Terms & Definitions
AA (Alcoholics Anonymous)
12 Step recovery program for alcoholics and addicts.
Awakening
Entering a state of awareness and consciousness where the present moment and present mind merges into the state beyond thoughts and infinite love.
Awakening Process
The process in which we wake up to the truth of existence.
Bhakti practices
Kirtan, prayer, japa.
Bhakti yoga
The path of devotion. “Attaining God through love and the loving recollection of God.”
Devotion
Dedication, love and loyalty towards someone or something.
Dharma
Life’s purpose
Divine
Holy or Sacred
Elements
Awakened aspects of the individual revealed as awakening progresses.
Hanuman
Hindu God, Half God – Half Human. The embodiment of Bhakti.
Higher Self
Soul Self
Human Ego
Our psychological identification. Who we think we are.
Human psyche
Individual ego and mind.
Humanness
That which we are, imperfect, complex, and utterly sensitive.
It was He not I
it was Him knocking on the door
it was He from within
(Rumi)
Inner Guidance System
Inner knowing that surfaces in connection with your soul. A gut feeling.
Japa
Repetition of the name of God in whatever form we picture him (Vanamali 5).
Kirtan
The devotional chanting of the names of God.
Leela (Lila)
The play of God. As per Hindu philosophy, our manifest reality is simply the play of the Gods.
Manifestation
What is presented in our reality, something that comes to fruition.
Mantra
Repetition of sacred sounds, words, or God’s name.
Maya
The veil covering the true nature of reality.
Meditation
The process of using single-pointed focus to find stillness and to connect with a deeper aspect of ourselves.
Microcosm
A smaller version of something. Our planet is the microcosm of the universe.
Mukti
Liberation
Prakriti
Another word for Shiva. “The eternal, unchanging, infinite spirit” (Vanamali 285).
Purusha
Another word for Shiva. “The eternal, unchanging, infinite spirit” (Vanamali 285).
Ram
Hindu God considered to be the Supreme Being, and the 7th Avatar of Vishnu.
Ramayana
A legendary Hindu text, one of the largest ancient epics in world literature.
Underneath all the thoughts, and underneath all the mind chatter lies the underlying energy that holds us all.
Sadhana
Any form of spiritual practice. “Refers to any method by which the aspirant, or sadhaka, can establish contact with the inner realms of being” (Vanamali 5).
Sat-Chit-Ananda
Truth – Consciousness – Bliss
Sat-Sanga
“association with being.” Gathering in a group, or community for spiritual purposes (Goodman 105).
Savasana
Corpse pose – used for relaxation at the end of yoga and considered the most important pose.
Self
The greater aspect of the universe. The universal energy that flows through all existence.
Self-enquiry
As per Ramana Maharshi: Self-Enquiry is the act of investigating the source of “I”.
Self-worth
An inner sense of steadfast belief in oneself.
Shakti
Female aspect of the universe. The power, energy, and force of creation and manifestation. “Cosmic matter, the supreme embodiment of all manifestation” (Vanamali 285).
Shakti Pat
To awaken the dormant energy called shakti or kundalini.
Shiva
Male aspect of the universe. The underlying ground of being. The energy that sustains and contains all of creation.
The 12 steps
A set of guiding principles in the treatment of alcoholism and addiction.
Tools
Practices used for continued exploration of the spiritual self.
Vedas
A large body of religious texts originating in ancient India. Composed in Vedic sanskrit, the texts constitute the oldest layer of Sanskrit literature and the oldest scriptures of Hinduism.
Vessels of love
Aspects that are the manifestation of love.
Unfulfillment
Feeling a lack of sense of purpose. Feeling of emptiness.
Resources
*Hanuman: The Devotion and Power of the Monkey March 25, 2010 by Vanamali (Author), Sri Krishna Das(Foreword)
Be As You Are Teachings of Ramana Maharshi by David Goodman.
