agni The digestive fire; it is required to properly digest food, create healthy dhatus (tissues), and produce ojas.
ama Undigested food that acts like a toxin. It can be digested (removed) by healthy agni.
asana A pose that is used as a physical exercise during a yoga session.
ashtanga The classical system by which yoga and meditation are practiced. It literally means “eight steps.”
Ayurveda The classical Indian medical system; it encompasses healthy living and preventing and treating disease.
Ayurvedic water Water boiled for up to 20 minutes and taken hot. It activates agni (digestive fire) and aids digestion.
brahma muhurta The time at dawn from 4–6 a.m. when sattva is dominant. It is particularly good for yoga, meditation, and spiritual practices.
chakra point Points on the body that energy can be focused on and channeled through. They are used for practices such as meditation and pranayama.
constitution A person’s constitution (or “prakriti” in Sanskrit). It is determined at conception and is the proportions of the three doshas in every individual.
corpse pose The pose used for relaxation during yoga sessions.
dhatu The seven body tissues; these make up the body’s physical form.
dosha Three energies that make up the body and mind. If unbalanced (minor imbalances called “irritation” and major called “elevation”), they cause ill health.
guna (qualities) Means quality or characteristic. There are twenty major physical gunas. For the gunas of the mind, see three gunas, the.
hatha yoga Focuses on asanas and pranayama in order to control prana (life energy) with the aim to control the mind.
kapha The dosha that gives substance, cohesion, lubrication, and strength
malas The body’s waste products (stool, urine, and sweat).
kapalabhati (lung purification) A yogic breathing exercise.
karma yoga The practice of selfless service of others.
mantra A phase or sound that is used for meditation or mantra practice.
nasya Application of oil to the insides of the nostrils either as part of the daily hygiene routine or as a panchakarma treatment.
neti pot A teapot-shaped vessel used to pour salt water into the nostrils to clear the nasal passages and sinuses.
nirguna mantra An abstract mantra relating to the Self.
oil pulling The practice of rinsing the mouth with oil as part of the daily hygiene routine.
ojas The “eighth” tissue, it is one of the substances that anchors prana (life energy) in the body and protects the dhatus from the damaging effects of the doshas.
panchakarma Body treatments that cleanse the body of excess doshas.
pitta The dosha that is responsible for all processes of transformation in the body.
prakriti see constitution.
prana Life energy, required for the body’s motor, organ, and sensory functions.
pranayama The practice of energy control through conscious breathing.
raja yoga Exercises that involve mental control and meditation.
rajas (rajasic) One of the three mental gunas. It is the energy of restlessness.
rasayana Restorative herbal preparations that create healthy dhatus and increase resilience.
saguna mantra A concrete mantra related to a deity.
sattva (sattvic) Three mental gunas. It is the energy of clarity and harmony.
Self, the This is consciousness (often described as the soul). It is separate from the mind and physical body.
shirodhara A body treatment; oil or buttermilk is poured onto the forehead.
solar plexus The chakra point found behind the stomach.
tamas (tamasic) One of the three mental gunas. It is inertia and lethargy.
third eye A chakra point found in the centre of the forehead between the eyes.
three gunas, the The three qualities of the mind (sattva, tamas, and rajas).
vata The dosha responsible for all of the body’s movement and sensation.