Glossary / Encyclopedia of traditional Yoga Meditation

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Glossaries / Encyclopedias

To practice meditation does not require that one master thousands of terms, though a working knowledge can be quite useful. Below are four suggestions on exploring terms:

1) Glossaries: Below are links to explanations in several online Glossaries and Encyclopedias from authoritative sites. These are thorough enough that I see no need for me to create a new glossary here on the SwamiJ.com website. These are links to other websites and will open new browser windows.

Divine Life Society (dlhshq.org)
Sivananda (sivananda.org)
Shiva Shakti Mandalam
Himalayan Academy
Vedanta Society of Southern California
Self Discovery Portal (selfdiscoveryportal.com)
Prajapati Vishva Ashram
Sacred-Texts

2) Search SwamiJ.com: You can also use the search box above to find the way in which terms are used in context within articles on the SwamiJ.com site. The Google box is set to default to links only on the this site.

3) Google "define" search: Google also has a very helpful service of linking to definitions from many sources. You'll have to assess for yourself which of the many definitions are more or less accurate. All you have to do is type in "define:" followed by the word. For example, in the Google box above type in the following and watch what happens: define:yoga, define:vedanta, or define:tantra.

4) Wikipedia: Many terms are in the well-known site Wikipedia.com. The unique feature of Wikipedia is that it allows visitors to edit the definitions. The link shown here is directly to the page describing Wikepedia and its strengths and weaknesses. The search box is in the left column. It can provide some very interesting discussions of some terms.

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This site is devoted to presenting the ancient Self-Realization path of the Tradition of the Himalayan masters in simple, understandable and beneficial ways, while not compromising quality or depth. The goal of our sadhana or practices is the highest Joy that comes from the Realization in direct experience of the center of consciousness, the Self, the Atman or Purusha, which is one and the same with the Absolute Reality. This Self-Realization comes through Yoga meditation of the Yoga Sutras, the contemplative insight of Advaita Vedanta, and the intense devotion of Samaya Sri Vidya Tantra, the three of which complement one another like fingers on a hand. We employ the classical approaches of Raja, Jnana, Karma, and Bhakti Yoga, as well as Hatha, Kriya, Kundalini, Laya, Mantra, Nada, Siddha, and Tantra Yoga. Meditation, contemplation, mantra and prayer finally converge into a unified force directed towards the final stage, piercing the pearl of wisdom called bindu, leading to the Absolute.

Glossary terms below are being very slowly being added, and in no particular order. These are just being anchored here in this page, and are linked elsewhere.

ahimsa, ashtanga yoga, bindu, conscious sleep, hatha yoga, karma, mahavakyas, neti pot, non-attachment, non-harming, non-violence, pranayama, raja yoga, samadhi, upanishads, vairagya, yoga sutras,

Beyond: ashtanga, astanga, bikram, butt, deepen physical, hatha, hot, iyengar, kripalu, physical, power, tantra, vinyasa flow, vinyasa yoga, yoga postures

Yoga Nidra CD
Swami Jnaneshvara