The 10 terms that every yoga enthusiast should know
Prana? Chakra? Asana? – What does that mean and what does it have to do with my yoga practice? If you also ask this question, we have a little help for you.
Anyone who has ever attended a yoga class or looked for information about this topic on the Internet knows that yoga is full of words that are not commonplace in our language.
We asked our experts and put together a list of the top 10 terms that you will come across again and again in your yoga practice. With our little yoga dictionary, you will be perfectly prepared for your next yoga session – whether at the yoga studio or on YouTube.
We think it’s important to not just view yoga as a physical exercise but always also consider the spiritual aspect. So we understand yoga as the connection between the body, mind and soul.
The 10 terms
yoga
Yoga includes all of the techniques with which we can experience ourselves in our true essence. There are physical and mental exercises.
mantra
A mantra is a sound composition that connects our mind with aspects of our higher self when we repeatedly say it rhythmically or sing it.
sat nam
Sat Nam is a mantra that can be roughly translated as “my true self”.
namaste
Namaste is a salutation; the translation is something like “I greet the light in you.”
asana
Asana describes a physical posture in which we can have a spiritual experience.
guru
Guru describes what leads us from the darkness (Gu) to the light (Ru).
Prana
Prana represents the godly breath of life. All yoga poses are geared towards increasing our prana and making it more subtle.
OM
Om is a syllable that everyone certainly knows. But what does it actually mean? The phrase “Om” represents the unspeakable sound stream of infinity.
chakra
Subtle energy centres in human beings are individually called a chakra (or chakras in the plural form). The seven chakras form what are believed to be the main energy centres, which are all located along the central axis of the human body and connected with each other.
shanti
Shanti – The words “Om shanti shanti shanti” are often chanted during yoga classes as a call to peace. In the Buddhist and Hindu traditions, the word “shanti” repeated three times represents peace in body, speech and mind.
If you want to find out more about yoga and try out some poses, we have the right thing for you! Our yoga videos provide guidance for beginners and seasoned practitioners, and can be integrated into everyday life. They allow us to consciously and carefully find out what benefits our body and spirit and can help us to find our inner centre and inner peace.
Did you know that for every variety of YOGI TEA®, there is a suitable yoga pose? You can find these on every pack... and on our website, of course.
Sat Nam!
