Yoga Terms

Ever wonder what your yoga teacher is saying in class? Sometimes teachers, myself included, speak Sanskrit, an ancient Indic language. Most believe that yoga originated in India and was taught in Sanskrit. Therefore, many teachers believe they should speak Sanskrit when teaching their students.

You may hear your teacher begin class with an "Om", he/she may tell you that your "chakras" are blocked, or they may tell you to inhale "prana."

What does all this mean? There are many websites out that to help you define these terms, but here are a couple to get you started.

• The Runner's Guide to Yoga Terms (Runner's World 1/8/2008) - This article is a great reference for a short list of the most common terms you may here in a yoga class.
• 200 Key Sanskrit Yoga Terms (Yoga Journal) - This is a much longer glossary of terms. It is more extensive, but a very easy to use source.

Many other websites can be found by typing in "Sanksrit Glossary" into your Google search.