Your Beginner's Guide to Yoga Terminology
Starting yoga can feel overwhelming, but understanding the terminology is a great way to build your confidence. As a yoga teacher, my advice is to take it one step at a time—don’t stress about memorising every term right away. With patience and practice, you’ll start to feel more at ease in class and enjoy the journey
Common Yoga Class terms and phrases
Namaste – A respectful greeting or farewell, often said with hands in prayer position. Can be at the start or end of your practice.
Om – A sacred sound and mantra that symbolises the universe and is often chanted at the beginning or end of a practice.
Mountain Pose / Tadasana - a very common phrase that you will hear in a yoga class, it is a foundational standing pose in yoga. It may seem simple, but it’s all about alignment and grounding.
Corpse Pose / Shavasana – a resting pose typically done at the end of class to relax and restore.
Pranayama - Breath control or breathing techniques, often used to calm the mind or increase energy during practice.
Mantra – A word or phrase repeated during meditation or practice to focus the mind or invoke a specific intention.
What is a Sun Salutation?
Sun Salutation (Surya Namaskar) - a flowing sequence of yoga poses designed to warm up the body, stretch, and connect movement with breath. Often repeated more than once in class.
Here is a breakdown of the poses in the sequence:
Mountain Pose (Tadasana) – You will start standing tall with feet together, arms by your sides, grounding your body.
Upward Salute (Urdhva Hastasana) - Inhale and reach your arms up above your head, palms facing each other - or whatever feels comfortable for you.
Forward Fold (Uttanasana) – Exhale and fold forward from your hips, bringing your chest towards your thighs, keeping your back as straight as you can but not forcing it so it feels uncomfortable.
Halfway Lift (Ardha Uttanasana) – Inhale and lift your chest halfway, lengthening your spine, so your spine is parallel with the floor.
Plank Pose – Reach back down to the floor, exhale and step back into a high plank, holding a straight line from head to heels.
Chaturanga Dandasana – Lower your body halfway to the floor, keeping elbows close to your sides.
See below photo for reference of this pose!
Upward Facing Dog (Urdhva Mukha Svanasana) – Inhale, lifting your chest and thighs off the mat, opening the front of the body.
Downward Facing Dog (Adho Mukha Svanasana) – Exhale and lift your hips up and back, forming an inverted V-shape.
Halfway Lift – Inhale, stepping or jumping your feet forward between your hands.
Forward Fold (Uttanasana) – Exhale, folding forward again.
Upward Salute – Inhale, slowly rise, reaching your arms up.
Mountain Pose (Tadasana) – Exhale and bring your arms back down by your sides.
This sequence is often repeated, synchronized with breath, to energize and stretch the body.
Yoga Breathing Techniques (Pranayama)
Ujjayi Breath: A deep, controlled breath through the nose with a slight constriction at the back of the throat, creating an ocean-like sound to calm the mind and focus the breath.
Nadi Shodhana (Alternate Nostril Breathing): Involves alternating breathing through each nostril to balance the body’s energy and calm the nervous system.
Kapalbhati (Skull Shining Breath): A forceful exhalation through the nose with passive inhalations, energizing the body and clearing the mind.
Bhastrika (Bellows Breath): A rapid, forceful inhale and exhale through the nose, increasing oxygen flow, energy, and mental clarity.
Sitali Pranayama (Cooling Breath): A cooling breath where you inhale through a rolled tongue and exhale through the nose, helping to reduce body heat and calm the mind.
Dirga Pranayama (Three-Part Breath): A deep breathing technique that fills the belly, ribs, and chest in three stages to promote relaxation and awareness of full lung capacity.
Yoga Sanskrit Terms
Asana (आसन): Asana refers to the physical poses or postures practiced in yoga, such as Downward Dog or Child’s Pose.
Pranayama (प्राणायाम): Pranayama is the practice of controlling the breath to regulate the flow of energy (prana) within the body, promoting balance and focus.
Shavasana (शवासन): Shavasana, also known as Corpse Pose, is a resting posture usually practiced at the end of a yoga session, allowing the body and mind to absorb the benefits of the practice.
Namaste (नमस्ते): Namaste is a greeting used in yoga that translates to "The light in me honours the light in you," often accompanied by a bow and hands pressed together in prayer position.
Drishti (दृष्टि): Drishti is the focal point or gaze during yoga practice, used to help with balance, concentration, and mindfulness.
Dharana (धारणा): Dharana is the practice of concentration or focused attention, which is essential for meditation and deepening the connection with oneself.
Dhyana (ध्यान): Dhyana refers to the state of meditation or deep contemplation, a key element of yoga practice where the mind becomes still and present.
Ujjayi (उज्जायी): Ujjayi is a breathing technique that involves slight constriction of the throat to create an ocean-like sound, helping to calm the mind and focus the breath.
Bhavana (भावना): Bhavana means "mental cultivation" or the development of positive qualities, such as compassion or gratitude, often practiced during meditation.
Mantra (मन्त्र): A mantra is a sacred word or phrase repeated during meditation or practice to help focus the mind and invoke spiritual energy.
Mudra (मुद्रा): Mudra refers to hand gestures or positions used during meditation and yoga to guide the flow of energy in the body.
Vinyasa (विन्यास): Vinyasa refers to the smooth transition between poses, usually synchronized with breath, in a flowing style of yoga practice.
