YOGA LINGO
Know you asana from your elbow
Whether you are new to yoga, or have been practicing for a while there might be words you have heard that you don’t recognise. It might seem like the teacher is talking another language - they probably are! The language of yoga is Sanskrit, an ancient language which is the root for many of the Indian languages. I try to use both English and Sanskrit names.
Common yoga terms
Yoga
- from the Sanskrit root Yuj meaning ‘to yoke’, ‘to unite’, ‘to add’ or ‘to join’.
Prana
- life energy, or life-force. We are all born with prana.
Patanjali
- compiler of the Yoga Sutras one of the most important texts in the Indian tradition and the foundation of classical Yoga. Thought to have lived between 2nd and 4th century CE.
Asana
- posture or pose. Each posture will have a Sanskrit name ending in asana.
Pranayama
- breathing exercises that are said to remove blockages in the energetic body to allow the prana to flow freely.
Mantra
- a word or sound or phrase repeated either aloud or in the mind, to increase focus and concentration while meditating.