Health / Yoga Glossary

Nasagra-Nasikagra Mudra : Hand gesture adopted during pranayama to alternate the flow of breath through the nostrils.

Nauli : Abdominal massage' - a cleansing technique (shatkarma) involving the contraction of the rectus abdominal muscles.

Neck Exercises: A warm-up pose. Drop your head and slowly make a circle with your neck.

Neti Kriya : Another shatkarma (cleansing technique) - involves cleaning of the nasal passages or sinus irrigation; jala neti forms a part of the various neti kriyas.

Nidra : Yoga word for sleep.

Niyama : Rule; there are 5 rules described in the Ashtanga Yoga of Patanjali.

Om : The universal mantra; cosmic vibration of the universe; represents the four states of consciousness

Pada : Yoga word for foot or section of a literary work.

Padmasana : Lotus pose - a seated meditative posture.

Pancha Makara : The five tantric practices : mansa(meat), madhya(wine), matsya(fish), mudra(grain), and maithuna(sexual intercourse).

Pancha Tattwa : The five elements - earth, water, fire, air and ether.

Param : Yoga word for highest, supreme, and God.

Paramatma : The supreme atma: God.

Parichaya Avastha : Stage of perception of nada.

Paschimottanasana : Back stretching pose.

Patanjali : Author of the Yoga Sutras and preacher of the eight-fold (ashtanga) yoga.

Payaswini Nadi : Energy channel terminating at the right big toe, between poosha and pingala channels.

Pelvic Lift: A warm-up pose. Lie with your back flat on the floor. Bend your knees and stand with the soles of your feet flat on the floor. Raise pelvis upwards off the floor.

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