| Word |
Meaning |
| Ahimsa |
Non-violence. |
| Ajna Chakra |
The Third Eye or sixth energy centre. |
| Anahata Chakra |
The Heart Chakra or fourth energy centre. |
| Anarchy |
Complete absence of law or government, chaos, utter disorder. |
| Aparigraha |
Non-greed, non-avarice, non- possession. |
| Arundada |
Old Arun, or Uncle Arun; dada is added as an endearment to a person’s name. |
| Asana |
Physical exercises and postures for keeping the body healthy. |
| Asteya |
Non-stealing. |
| Aura |
The layer of energy or light that surrounds living beings. |
| Avarice |
Greed for possessions, eager desire for wealth, covetousness. |
| Ayurvedic medicine |
Classical Indian medical teaching. |
| Bramacharya |
Chastity, sexual self-control, celibacy. |
| Chakras |
Centres or points of in-flow and out-flow of energy on the body. |
| Chapati |
Thin flat piece of unleavened bread (no yeast). |
| Clairvoyance |
A way of seeing things beyond the scope of normal vision, e.g. Seeing the spirit world, or the future. |
| Covetousness |
Envy of another person’s possessions. |
| Dahl |
Lentils or other pea type seeds. |
| Dharana |
Concentration. |
| Dharma |
Code of conduct, which leads to virtue, morality and religious development. Duty. |
| Dhyana |
Meditation. |
| Divinity |
The nature or essence of God. |
| Divali |
Hindu or Sikh festival of light, held in October. |
| Eight limbs of yoga |
Eight activities, which help to lead to enlightenment when performed with persistence. |
| Enlightenment |
Seeing and understanding life clearly. |
| Guna |
A state of being, sometimes a state or quality of mind. |
| Guru |
A spiritual teacher. |
| Isvara PRameshdhana |
Devotion to God. |
| Inertia |
Sluggish, passive, not inclined to move or act. |
| Integrity |
Wholeness, uprightness, honesty, purity. |
| Hatha Yoga |
The way towards self-realisation through discipline, involving physical exercise. |
| Higher self, Inner Self |
The Soul, or conscience. |
| Judgmental |
Keen to pass judgement. |
| Karma |
Fate, destiny falling upon us according to the law of cause and effect. |
| Krishna |
The most celebrated hero in Hindu mythology. A form of god to whom many Hindus pray. |
| Life force |
A directing energy present in all living things. |
| Lotus |
The flower of a kind of water lily. |
| Manipura Chakra |
The third or energy centre or solar plexus chakra. |
| Materialism |
Excessive devotion to bodily wants or financial success. |
| Muladhara Chakra |
The base chakra, an energy centre at the base of the spine. |
| Niyamas |
Rules of conduct, things we should do. |
| Prana |
Breath, life, vitality, energy. |
| Pranayama |
Breath control exercises. |
| Pratyahara |
Withdrawing the senses from the outside world in order to meditate. |
| Psychic ability |
The ability of the mind to know things without using the five senses. |
| Rajas |
A restless or dynamic state of being. |
| Raja |
King. |
| Raja Yoga |
A path of yoga which leads to control of one’s mind. |
| Renunciation |
To disown or disclaim all worldly things, and follow a very simple life such as that of a monk or nun. |
| Sacral |
The area of the body around the sacrum, the large triangular bone at the base of the spine. |
| Sadhaka |
A seeker of truth, an aspirant, one who chooses to study and follow a spiritual path. |
| Sadhu |
An ascetic (one who has given up all worldly pleasures). A saint. |
| Sage |
A person of great wisdom, a saint. |
| Sahasrara Chakra |
The Crown Chakra, an energy centre at the top of the head. |
| Santosa |
Contentment. |
| Samadhi |
A state of mystical union or bliss. |
| Sanskrit |
The ancient Indo European literary language of India mainly used for scriptures. |
| Sanyasin |
A monk, a person who gives up normal life for God. |
| Sattwa (Sattwic, adjective) |
A calm and blissful state of being. |
| Satya |
Truth. |
| Saucha |
Cleanliness. |
| Shakti |
A Hindu goddess, wife of Lord Shiva. |
| Shanti |
Peace. |
| Shiva |
A Hindu god entrusted with the task of destruction and re-creation. |
| Susumna |
The main current of energy that flows up and down the spine. |
| Svadhyaya |
Self-study. |
| Svadhisthana Chakra |
The second energy centre, situated in the Belly. The sacral chakra. |
| Swami |
A teacher of spiritual matters. |
| Swamiji |
A term of respect and endearment used by a disciple when referring to his spiritual master. |
| Tapas |
Discipline. |
| Tamas |
A low energy state of being. Darkness, absence of knowledge. |
| Vara |
Caste or class in society. |
| Vishuddha Chakra |
The throat centre, the fifth Chakra. |
| Yamas |
Rules of conduct, things we should avoid doing. |
| Yogi, yogis |
People who practise yoga. In India a yogi is an
adept, or one who is very accomplished in his understanding of the principles and practise of yoga. |