The world of Yoga is extremely intimidating. Before immersing my self in my yoga practice I decided to learn some essential yoga terms.
- Sanskrit for “manner of sitting,” an asana is any yoga posture or pose.
- Block: Usually made of foam or cork, yoga blocks provide extra support for the body in more difficult yoga positions.
- Chakra: Energy centers throughout the body. We each have seven chakras: the “base” chakra, sacral chakra, solar plexus chakra, heart chakra, throat chakra, brow (aka “third eye”) chakra, and crown chakra.
- Fire breathing: A pranayama technique used during Kundalini, Breath of Fire involves rapid breathing that engages the diaphragm.
- Namaste: Generally, a greeting, but in yoga, it is meant to be a greeting of another’s soul.
- Om: Nope, not just a stereotype. This slow, steady sound is a mantra, and is illustrated below.
