Yoga Words and Phrases

ACRO YOGA (also ACROYOGA) - Acro yoga draws on traditions of the circus arts, cheer-leading, and dance acro. In acro yoga there are typically three primary roles in a base, flyer, and spotter. The base has the most contact with the ground while the flyer has the least. The spotter is used to assist and prevent injury.
AERIAL YOGA - Aerial yoga is a hybrid type of yoga developed by Michelle Dortignac in 2006 combining traditional yoga poses, pilates, and dance with the use of a suspended hammock.
ASANA - Asana is a Sanskrit term which is often translated as “posture” or “pose" in yoga.
AYURVEDA - Ayurveda, is a natural system of medicine that originated in India more than 3,000 years ago. The term Ayurveda is derived from the Sanskrit words ayur (life) and veda (science or knowledge). Thus Ayurveda translates to the Science of Life. The basics behind Ayurveda focuses on restoring balance in the body. Ayurveda yoga is a personalized/customized yoga class that is used to bring ayurvedic balance.
BANDHAS - ‘Bandha’ literally means lock, to tighten, to close-off and block. In yoga a banha is a "body lock". There are four main bandhas used in yoga. Mula Bandha, (root lock) contraction of the perineum. Uddiyana bandha, contraction of the abdomen into the rib cage. Jalandhara Bandha, (chin lock or throat lock) tucking the chin close to the chest. Maha Bandha ("the great lock") is when the three primary bandhas are engaged.
BIND - A bind in yoga is a pose that involves linking the hands (or sometimes a hand to a wrist) in a process that rotates both the shoulders and the torso. A bind will often allow the yogi to get deeper into the pose.
FASCIA - Fascia is a thin layer of connective tissue made primarily of collagen that attaches, surrounds, stabilizes encloses and holds every organ, blood vessel, bone, nerve fiber and muscle in place.
NIDRA - Nidra is a Sanskrit term meaning "sleep." Yoga nidra is a meditative practice that induces a state of deep, but conscious relaxation.
PRONE - Prone refers to body position. Prone means lying horizontally with the face and torso facing down toward the earth. The opposite of prone is supine.
SUPINE - Supine refers to body position. Supine means lying horizontally with the face and torso facing up to the sky. The opposite of supine is prone.
TRANSITION - Yoga transitions are poses or movements to move from one Pose ( or assana ) to the next.

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Yoga Words and Phrases

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