Depending on the type of yoga and the teacher, many classes recite Sanskrit chanting mantras of various lengths as part of the workout. Kundalini yoga has the greatest emphasis on chanting, but you may say a few oms in Ashtanga, Iyengar, and Vinyasa. The idea behind chanting is that it centers students and releases negativity and stress. With om, this is simply a sound vibration that moves from your head and neck throughout your body, but there are other chants in Sanskrit, such as om shanti, which means “peace.” Most classes will also end with the group saying “namaste,” which loosely translates as “the light in me is honoring the light in you,” says Terri Kennedy, Ph.D., a yoga instructor in New York City and the chairman of the board of the nationally based Yoga Alliance. It’s traditional to place your palms together at your forehead and bow as you say the word.

Yoga Glossary

New to yoga? It’s easy to get tripped up on the lingo — especially when you want to focus on doing the asana correctly instead of trying to figure out what asana means. Here are 19 terms to add to your yoga vocabulary.

Asana: An individual pose in yoga. It translates as “seat.”

Ashram: A residential and spiritual community where the disciplines of yoga are taught and practiced.

Ashtanga: The eight-limbed path of yoga. It is also an athletic style of yoga practice. BR]
Bhagavad-Gita: An ancient, sacred Indian text that, among other things, outlines the teachings of yoga.

Chakras: The seven major energy points considered to be located along the spine, going to the top of your head.

Guru: A spiritual teacher or guide.

Hatha: Translates as “forceful” or “willful”; also means union of the ha (sun) and tha (moon). Refers to the physical poses in yoga.

Kundalini: Energy felt at the base of a person’s spine, usually described as being a coiled serpent.

Mantra: A sacred utterance that has special energy or meaning in yoga practice or meditation.

Mudra: Symbolic hand gestures used in yoga practice that are thought to guide the flow of energy.

Namaste: A salutation with many translations in the spirit of “the light in me is honoring the light in you.”

Om: Considered the sound of the universe, it may be chanted at the beginning and/or the end of a class.

Prana: Life force or breath.

Pranayama: Breathing exercises that are thought to regulate the flow of energy in the body.

Sun Salutation: A classic series of poses that can be done on their own to honor or greet the sun.

Ujjayi: Translated as “victorious breath,” it’s a breathing technique in which you gently constrict the passage of air at the back of your throat, creating a light, soothing sound.

Viniyoga: A user-friendly style of yoga that adapts the poses to the condition and the level of the student.

Yoga Nidra: A relaxation practice done while laying down that includes breathing, affirmation, and focusing consciousness on specific parts of the body.

Yoga Therapy: The use of yoga for people with special needs (physical or psychological). It is not usually practiced in group classes.