIBHUTI PADA— Book 3 of The Yoga Sutras, On Accomplishments
58. YAMAS— Restraints; principles of behavior in relationships; ahimsa, satya, asteya,
brahmacharya and aparigraha
59. YOGA DARSHANA— Philosophy of Yoga and “to see the invisible”
60. YOGA SUTRAS— A philosophy of yoga codified by Patanjali

Vocab Rev 2.1 R e p r i n t e d wi t h p e r m i s s i o n fr o m Y o g a T e a c h e r C e n t r a l