Ayurvedic
Terms
A
abyanga – Ayurvedic
abhyanga
Full body Ayurvedic oil massage; self-massage is an important component of an Ayurvedic daily routine, but trained professionals also give abhyanga treatments—either as a stand-alone therapy or as part of a deeper cleanse, such as panchakarma.
agni
The third of five elements recognized in Ayurveda: the fire element; the principle of transformation; the digestive fire, which is responsible for digestion, absorption and assimilation; that which transforms food into tissues, energy, and consciousness.
ahara
Diet or food (as in ahara chikitsa—food-based therapy).
ahara rasa
The end result of digested food, yielded within about twelve hours of eating; this “food juice” is the asthayi (raw, unprocessed) form of rasa dhatu (the plasma and lymph) and the nutritive precursor of all seven dhatus (bodily tissues).
ajna chakra
The sixth of seven chakras, which is located at the third eye and is responsible for balancing the higher self with the lower self; this chakra is also associated with intuition—our ability to trust our deepest inner knowing—and is symbolized by a two-petaled lotus flower, the color indigo, the bija mantra (seed syllable) “Aum,” and it is often linked to the pineal gland.
ama
Raw, undigested; a toxic, disease-causing substance that can accumulate in the body when foods, herbs, emotions or experiences are not fully processed, digested, or assimilated.
amla
The sour taste, which is predominated by the earth and fire elements, and is balancing to vata, but aggravating to pitta and kapha.
anahata chakra
The fourth of seven chakras, which is located at the heart center and is connected to our capacity for unconditional love; this chakra is said to house our purest self and is also linked to immunity; it is symbolized by a twelve-petaled lotus flower, the color green, the bija mantra (seed syllable) “yam,” and it is often associated with the thymus gland.
apana vayu
One of the five subtypes of vata; that aspect of vata that resides primarily in the colon and the pelvic cavity and governs downward moving energy in the body; functionally, it is responsible for urination, flatulence, defecation, ovulation, the movement of sperm, conception, and it is activated in the mother’s body during birth; apana vayu also absorbs minerals and nourishes the bones through the mucous membrane of the colon.
apatarpana
A deconstructive type of substance, process, or treatment therapy (also known as langhana) that is reducing and lightening—catabolic in nature; the process of fasting; the opposite of santarpana.
asana
A Sanskrit word literally meaning “seat;” a physical yoga posture; the third limb of yoga described in Patanjali’s Yoga Sutras, which define asana as a state of stability, strength, and ease in the body.
avalambaka kapha
One of the five subtypes of kapha; that aspect of kapha that resides primarily in the lungs, respiratory tract, heart, and spine; it governs the delivery of prana to every cell, tissue, and organ, maintains the tone and permeability of the alveoli, protects the heart muscle, and tends to the tone of the muscular portion of the bronchi.
Ayurveda
A five thousand year old system of healing with origins in the Vedic culture of ancient India. The Sanskrit word Ayurveda is derived from the root words ayuh, meaning “life” or “longevity,” and veda, meaning “science” or “sacred knowledge.” Ayurveda therefore translates as, "the sacred knowledge of life.”
Ayurvedic
Of or pertaining to the Vedic tradition of Ayurveda; see Ayurveda.
B
(basti – brmhana)
basti – brmhana
basti
A therapeutic enema using herbal tea or oil (best practiced under the guidance of a qualified practitioner); an important means of eliminating excess vata from the body via the colon; one of the five cleansing actions involved in panchakarma.
bhastrika pranayama
A yogic breathing practice also known as the “bellows breath,” which consists of a deep and active inhalation and a forceful exhalation that causes a slightly exaggerated expansion and contraction of the abdomen—much like a bellows; this breath is heating, kindles the digestive fire, increases circulation, and refreshes the deep tissues.
bhrajaka pitta
One of the five subtypes of pitta; that aspect of pitta that resides primarily in the skin; it governs the complexion, color, and temperature of the skin as well as the tactile sense of touch, pain, and temperature perceived through the skin.
bhramari pranayama
A very calming yogic breathing practice, also known as “humming bee breath,” that soothes the nervous system and helps connect us with our truest inner nature; this practice consists of inhaling into the belly and exhaling while making a humming sound at the back of the throat—like the gentle humming of a bee.
bhuta agnis
Five specific physiological manifestations of agni (one for each element: earth, water, fire, air, and ether) that are housed in the liver; responsible for transforming ingested food into biologically useful substances.
bija
Seed; can refer to a plant seed or to the reproductive tissue—specifically male sperm and female ovum; one of the four factors affecting fertility, conception, and prakriti—considered an important component of reproductive health.
bija mantra
A seed sound, often associated with the seed syllables that correspond to each of the seven chakras; a sound that supports profound insight (beyond the capacity of the intellect) and helps us to align with—and better understand—certain truths associated with particular frequencies or vibrations.
bodhaka kapha
One of the five subtypes of kapha; that aspect of kapha that resides primarily in the mouth; it governs the sense of taste and the immune capacity within the tonsils; functionally, it is responsible for speech, swallowing, salivary secretions, regulating oral bacteria, initiating the first stages of digestion, as well as maintaining an appropriate oral temperature.
brmhana
A constructive type of substance, process, or treatment therapy (also known as santarpana) that is tonifying, building, and nourishing—anabolic in nature; the opposite of langhana.
C
chakra – churna
chakra
A Sanskrit word for “wheel” or “turning,” but that, in the yogic context, is better translated as “vortex” or “whirlpool”; one of seven primary energetic vortices (or nerve plexus centers) that form part of the subtle, energetic body; the seven primary chakras are found near the spinal cord, where a number of subtle energy channels known as nadis meet and intersect; each chakra is aligned with a particular color, bija mantra (seed syllable), a precise number of lotus petals, and is associated with specific qualities and energies.
channels
Physical or energetic pathways that carry substances or energies from one place to another in the body. "Channel" is a somewhat inadequate translation for the Sanskrit term srotas (singular; srotamsi is the plural form); the grossest, most physical Ayurvedic srotamsi largely correspond with the systems of Western medicine: the circulatory system, the urinary system, the digestive system, etc.; see also srotas.
chikitsa
Any type of Ayurvedic treatment or therapy intended to correct or manage an imbalance or a specific disease (e.g., ahara chikitsa—food-based treatment; shodhana chikitsa—cleansing therapies; rasayana chikitsa—rejuvenation therapy).
churna
A mixture of powdered herbs.