Does it sometimes sound like your yoga instructor is speaking another language? Well…they sometimes are! Sanskrit (san·skruht) is a traditional language from ancient India and is nearly 3,500 years old. We use Sanskrit in yoga to define poses and practices.
New to Sanskrit? Or maybe you’ve heard the words in class, but aren’t entirely sure what they mean. Here’s a quick intro into some of the commonly heard Sanskrit yoga terms.
1. Yoga
Pronunciation: yo·ga
Yep, yoga is a Sanskrit word! It embodies many philosophies, cultures and theories of thought. It combines the physical, mental and spiritual. For the sake of this blog post I’ll try to simplify it. The literal translation is yoke, or union, and it’s often interpreted as union with the divine. Here’s another way to look at it – yoga is the stillness of the changing states of the mind. It is the yoke that connects beings (us) to existence.
2. Āsana
Pronuncuation: ah·sana
The term asana is something you hear as part of most Sanskrit yoga pose names (Uttanasana, Bakasana, Dandasana). It’s a body posture (a yoga pose). Originally it was a seated pose. Today, we know yoga as a series of poses both seated and standing. Here’s a cool fact, the original yoga asanas outlined in the Yoga Sutra were all seated. It wasn’t until the 1830s when the word was used to describe a seated yoga posture. The root word of asana, Ās, means to be present, to sit quietly, to celebrate.
3. Vinyasa
Pronunciation: vuh·nyaa·suh
Technically, vinyasa is derived from the term nyasa, which means “to place” and vi, which means “in a special way”. So, vinyasas are flowing sequence of specific asanas coordinated with the movements of the breath. A vinyasa yoga class links yoga and breath to attain balance of mind and body. Vinyasa yoga teaches us awareness that links each action to the next, both on and off the mat.
4. Mantra
Pronunciation: man·tra
The root word: man, means to think. Tra, means instrumentally. So mantra is translated as an instrument of thought. Mantras are tools for accessing divine power. They can be single words, sentences or paragraphs that are said in a way to that affect the listener’s (that’s you) conscious. Using mantras increase awareness and bring focus to your life.
5. Prānayama
Pronunciation: praa·nuh·yaa·muh
Derived from the word Prāna, which means breath or life force – ayama means to stretch or extend. Put them together and the literal translation is “extended breath”. Breathing is crucial to a life. In yoga and meditation practices there are different prānayama techniques, see ujjayi below.
6. Ujjayi
Pronunciation: ooh·jah·yee
Ever hear an instructor ask you to find your ujjayi breath? Ujjayi is a prānayama technique that helps calm the mind and warm the body. Translated, it means to conquer or be victorious. It helps calm the mind and manage stress, anxiety and insomnia. It’s commonly used with vinyasa practice. When practicing Ujjayi you breathe through the nose, completely filling your lungs while slightly contracting your throat and then allowing the breath to pass through the vocal cords on the exhale. It makes a sound like the ocean!
7. Savasana
Pronunciation: sha·vah·suh·nuh
Savasana is the practice of gradually relaxing the body, one body part, one muscle, at a time. It helps relieve stress and improve your sense of physical and emotional well-being. It’s is the final resting pose in a yoga practice, and sometimes called corpse pose. Typically, you lay on your back with your feet spread wide and your arms by your sides. Then mentally scan the body from head to feet, gradually releasing tension from each body part and come into your own natural breath. Release any thoughts from the mind and come to complete relaxation.
8. Namasté
Pronunciation: na·ma·ste
Here’s another word you’ve probably heard in a yoga class. It’s a traditional Indian greeting, meaning “I bow to you.” Namaste is a way to see and honor the reality of others. It represents the idea that we see others for who they actually are and that we are all one. That every person, thought and experience is an expressions of one divine awareness.
The list goes on and on, but I’ll stop here for now. Are there other Sanskrit words you’d love to know more about? Comment below!