Glossary - Ayurveda - Back to main

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AGNI

The biological fire that provides energy for the body to function. Agni regu­lates body heat and aids digestion, absorp­tion, and assimilation of food. It transforms food into energy or consciousness.

AHAMKARA

Literally, the "I-former"; the ego; sense of separate self; the feeling of "I am."

AMA

A toxic, morbid substance (both systemic and cellular) produced by undigested food which is the root cause of many diseases.

ANUPANA

Substance (such as milk, water, ghee, etc.) that serves as a medium for taking herbs.

ARTAVA DHATU

The female reproductive tis­sue, one of the seven dhatus or bodily tissues.

ASTHI DHATU

One of the seven dhatus or bodily tissues; specifically, the bone tissue that supports the body, giving protection, shape, and longevity.

AYURVEDA

The science of life; derived from the Sanskrit words ayur meaning life, and veda, knowledge or science. The Vedas are the authentic, ancient, spiritual scriptures of India.

BASMATI RICE

A long-grained scented rice originating in the foothills of the Himalayas in India. Easily digestible and nutritious.

BASTI

One of the five important cleansing measures of panchakarma, it eliminates excess vata dosha from the system via medicated herbal tea or oil enemas. Helps greatly to heal all vata disorders. The word basti liter­ally means bladder. In ancient times, the apparatus used for the procedure was made out of leather.

BHASMA

A specialized Ayurvedic compound prepared and purified by being burned into ash; bhasmas have a high potency and release prana into the system.

BHASTRIKA

A breathing practice (pranayama) in which air is passively drawn in and forcibly pushed out, as in a bellows. In­creases heat and improves circulation.

BHRAMARI

A type of breathing practice (pranayama) in which a soft humming sound, like a bee, is made during exhalation and/or inhalation. Calms the mind and cools pitta.

CARDAMOM

Pungent spice from a tropical plant.

CHAI

General word for tea; often refers to a spiced black tea made with milk and sugar.

CHAKRAS

The energy centers in the body, related to nerve plexus centers, which gov­ern bodily functions. Each chakra is a reser­voir of consciousness.

CHICKPEA FLOUR

A finely ground yellow flour. Also called gram.

CILANTRO

Fresh coriander leaf. This herb is used extensively in Indian cooking and valued for its zesty and cooling taste. Balances spicy dishes.

COCONUT MILK

Made from grating the white flesh of the coconut and mixing with a cup of water.

COCONUT WATER

The natural juice inside the coconut.

DAL

Any type of dried bean, pea, or lentil is called Dal. Most dal is husked and split for quick cooking and greater ease of digestion.

DHATU

The structural, building, elemental tissue of the body. There are seven dhatus defined in Ayurveda: rasa (plasma); rakta (blood tissue); mamsa (muscle tissue); meda (adipose tissue); asthi (bone marrow); majja (bone and nerves); shukra and artava (male and female reproductive tissue).

DOSHA

The three main psycho-physiologi­cal functional principles of the body (vata, pitta, and kapha). They determine each in­dividual's constitution and maintain the integrity of the human body. The doshas govern the individual's response to changes. When disturbed, they can initiate the disease process.

GHEE

Clarified butter; made from unsalted butter that has been gently cooked and the milk solids removed.

GUGGULU

Main ingredient in a number of herbal preparations (yogaraj guggulu, kaishore guggulu, etc.). A resin from a small tree, it has many useful medical actions, including ben­efits for the nervous system, tonification, and anti-inflammatory action on muscle tissues. Helps increase white blood count (good for the immune system) and is a nervine, rejuve­nating tonic.

GUNAS

Three qualities influencing all creation: sattva, rajas, and tamas. Sattvic quali­ties imply essence, reality, consciousness, purity, and clarity of perception. All move­ment and activity are due to rajas. Tamas brings darkness, inertia, heaviness, and mate­rialistic attitudes. There is a constant inter­play among these three gunas in all creation. Also refers to the qualities (hard/soft, hot! cold, etc.) of the three doshas, seven dhatus, and three malas.

JAGGERY

An unrefined sugar made from the juice of crushed sugarcane stalks.

KAPHA

One of the three doshas, combining the water and earth elements. Kapha is the energy that forms the body's structure bones, muscles, tendons-and provides the "glue" that holds the cells together. It sup­plies the water for all bodily parts and sys­tems, lubricates joints, moisturizes the skin, and maintains immunity. In balance, kapha is expressed as love, calmness, and forgiveness. Out of balance, it leads to attachment, greed, and envy.

KHAVAIGVNYA

A weak or defective space within an organ or tissue of the body where a pathological condition is likely to begin.

KITCHARI

A cooked mixture of rice and dal and spices that is easy to digest and high in protein. Often used as a nourishing food for a mono-fast.

LASSI

A refreshing drink made from yogurt, water, and spices and often served at the end of a meal as a digestive. Can be sweet or salty.

MAHAT (MAHAD)

The "great principle," intelligence, the cosmic aspect of intellect; also contains the individual intellect, called Buddhi.

MAJJA DHATU

One of the seven dhatus or bodily tissues; the bone marrow and nerve tissue. It is unctuous and soft. Its main func­tion is to oleate the body, to fill up the bone, and to nourish the shukra dhatu. It plays an important role in communication.

MAMSA DHATU

One of the seven dhatus or bodily tissues; the muscle tissue. Produced by rasa and rakta, its main functions are to provide physical strength, coordination, movement, covering, form, and protection.

MANTRA

A sacred word or phrase of spiritual significance and power that transcends the mind and yields bliss.

MARMA

An energy point on the skin that has a door receptor and is connected to the inner pathways of healing.

MUNG DAL

A small bean that has been husked and split. Usually a medium yellow color. Easy to digest.

NASYA

Method of administering medication through the nose; one of the five measures of panchakarma.

NIGHTSHADE

Common name for a family of plants including tomatoes, potatoes, egg­plant, tobacco, petunias, and belladonna, which have strong medicinal properties. Frequent use may disturb the doshic equi­librium.

OJAS

The pure essence of all the bodily tissues (dhatus); the superfine essence of kapha; maintains immunity, strength, and vitality. Ojas creates bliss and awareness in the mental faculties and governs the body's immune function. If it is depleted, it can lead to death.

PANCHAKARMA

Five measures for elimina­tion of excess dosha and/or ama from the body. Used for the purpose of internal purifi­cation. They are: vomiting (vamana); purgation (virechana); medicated oil or decoction enema (basti); bloodletting (rakta moksha); and nasal administration of specific medication (nasya).

PIPPALI

Piper longum; a close relative of black pepper, which has many medicinal applica­tions, especially for digestion and respira­tion. A rejuvenative tonic (rasayana) for the lungs and liver.

PITTA

One of the three doshas; it corre­sponds to the elements of fire and water. Sometimes referred to as the fire or bile prin­ciple, pitta governs digestion, absorption, assimilation, metabolism, and body tempera­ture. In balance, pitta promotes understand­ing and intelligence; out of balance pitta arouses anger, hatred, jealousy.

PRAKRUTI

Prakruti is the Cosmic Creativity, the primordial matter.

PRAKRVTI

The inherent nature or psychoso­matic, biological constitution of the individ­ual, prakruti is the fixed constitution of a person, which reflects the proportion of the three doshas (vata, pitta, and kapha) established at conception.

PRANA

The vital life energy. Without it, life cannot exist. The flow of cellular intelligence from one cell to another. Equivalent to the Oriental Ch'i or Ki.

PRANAYAMA

The control of life energy by various techniques which regulate and restrain breath, through which one can con­trol the mind and improve one's quality of awareness and perception. Helpful with all types of meditation.

PURUSHA

ChoiceIess, passive awareness; the pure Cosmic Being.

RAJAS

One of the three universal qualities (gunas) of Prakruti, Cosmic Creativity. Rajas is active, mobile, dynamic.

RAKTA DHATV

The second of the seven tis­sues (dhatus). rakta mainly contains red blood cells, which carry life energy (prana) to all bodily tissues. This oxygenates, or provides the life function, for all the tissues.

RASA DHATV

The first of the seven dhatus, rasa (plasma) is nourished from digested food, and after absorption, it circulates in the entire body via specific channels. Its main function is to provide nutrition to each and every cell of the body.

RASAYANA

Rejuvenation therapy which brings about renewal, regeneration, and restoration of bodily cells, tissues, and organs, giving longevity to the cells and en­hancing immunity and stamina.

RlSHI

A seer, a Vedic sage. The ancient rishis perceived and/or recorded the Vedic hymns. These enlightened sages shared their knowl­edge, medicine, philosophy, and spiritual teachings.

RUDRAKSHA

The "tears of Shiva"; the dried seeds from the fruit of the rudraksha tree. Said to be good for the heart both physically and spiritually, helpful for meditation and for "opening the heart chakra."

SAFFRON

A golden yellow spice that comes from the stigma of a particular crocus. The best quality saffron is grown in Spain and Kashmir.

SAMPRAPTI

The pathogenesis of disease; the entire disease process from its cause through its various stages to the complete manifesta­tion of the disease.

SANKHYA

One of the schools of Indian phi­losophy, Sankhya denotes both "discrimina­tive knowledge" and "enumeration." It gives a systematic account of cosmic evolution from Purusha (Cosmic Spirit) and Prakruti (Primor­dial Matter) through the stages of creation: Mahad (Cosmic Intelligence); Ahamkara (indi­viduating principle); Mana (mind); Indriyas (the inner doors of perception); Tanmatras (the objects of perception); and Mahat Bhutas (five great elements). Sat means truth and khya means to realize; thus Sankhya means to realize the theory of the creation of the universe in order to realize the ultimate truth of human life. Sankhya reveals the journey of consciousness into matter.

SATIVA

One of the three gunas of Prakruti, sattva denotes light, clarity, purity of percep­tion; it is the essence of pure awareness.

SHLTALI

A practice of pranayama (breath con­trol) that cools the system. Inhalation is through the curled tongue; exhalation is slow, steady, and complete.

SHUKRA DHATV

The seventh tissue (dhatu); the male reproductive tissue.

SROTAS

Bodily channels.

SUCANAT

A granulated natural sugar made from pure sugarcane juice.

SURYA NAMASKAR

The Sun Salutation, a series of yoga postures done in a flowing sequence with coordinated breathing.

TAMAS

One of the three gunas of Prakruti or Nature; its characteristics are darkness, iner­tia, and ignorance; it is responsible for sleep, drowsiness, dullness, unconsciousness.

TEJAS

The pure essence of the fire element; the superfine essence of pitta dosha, which governs the transformation of matter into energy and of food, water, and air into consciousness.

TIKTA GHRITA

"Bitter ghee," a specific Ayurvedic compound made of clarified butter with various bitter herbs; used for medicinal purposes.

TRIDOSHA

The three organizations or codes of intelligence within the body, mind, and consciousness; the three bodily humors: air (vata), fire/bile (pitta), and water (kapha).

TRIKATU

An Ayurvedic compound of ginger, black-pepper, and Pippali (piper longum) that burns ama, detoxifies the body, and improves digestion, absorption, and assimilation.

TRIPHALA

An important Ayurvedic compound consisting of three herbs: amalaki, bib­hitaki, and haritaki. It is the best laxative and bowel tonic and a balanced rasayana that is good for vata, pitta and kapha.

TULSI

Indian holy basil. The sacred plant of Krishna, this herb is said to open the heart and mind, bestowing the energy of love and devotion.

TURBINADO

A granulated sugar made from pure sugarcane.

TURMERIC ROOT

An underground rhizome from a perennial plant native to southern India and Asia. Comes in a red and yellow form, but only the yellow is eaten. One of the most important herbs for both internal and external use, it is also essential in most Indian cooking.

VATA

One of the three doshas, combining the space and air elements; it is the subtle energy associated with bodily movement and governs breathing, blinking, muscle and tissue movement, pulsation of the heart, and all movements in the cytoplasm and cell membranes. In balance, vat a promotes cre­ativity and flexibility; out of balance, vata produces fear and anxiety.

VlKRUTI

The current state of the individual, as opposed to the original constitution (prakruti) at conception. It may also denote disorder.

YOGA

In its deeper sense, Yoga is union of the lower self with the higher self, of the inner with the outer, mortality with immortality. Yoga postures (asanas) promote health, flexibility, and purity toward achieving the state of Yoga.