A Quick Guide to Key Yoga Terminology

Joining a yoga class can be intimidating. Where is your sacrum? (It’s the flat bone at the base of your spine.) Why do some teachers use Sanskrit and others do not? You will often find that yoga teachers will interchange anatomical language, Sanskrit (see below), and English throughout the class, which can leave a new student feeling a bit lost or overwhelmed. We want to be sure that when you come to classes at Razz, you feel comfortable, welcomed and if you ever have a question, you know that someone else in the room most likely does as well! With this spirit in mind, we thought it would be useful to break down some of the terminology that you might hear in a yoga class with us.

For starters, Sanskrit is one of the oldest human languages and is the foundation of many Indian languages. Anytime you hear an unfamiliar word in class, it is likely spoken in Sanskrit. Teachers will use certain Sanskrit words frequently, so we’ve included a few that you might find helpful below.

Asana: Translated directly, asana means “seat” or “posture”. Although it is heard alone, it is often connected to another word to create the name for a specific posture. For instance, balasana is Sanskrit for “child’s pose”. With bala meaning “child’s” and asana meaning “pose”. Other common Sanskrit names you might hear include:

Dandasana: staff pose

Halasana: plow pose

Malasana: garland pose (squat)

Tadasana: mountain pose

Vrksasana: tree pose

Chakra: You may have heard references to your chakras. Chakras are the energy centers in your body. They consist of seven wheels of energy that are centered down the midline of your body from the crown of your head to your pelvis. Each chakra has its own energy, color, and qualities. You may find that your yoga teacher references the chakras during class or in particular asanas. Our recommendation is to think about that space and the energy that resides in that part of your body; this can help bring focus and awareness to your practice.

Drishti: Drishti means “focused gaze.” By using a drishti, or focal point in a balance posture you can go from completely wobbly to grounded in seconds. (It does take practice, however!)

Mudra: Mudras are hand gestures that are utilized in class to create and activate certain energies or feelings. Anjali mudra, for instance, involves placing your hands together in a prayer position. Anjali means “to offer” and mudra means “seal or gesture”; when practiced, it helps you to bring awareness and celebration to the present moment. It is also a great way to reconnect and recenter if you are finding yourself distracted. Anjali mudra is often associated with such poses as tadasana and vrksasana.

Namaste: Namaste translates to “I bow to you.” In India, it is a common greeting of recognition and is interpreted as “the light within me bows to the light within you.” In the U.S., it was commonplace for teachers to close the practice with Namaste, but culturally the use of the word is intended to be a greeting or salutation, and is often practiced with your hands in anjali mudra (see above).

OM: Chanted “A-U-M”, generally at the beginning and/or end of a yoga class, OM is said to represent the sound of the universe. It is often chanted to signify the connection one has with the universe and all beings within it.

Savasana: Ahh… savasana is the final relaxation you’ll find most typically at the end of a hatha yoga class, although you might experience savasana in a nidra class much earlier on. In this pose you will lie on the earth, comfortably, with the intention of experiencing total relaxation.

If you’re curious to learn more about some of the Sanskrit names, we find this glossary from Yoga Journal to be quite helpful.