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Glossary

You may be in a yoga class and hear the teacher using Sanskrit words for different aspects of body, mind & soul exercises. We thought you might find this list helpful in translating some of the more commonly used terms. Use always the box on the right to navigate our Glossary. Feedback for corrections and additions is welcome: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

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S


SADHAKA
- a person who practices yoga, a practitioner, an aspirant


SADHANA
- spiritual endeavour, the carrying out of spiritual exercises


SADHU
- a holy man


SAHASRARA CHAKRA
- "the thousand petalled lotus", the crown chakra


SAKSHI
- witness


SAM
- control of the senses


SAMADHAN
- keeping one's goal in mind, striving for the ultimate


SAMADHI
- the highest state of consciousness, union with Divine consciousness, where knowledge, knower and the object of knowledge become one; the eighth grade of Raja Yoga
- SAVIKALPA SAMADHI - enlightment, the state of consciousness in which karmas, thoughts and wishes are still present
- NIRVIKALPA SAMADHI - the highest level, a state of complete unity with cosmic consciousness, liberation from all desires and karmas


SAMSARA
- the world, the cycle of birth and death


SAMSKARAS
- influences from the external world


SANATAN
- a relation, eternal
- SAT SANATHAN DHARMA - the true eternal religion


SANCHIT KARMA
- destiny, collected deeds from the past


SANDHYA
- merging of the day and night, the time of dawn or dusk


SANKALPA
- resolve, firm decision


SANNYASA
- detachment from the worldly things and interests


SANT
- a holy man, that which is sacred


SANT BHAV
- holy, pure, positive feelings and affinity the qualities of a sant are:
- SANTOSHA - inner contentment
- SHANTI - peace, calmness
- SADHANA - regular practice
- SATYA - love of truth
- SIMPLICITY - (C put either in Sanskrit or English)
- SANTOSHA - the inner contentment, tranquility


SAGUNA
- in one form, formed
- SAGUNA BHAKTI - see "bhakti"


SHARIR
- body
- STHULA SARIR - the crude, physical body
- SUKSHMA SARIR - the subtle body
- KARAN SARIR - the causal body


SAVIKALPA SAMADHI
- see samadhi


SAT
- true, real; truth, reality, existence
- SAT CHIT ANANDA - the absolute of truth, consciousness and bliss
- SAT GURU - the true spiritual master
- SATSANG - (SAT- truth, SANG - being together ) "to be with truth", meeting with a spiritually developed person, sermon of a sannyasi, getting together for a spiritual purpose


SATTVA GUNA
- purity, harmony, light, knowledge


SATTVIK MANTRA
- a positive, spiritual mantra


SATYA
- truth, love of truth
- PARAMSATYA - the highest truth


SAUCHA
- purity, inward and outward purification


SHABDA
- sound, word


SHAKTI
- power, energy
- BRAHMA SHAKTI - creative power
- VISHNU SHAKTI - sustaining power
- SHIVA SHAKTI - the power to release or liberate
- ICCHA SHAKTI - will power
- KRIYA SHAKTI - the power of activity
- SHANKALP SHAKTI - the power of the resolve or wish
- MANTRA SHAKTI - the power of the mantra
- PRAKRTI SHAKTI - the power of creation
- BRAHMA SHAKTI - the divine power, Brahman
- MUL SHAKTI - two basic kinds of shakti, Prakrti shakti and Brahma shakti


SHANTI
- peace, tranquility


SAT SAMPATTI
- "six treasures", the third stage of raja yoga:
- SAM - control of the senses
- DAM - control of the mind, self control
- UPARATI - to be above things
- TITIKSHA - discipline, endurance, firmness, boldness
- SAMADHAN - being constantly conscious of one's goal
- SHRADDHA - trust, faith


SHIVA
- one of the divine Trinity; stands for the divine aspect of the destruction of the negative and liberation; pure consciousness, the absolute good, the master of yoga, symbol of the highest consciousness


SHIVOHAM
- "I am Shiva" - a mantra


SHRADHA
- trust, inner confidence, confidence in the relationship between the master and yourself


SHUDDRA
- a member of the lower caste


SIDDHI
- extraordinary power


SIKH
- a member of one of the six main religions in India


SITALI
- a pranayam technique


SO HAM
- "I am that" - a mantra


SREY
- "good", a desire for the Realization


SUKSHMA
- subtle, astral
- SUKSHMA SARIR - the astral body


SUNYAKASH
- empty space


SURYA NAMASKAR
- "salutation to the sun," a set of asanas


SUSHUMNA
- the main nadi, in the centre of the spinal column


SUTRA
- "thread," Sanskrit saying or a collection of sayings
- YOGA SUTRAS - a collection of sayings by Patanjali on Raja Yoga


SVADHISTHANA CHAKRA
- the centre in the region of the sacro-iliac joint


SVADYAYA
- reading and studying spiritual scriptures


SVAR YOGA
- yoga of sound or yoga of energy


SVARGALOKA
- heaven


SWAMI
- monk, saint, a member of the sannyasi order