Glossary

Adi Mantra:  Primal or original mantra. It refers to the mantra used to tune-in before beginning a Kundalini Yoga practice. "Ong Namo Guru Dev Namo" (I bow to the Creative Consciousness, I bow to the Divine wisdom within)

Affirmation:  A positive statement that is either spoken aloud or mentally repeated.

Apana:  The cleansing breath of life; the outgoing eliminative energy.

Arcline:  That area of the body's energy field that extends out from the hairline. (Halo)

Atma: Soul

Aura:  The field of energy that surrounds and penetrates the entire body. Also known as the 8th chakra.

Bandha:  Body lock. Pulling and tightening specific muscles inside the body.

Bij:  Seed. Sat Nam is called the Bij mantra or seed mantra.

Brosa:  The element of trust

Chakra:  Literally, circle or wheel. These are energy centers of consciousness in the body. There are eight centers including the Aura.

Electromagnetic energy field:  The field of energy surrounding and moving through all living beings.

Gian Mudra:  Hand position with the index finger touching the thumb. The position of wisdom

Hatha:  A yogic path primarily using postures.

Higher Triangle:  The heart, throat, third-eye point and crown chakras.

Ida:  The left nerve channel which relates to the left nostril and negative pole energy.

Jalandhara Bandha:  The neck lock

Japa:  To repeat a sound vibration as meditation

Kirtan:  Spirital or sacred music

Kriya:  A completed action. A particular yoga posture or series of postures linked to breath and mantra that produces a specific effect.

Kundalini:  "Curled hair of the beloved" It refers to the coiled energy at the base of the spine that holds the creative potential of individuals.

Laya Yoga:  A form of meditation that uses rhythmic patterns of mantra and locks to produce a specific effect.

Lower Triangle:  The first three chakras; rectum, sexual organs and navel center.

Maha Bandha:  The great lock. Pulling all the body locks together.

Mala:  A string of beads used as an aid to repeating a mantra

Maya:  The illusion of the reality of sensory experience of the world around us.

Mantra:  Literally, mind projection. This is the sound current that is repeated aloud or mentally.

Mul Bandha:  Root lock. Squeezing of the muscles of the rectum, sex organ and navel.

Nabhi:  The navel center. The source of power.

Pingala:  The right nerve channel associated with the right nostril. The positive pole of energy.

Prana:  The subtle life force that is inhaled.

Pranayam:  The yogic system of breath exercises.

Rock Pose:  Sitting on the heels with straight spine.

Sadhana:  Literally, personal discipline. The daily yoga practice.

Samadhi:  The state of consciousness in which the mind is merged in the blissful absorption of the Infinite.

Sat Nam:  I am Truth or Truth Manifested.

Sanskrit:  An ancient and sacred language

Shabd:  The sacred word and the sound current it generates.

Shushmana:  The central spinal nerve channel

Siri: means the entire light of the sun's creativity, Lakshmi. Whatever has been created, whatever is possibly created, shall be created or can be created, is called siri.

Sitali breath:  The cooling breath formed with a curled tongue

Third-eye point:  The point of concentration midway between the eyebrows that relates to the pituitary gland and intuition. Also known as the sixth chakra and brow point.

Uddiyana Bhanda:  Pulling up on the muscles of the diaphragm. Diaphragm lock.

Venus Lock:  The hand position of interlaced fingers

White Tantric Yoga:  The yogic science of consciousness utilizing the union of opposites.

Yoga:  Literally, union. The union of the body, mind and spirit.