Glossary

Sound, tone, vibration, music.

Channel through which the life force, or prana, flows in the energy body.  There are 72,000 nadis interconnecting the chakras.  The three main nadis are named Ida, Pingala, and Sushumna.   

Lit. serpent. Symbol of the Kundalini coiled at the base of the spine; one of the secondary types of life forces (prana). 

People belonging to a certain spiritual sect in North India, who are known to wander naked in the Himalayas with just vibhuthi smeared on the body, even during the coldest winter seasons.

Condition in which a diembodied snake possesses a human being.

Traditional salutation which acknowledges the divinity within a person. 

Equivalent to the Western term Hell.  Nether world.

Childhood name of Swami Vivekananda.

A common deciduous evergreen tree (Azadirachta indica) which grows in India, known for its extremely bitter leaves, fruits and flowers.  Used extensively for its innumerable medicinal qualities, neem is sometimes called ‘the village pharmacy’.  Over 100 pharmacologically active substances have been identified in this plant.  

Lit. ‘not this’.  A way of cleansing oneself of illusions or wrong identities.

Lit. blue peaks. Refers to a certain hilly district located north of Coimbatore, known for its rich wildlife.

Devoid of any quality, untainted and beyond duality.

A created body. Adept yogis are known to have created and possessed physical bodies for themselves to fulfill certain special purposes.     

Unshakeable,  Unwavering.

Karmically unaffected by one’s actions.

A reclusive South Indian yogi and an extraordinary mystic who lived in the twentieth century and spent the later part of his life near Mumbai in Maharashtra. The Guru of many disciples, including Swami Muktananda.