When you may observe yoga to enhance your power, stability and adaptability, it’s additionally a deeply religious observe with historical historical past. The phrase yoga itself means to yoke, be part of or bind, and yoga is commonly considered a union of breath, physique, thoughts and spirit, moderately than simply bodily train.
But in relation to feeling a way of concord and being absolutely current throughout your observe, one of many quickest issues to derail your move is listening to the subsequent steps out of your teacher and considering, what on earth did they simply say?!
However don’t fear, listening to phrases you don’t recognise throughout a yoga class is quite common, because the language of yoga is Sanskrit – a classical historical language of South Asia that’s the root of many Indian languages.
Widespread yoga phrases
We’ve compiled a few of the commonest yoga phrases and Sanskrit phrases in alphabetical order to make it simpler to start your yoga observe, and simpler to remain in your move.
Asana
Pronounced “ah-sah-nah”, this phrase interprets to ‘seat’ however in yoga this phrase merely refers back to the bodily postures or poses, reminiscent of downward-facing canine or baby’s pose. In Sanskrit, the phrase for every yoga pose is adopted by ‘asana’, for instance, downward-facing canine is named Adho Mukha Shvanasana.
Bandha
This refers to your inner muscle tissues that help the lifting of various areas of your physique when they’re engaged. The three key bandhas are your pelvic flooring muscle tissues (Mula Bandha), your stomach muscle tissues as much as your diaphragm (Uddiyana Bandha) and your throat (Jalandhara Bandha).
Bikram
Generally referred to as “sizzling yoga”, Bikram is a mode of yoga practiced in a heated room. Keep in mind to have a towel and drink bottle on the prepared!
Chakra
There are seven essential chakras or vitality centres within the physique, situated between the highest of the pinnacle and the bottom of the backbone. Chakra means ‘wheel’ and they’re considered like spinning discs that want to remain open or in stability.
Every chakra can be related to a special color, space of the physique, emotion and parts, and it’s possible you’ll hear them in each English and Sanskrit. Listed below are the primary seven chakras, from the pinnacle down:
- Crown (Sahasrara): the very high of the pinnacle
- Third eye (Ajna): brow, in between the eyebrows
- Throat (Vishuddha): throat space
- Coronary heart (Anahata): the centre of the chest
- Photo voltaic plexus (Manipura): higher stomach
- Sacral (Svadhisthana): decrease stomach
- Root (Muladhara): base of the backbone
Chaturanga
Pronounced “cha-ter-unga”, this refers to a four-limbed workers pose or low plank. Start in a excessive plank, then bend your elbows again, holding them glued to your sides, as you decrease your self down till you might be hovering above the bottom. You’ll really feel this transfer in your arms, shoulders and core! It’s usually a part of a shifting sequence of poses.
Downward-facing canine (Adho Mukha Svanasana)
Some of the generally recognized yoga poses, that is the place you make an inverted ‘V’ form together with your fingers and ft on the mat and your hips excessive within the air. It’s an amazing pose for constructing flexibility and higher physique power, and you must really feel a pleasant stretch in areas reminiscent of your arms, again and calves.
Drishti
Drishti means a targeted gaze, and also you may hear your yoga teacher use this phrase to remind you the place to look. This will help with focus, stability, self-awareness and intent.
Hatha
Hatha is a mode of yoga with a slower tempo and lets you deal with holding one pose at a time.
Coronary heart centre
This phrase refers back to the centre of your chest. Particularly on the finish of observe, it’s widespread to listen to your teacher inform you to carry your fingers collectively at your coronary heart centre.
Mantra
Mantras aren’t all the time a part of yoga, however they seek advice from a sound or a phrase that you simply repeat to extend your focus and are generally used for meditation and calming the thoughts. A mantra can both be spoken out loud or repeated in your thoughts.
Namaste
You’ll normally hear namaste being stated by each the trainer and members on the finish of a yoga class, with fingers pressed collectively in entrance of the guts centre and head bowed. It is a lovely and respectful strategy to finish a category and half methods together with your teacher, because it means “I bow to you.” Some individuals additionally contemplate it a strategy to say, “the divine in me acknowledges the divine in you.”
Om or Aum
It is a widespread mantra it’s possible you’ll hear in your yoga class. It’s also known as the unique sound or vibration of the universe.
Prana
Pronounced “prah-nah”, this time period is commonly outlined as life vitality, life pressure or religious vitality that runs by the physique.
Pranayama
With prana which means “life vitality” and yama which means “to regulate”, pranayama is about controlling your respiration to permit your life vitality to move freely.
Sacrum
It is a triangle-shaped bone in your decrease again.
Savasana
Pronounced “sha-vah-sah-nah”, this refers to Corpse pose the place you lie in your physique in your mat together with your palms dealing with upwards by your sides. This pose sometimes occurs on the finish of your yoga move or class and is a calming, restorative pose.
Shanti
Shanti means peace. It’s possible you’ll hear this spoken as a part of a mantra or chant throughout yoga.
Surya Namaskar or Solar salutations
It is a in style sequence of asanas or poses that heat up the physique, with every pose usually linked to inhalation or exhalation. You start in a standing place, then move by to a excessive plank, upward-facing canine, downward-facing canine, then return to plank and standing.
Ujjayi
Pronounced “ooh-jai-yee,” this refers to the kind of respiration the place you inhale and exhale by your nostril.
Vinyasa
Vinyasa is a mode of yoga the place a flowing sequence of poses are linked together with your respiration. For instance, one motion may be linked to your inhalation, and the subsequent is linked to your exhalation. Your teacher will normally inform you when to inhale or exhale.
Yoga Nidra
It is a model of guided leisure or meditation also called “yogic sleep”, usually described because the relaxed however conscious state between being awake and asleep. It’s normally practiced mendacity down and your instructor will usually information you thru respiration strategies, or what to deal with. This could be a nice observe for many who wrestle to calm down, sleep or let go.
Yin yoga
The place vinyasa is a move of related poses, yin yoga is a mode of yoga the place you maintain flooring poses for longer durations of time to focus on your deep connective tissues and discover leisure.
Hopefully that’s made it simpler to remain in your move throughout your subsequent yoga session! Are there another yoga phrases which have had you feeling a bit misplaced in the midst of class? Tell us within the feedback!
