Yama
Pronunciation-Yah-Mah
Syllables-2(Ya-Ma)
Other names or spellings-
Definition-One of the original Vedic Gods, often referred to as the
God of death or the one who transports you to other realms at death.
The word Yama refers to restraint, he is often depicted with a noose.
Closely associated with Adam as the first man to die.
Yamas
Definition-The first limb of Yoga is called Yama. It refers to
practicing the five Essential Restraints. The Yamas are Ahimsa or
Non-harming, Satya or Non-lying, Asteya or Non-Stealing,
Brahmacharya or Non-wasting of Sexual energy, Aparigraha or Non-
possessiveness.
Yantra
Pronunciation-Yahn-T’ra
Syllables-2 (Yan-Tra)
Other names or spellings-
Definition-Antra is the Suffix referring to the essence of a thought-
wave. A Yantra is the visual form of the thought wave. There are
fixed images and common forms of Yantras that are used as visual
aids in mediations and there are spontaneous and unique Yantras or
Visual Forms/Images that come from the thought waves found in
dreams and imagination. Meditating on these spontaneous Yantric
thought-waves to calm the thought waves is the technique of Active
Imagination found in Jungian Psychology.
Yantra (Yoga)
Pronunciation-Yahn-T’ra
Syllables-2 (Yan-Tra)
Other names or spellings-
Definition-One of the twenty-two yoga styles. Yoga is the method of
uniting with the divine. Yantra Yoga is the method of yoking with the
divine by using images (often sacred geometry). One can use a
prescribed Yantra or a Dream image and meditate on that. Also
active imagination is a form of Yantra Yoga.
Yoga
Pronunciation-Yo-Gah
Syllables-2 (Yo-Ga)
Other names or spellings-
Definition-Yoga is one of the Six Schools in Yogic Philosophy. Yoga
as a philosophy is theistic (Acknowledges a God) and his name is
Isvara. Organizer is the Sage Patanjali. The main text is called the
Yoga Sutras where Patanjali synthesizes Samkhya and Vedanta
together into the “8 Limbs”. Yoga refers to any method to yoke or
unite with the Divine for Self-Realization or Enlightenment. The main
goals of Yoga are immortality and freedom. Freedom (Moksha) is
separation and the opposite the meaning Yoga which involves uniting
(conjoining). Therefore, the practice of Yoga is a paradox, that
gaining freedom by unison. There are twenty-two organized yoga
styles, they are: Anabhava, Ashtanga, Bhakti, Dhyana, Guru, Gyan
(Jnana), Hatha, Jappa, Karma, Kriya, Kundalini, Laya, Mantra, Nada,
Siddha, Samkhya, Raj, Sahej, Shakti, Tantric, Traatik, and Yantra
Yoga.
Yuga
Pronunciation-You-Gah
Syllables-2 (Yu-Ga)
Other names or spellings-Yug
Definition-A Yuga is an Age and a long period of time. are four main
Yugas: Satya Yuga (Enlightened Age), Treta Yuga (Mental Age),
Dvapara Yuga (Electrical Age) and Kali Yuga (Dark Age). These
Yugas have an ascending and descending direction. The ascending
direction is moving from Kali Yuga (Dark Age) to the Satya Yuga
(Enlightened Age) and the descending direction is moving from the
Satya Yuga (Enlightened Age) and falling into the Kali Yuga (Dark
Age).There is debate about whether we are still in Kali or Dvapara.
Some even posit that we are in Dvapara with a subset of Kali
(Dvapara-Kali). The electrical age (Dvapara) certainly matches the
rise of technology in the external world.
© Christopher Chayban –Kundalini Yoga with Chris