Acetylcholine. The neurotransmitter responsible for the rest-and-digest response.
Acute Coronary Syndrome. Heart attack.
Agni. The fire of transformation in nature, body, and mind.
Alpha Waves. Brain waves seen in relaxation and focus, ranging from 8–12 Hz.
Ama. The toxic residue of incomplete digestion resulting from an imbalanced agni.
Angina. Chest discomfort that may indicate heart disease.
Angioplasty. Opening the artery without surgery by inserting a balloon into the blocked area and inflating it.
Ardha Siddhasana. Half of siddhasana (see below).
Arteries. Blood vessels leaving the heart.
Atherosclerosis. The hardening of the arteries that results in blockages.
Autonomic Nervous System (ANS). Part of the peripheral nervous system that is out of our voluntary control.
Ayurveda. The ancient medical science that translates as “science of life.”
Beta Waves. Brain waves seen during waking hours, ranging from 12–38 Hz.
Bhakti Yoga. The path of devotion.
Causal Body. Made of impressions and drives the physical and subtle bodies as actions, choices and thoughts.
Central nervous system (CNS). Part of the nervous system consisting of the brain and the spinal cord.
Chakras. Energy centers of the subtle body that are seen as wheels in the mind’s eye when activated.
Chromosomes. Thread-like structures in the nucleus of the cell that become most obvious just before a cell divides, containing DNA.
Chronobiology. The study of internal clocks and their relationship to disease and health.
Coronary Arteries. Blood vessels that supply oxygen and nutrients to the heart.
Default Mode Network (DMN). Network of various brain centers that light up simultaneously when focused attention is not required.
Delta Waves. Brain waves in deep, dreamless sleep, ranging from 0.5-3 Hz
DNA. Deoxyribonucleic acid, the carrier of genetic material.
Dopamine. Hormone that makes us seek pleasure.
Doshas. The three main principles or energies that go on to create the structure and functioning of the universe, including our body-mind.
Endorphins. Hormones that make us feel good.
Epigenetics. The study of environmental factors that turn genes on or off without altering the underlying DNA sequence.
Estrogen. Hormone responsible for differences between male and female brains and behavior.
Gamma Waves. Brain waves in blissful states, ranging from 38–42 Hz.
Gunas. The three universal qualities of creation. See also rajas, sattva, and tamas.
Hawthorne Effect. The phenomenon where the behavior of individuals being observed changes when they are aware that they are being watched.
HDL. High-density lipoprotein, a type of cholesterol.
Holism. Theory which states that the universe and especially living nature is correctly seen in terms of interacting wholes that are more than the mere sum of elementary particles.
Kapha. The principle of structure, heaviness, and stability.
Karma Yoga. The path of selfless service.
LDL. Low-density lipoprotein, a type of cholesterol.
Nadis. The energy channels of the subtle body that carry our life force.
Neuroplasticity. The ability of the brain to change based on experience and outlook.
Norepinephrine. The neurotransmitter responsible for the flight-or-fight response.
Observer Effect. The phenomenon where observing something changes its outcome.
Ojas. The subtle essence of kapha, the vital reserve of the body.
Oscillators. Clock mechanisms in major organ systems including the liver, heart, kidneys, and skeletal muscles.
Oxytocin. Hormone that makes us feel attachment and form bonds with others.
Pitta. The dosha responsible for transformation and metabolism.
Prana. The essential life force that enables the functioning of our body-mind.
Pranayama. Regulation of prana through regulating the breath.
Psychoneuroimmunology (PNI). Branch of science that incorporates psychology, behavioral science, neuroscience, immunology, physiology, endocrinology, genetics, genomics, and other sciences.
Rajas. The guna of movement, dynamism, change, and activity.
Sattva. The guna of intelligence, lightness, contentment, and sweetness.
Serotonin. Hormone that makes us feel good in comparison with others.
Siddhasana. Perfected pose. A posture for meditation.
Subtle Body. Made up of energy, mind, and intellect.
Suprachiasmatic Nuclei (SCN). The master clock of the body.
Tamas. The guna of structure, heaviness, inertia, and stagnation.
Tejas. The subtle essence of pitta, the quality of light, heat, and radiance.
Telomeres. Protective caps at the end of chromosomes.
Theta Waves. Brain waves seen in deep meditation, ranging from 3–8 Hz.
Vata. The principle of dryness, coolness, and movement.
Vedanta. A path of spiritual practice where we come to realize our true nature as awareness through logic and inquiry.
Veins. Blood vessels coming to the heart.
Yoga. A path of spiritual practice where we seek self-realization as the union of our lower self (body-mind) with our higher self (awareness).
Zeitgebers. External influences of the SCN, the master clock.