2,100 Asanas: The Complete Yoga Poses

(Elliott) #1

tola = balance, scale
tolana = weighing
tri (tri, tra) = three
tryanga = three limbs
trikona = three angle or triangle
Trivikrama = Vishnu in his fifth incarnation, The Dwarf avatar of Lord Vishnu, who with his three
steps (krama) filled the earth, heaven and hell, the conqueror of three worlds
tulya = equilibrium, balance


U

ubhaya = both
uddayate = fly, soar, fly up
uddiyana = a fetter or bondage, a yogic abdominal lock; here the diaphragm is lifted high up the
thorax and the abdominal organs by tilting your pelvic floor up and pulling your belly button back
toward your spine; the uddiyana-bandha, the great bird prana (life), is forced to fly up through the
shushumna-nadi; to fly up
ujjayi = a pranayama that produces sound in the throat with the inhalation, literally meaning
“extended victory”; the lungs are fully expanded and the chest is puffed out, slow throat breathing
Upanishad = the word is derived from the prefixes upa (near) and ni (down) added to the root shad
(to sit); it means sitting down near a guru to receive spiritual instruction. The Upanishad
scriptures of ancient Hindu philosophy are the philosophical portion of the Vedas, the most ancient
sacred literature of the Hindus, dealing with the nature of man and the universe and the union of the
individual or self with the Universal Soul
upavishta (upavistha) = seated, sitting, with legs spread
urdhva (urdhwa) = upward, raised, elevated, inverted
urdhva-mukha = face upward
ushtra (ustra) = camel
ut = intense, a particle denoting intensity
utkata = fierce, powerful, exceeding the usual measure, excessive, squat
utpluti = lifting or pumping up
utripada = upright tripod
uttana = an intense stretch, upright
utthita = extended, risen or rising, raised up, stretched


V

Vaasamuni Siddhar = a disciple of Shiva
vadivu = old form; Gaja Vadivu is an animal posture from Kalari Yoga, a mystical tantric form of
yoga, which stems from Kalarippayat
vajra = thunderbolt, Indra’s weapon
Vajracchedika Prajnaparamita Sutra = Diamond Cutter Sutra, one of the sutras of Mahayana
Buddhism focusing on non-attachment
vakra = bent, curved, crooked

Free download pdf