18)Glossary

25 Dec

By Swami Advaitananda Giri

1 Comment

In Meditation

Abdomen

area between the pelvis and chest.

Abreaction

release of emotional energy, freeing the mind from neurotic activity.

Adrenal glands

endocrine glands situated on top of the kidneys involved in manufacture and distribution of adrenaline, cortisone and other hormones.

Ajna

the psychic centre (chakra) that is the seat of intuition situated in the mid-brain.

Alpha brain wave

brain waves of 7-13-cycles per second which are found during relaxation, early meditation, ESP and creative states of mind. Amaroli Yogic tantric practice in which urine is used internally or externally for mental and physical health.

Amenorrhoea

absence of stoppage of the menses.

Anahata

the heart chakra or psychic centre that is the root of all emotions; associated with psychic sounds heard in meditation; situated behind the breastbone.

Anal sphincter

ring of muscle fibres which open and close anal orifice.

Antar mouna

inner silence; a meditation practice which focuses the mind on the sensations and the thoughts. Anus- end of the digestive tract.

Apana vayu

pranic forces below the navel governing urination, defecation, reproduction and all downward moving forces.

Asana

physical yogic posture; a comfortable position.

Autonomic nervous system

part of the peripheral nervous system controlling automatic internal functions of the body which do not require conscious control. Bandha lock designed to hold prana or psychic energy

Beeja mantra – seed mantra.

Bindu psychic centre through which om, the cosmic sound emerges into manifest existence; a point; semen. Bioenergy prana. Biofeedback the scientific method utilizing machines to detect biological signals and to feed them back to conscious awareness, thereby allowing control of body and mind to take place.

Biorhythms

biological rhythms, for example, the cycles of heartbeat and breath.

Brahmacharya

sexual control; redirection of sexual energy; turning the mind to live in higher consciousness.

Brahma granthi

psychic knot situated at mooladhara chakra.

Brahma nadi – sushumna.

Brahmarandhra – aperture in the crown of the head.

Cardiac plexus

interconnected bunch of nerves situated behind the breast bone, corresponding to anahata chakra.

Carotid sinuses

specialized blood pressure receptors situated in the neck for detection and regulation of changes in blood pressure.

Cerebral cortex

thin layer of grey matter or cells on the surface of the brain.

Cervix

lower end of the uterus, at the top of the vagina.

Chakra

literally ‘wheel or vortex’; major psychic centre in the subtle body, responsible for specific physiological and psychic functions. Chidakasha – psychic space behind the forehead where all psychic events are viewed; the space of consciousness. Clitoris small elongated erectile body in front of the vagina and behind the urethra.

Dhyana- meditation.

Dysmenorrhoea – painful menstruation.

Endocrine gland

secretes its produce, a hormone, the blood. Gonads testicles in males, ovaries in females.into

Hormone

endocrine gland secretion controlling various aspects of body function.

Hypothalamus

area in mid-brain which controls pituitary gland autonomic nervous system and associated functions,

for example

water balance, food intake, body temperature, etc.

Ida nadi

nadi corresponding to the parasympathetic nervous system.

Indriya – faculty of sense.

Inguinal hernia

weakness and swelling in the abdominal wall of the male groin region.

Jalandhara bandha – chin lock.

Jnanendriya

organ of perception, five in number – eye, ear, nose, tongue, skin.

Karmendriya organ of action,

five in number – larynx, hand, foot, anus, organ of generation.

Kevala kumbhaka

spontaneous stopping of the breath which occurs in the highest state of consciousness.

Khechari mudra

Folding the tongue back so that the tip touches the soft palate at the back of the mouth.

Kriya yoga

system of kundalini yoga, which works through the active quality of mind to one-pointed concentration or meditation.

Kumbhaka – breath retention.

Kundalini

manifested power of the universe. Kunjal kriya practice of vomiting water as a cleansing technique.

Laryngeal plexus

intersection of a group of nerves corresponding to vishuddhi chakra. Leucorrhoea vaginal discharge.

Limbic system

part of brain which acts between mind and body. Concerned with regulation of the autonomic nervous system, endocrine glands, emotions and certain aspects of behaviour.

Loka – plane of existence.

Lumbar

of the back between chest and pelvis.

Lumbar neuralgia

pain in the lumbar region.

Maha bandha

great lock; combination of the three bandhas.

Mania

phase of mental disorder characterized by expansive emotional conditions e.g. elation, overtalkativeness,hyperaggression, etc. Manic depressive alternating between states of mania and depression.

Manipura

the psychic centre (chakra) situated at the solar plexus which is associated with vitality and energy.

Maruts – vital energies of the body.

Medulla oblongata

an inch-long prolongation of the spinal cord into the brain. Menopause literally means cessation of the reproductive cycle.

Meridians

pranic pathways; may be equated to nadis. Metabolism the processes, chemical and physical, by which the body is maintained. Mooladhara psychic centre (chakra) located at the perineum in males and the cervix in females which is the seat of sexual and spiritual energy. Mudra physical posture and mental attitude which controls the psychic and subtle body energies.

Nada

the four stages of sound from struck or spoken to transcendental. Nadi passageway for the flow of energy in the psychic body.

Nadi shodhana pranayama

also known as alternate nostril breathing; the breath for purifying the psychic network.

Nasikagra drishti nosetip gazing.

Nerve plexus

intersection of a group of nerves.

Neurosis- emotional disorder.

Ojas-redirected sexual energy.

Parathyroid endocrine glands which control potassium and calcium levels in the body. Pelvic floor perineum.

Penis

male excretory and generative organ.

Pharyngeal plexus

intersection of group of nerves at the back of the mouth; associated with vishuddhi chakra. Piles dilated, bleeding veins in the anus; haemorrhoids. Pineal endocrine gland situated above pituitary gland, concerned with sexual function. Sometimes called the seat of intuition; associated with ajna chakra.

Pingala sun nadi;

corresponding to sympathetic nervous system.

Pituitary

master controlling endocrine gland. Pooraka inhalation.

Prana vayu

vital energies of the body.

Pranayama

control of vital and psychic energy in the body.

Pratyahara – sense withdrawal.

Prostatic hypertrophy

enlargement of prostate gland (lies just behind the penis and underneath the bladder). Prostatic plexus intersection of group of nerves in the lower pelvis, which corresponds to mooladhara chakra.

Psychosomatic

interaction of mind and body.

Rechaka – exhalation.

Rectum

last 15 cm of the digestive tract.

Rudra granthi

the psychic knot situated at ajna chakra in the mid-brain.

Sacral/coccygeal plexus

group of nerves intersecting at end of spinal cord in the lower pelvis; corresponding to swadhisthana chakra.

Sadhaka – spiritual seeker.

Sadhana spiritual practice for spiritual illumination and total health.

Sahajoli

Female equivalent of vajroli. Sahasrara the crown chakra.

Sahit kumbhaka

breath retention using willpower.

Samkhya

one of the six main philosophies of India. Samsara creation; illusion; the ocean of the world. Scrotum – sac containing the testicles. Sensory motor system pertaining to nerves of sensing and nerves of action.

Shakti

primal energy, the female aspect of the cosmos.

Shambhavi mudra

the upturning of the eyes to focus on bhrumadhya, the eyebrow centre. Shiva mythological Hindu god representing the highest consciousness; the male aspect of the cosmos.

Siddhi- psychic power.

Solar plexus intersection of a group of nerves in the abdominal region the physical manifestation of manipura chakra.

Spermatorrhoea

leakage of sperm Sushumna – the most important nadi, running up the spinal cord.

Swadhisthana

the chakra located at the level of the pubic bone, and associated with the gratification of the pleasure sense. Tantra the science in which knowledge is gained through expansion and liberation of consciousness.

Tattwa

principle, element. Testosterone the male sex hormone.

• Thoracic – pertaining to the chest.

Thymus

endocrine gland situated near the heart which is involved in the immunization of the body from disease.

Thyroid

endocrine gland situated in the throat which is involved in the energy production of the body.

Turiya

a fourth state of consciousness where the mind is transcended; the highest consciousness.

Uddiyana bandha – abdominal lock.

Ujjayi pranayama – deep throat breathing, the ‘psychic breath’ which has subtle calming effect on the whole system; used in many meditation techniques.

Urethra

canal which excretes urine from the bladder.

Urogenital

pertaining to the urinary and genital organs. Uterus – where pregnancy occurs situated just above the vagina.

Vagina – birth canal.

Vajra nadi

pranic channel controlling sexual function.

Vajroli

spiritual practice of rechanelling sexual energy; contraction of vajra nadi.

Vestigeal gland

remnant of a gland Vidya – spiritual knowledge. Vipareeta karani – the inverted attitude which redirects the vital nectar (amrit), fallen from bindu to manipura, back through vishuddhi to sahasrara.