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.

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.