Sacred Sanskrit sounds - yoga

If you've been practicing yoga for a while, you've probably heard Sanskrit words before, perhaps in class, at teacher training, or while exploring yoga texts like thisYoga Sutras by Patanjalior thatBhagavad Gita.

But beyond the words, do you know what they mean or where they come from? While some yoga classes choose to use English words for postures and poses, others may include names likeVrikshasana(tree pose),Suryanamaska(Sun Salutation) or the mantraUm,that are thousands of years old. Whether you're familiar with Sanskrit sounds or have always wondered about your teacher's strange words, there's a lot to learn about this rich and fascinating language.

Sanskrit is one of the oldest languages ​​in the world and originated in India over 5,000 years ago, when it still existed as a purely oral tradition. Like many ancient languages, Sanskrit was passed down as a spoken language for years, with stories and lessons learned through repetition and memorization rather than through reading and writing. About 5,000 years ago, Sanskrit was devoted to writing, and texts like the ancient oneVedasand theMahabharatawere born. The wordVedasmeans 'knowledge' or 'storehouse of knowledge', and the four Vedic texts ofRig Veda, Yajur Veda, Sama VedaandAtharva Vedawere all made between 1500 and 900 BC. Written in Sanskrit. These texts are important because they are the oldest writings in Hinduism and have influenced the yoga and meditation practices we know today. To remember the words, most of the verses of the Vedas were spoken in a rhythmic, poem-like form, while the Sama Veda was chanted with sophisticated harmonies.

Ancient Origins & Modern Migrations

As you begin to explore Sanskrit, you may notice some similarities between the ancient words and modern English. This is because Sanskrit has influenced languages ​​around the world and is the root of many words used today. Dr. Based in Brighton, UK, Matthew Clark has been a research fellow at the London School of Oriental and African Studies since 2004, has taught Hinduism and taught countless yoga teacher training courses around the world. Maybe he even spoke in a class you took!

"Almost all languages ​​from Western and Southern Europe and India belong to the same language family, the so-called Indo-European family. A more complex version of Sanskrit was brought to India from Central Asia from 1600 BC and from there migrated to Europe over time."Despite the belief that Sanskrit was used exclusively for mystical rituals and rites, it was actually a common spoken language and was used for all types of texts, from poetry to astrology, mathematics and medicine.

So is Sanskrit easy to learn? The answer seems to be no...“Sanskrit is a very complicated language”says Dr. Clark,“You can say a lot in two or three words, so changing just one letter can change the meaning of the whole sentence.”If you imagine people thousands of years ago conversing over caveman-like sounds, think again;"Sanskrit is complicated because it is very old. The older languages ​​are historically, the more complex they are. Over time, languages ​​become simpler. When we speak English, we use a smaller vocabulary than we did years ago and simpler grammar."If you are looking for a quick reference for Sanskrit words, books like theIllustrated Yoga Dictionaryare a valuable resource.

Although Sanskrit is indeed a practical and widely spoken language, there are many who appreciate its more spiritual and subtle aspects. Vick Storrm is a Sussex-based yoga teacher and Vedic astrology teacher who was born into Hindu culture. He speaks Gujarati at home and was immersed in yoga practices from a young age."Yogais such a broad term and a Sanskrit term. It's actually pronounced "yog," which means "to connect" or "to unite," but now it means something completely different. If you look at the teachings of the Bhagavad Gita, there are many types of ‘yoga’, which really means ‘many ways to have a spiritual connection’.”

Sanskrit today

Today, Sanskrit is rarely spoken, except in a few villages in India, which have preserved it orally after being traditionally passed down from generation to generation. However, as traditions appear to be crumbling around the world, the transmission of languages ​​and knowledge is being lost, meaning the traditions they are associated with, such as yoga and meditation, are also changing.

Vick says that if you want to deepen a yoga practice on a philosophical level, then Sanskrit is an important part of it."If you want to contribute to the survival of the yoga tradition, it is important to use the Sanskrit words. Sanskrit helps us understand asanas(the yoga postures)in a historic way.”Poses such as “Warrior Pose,” “Child Pose,” and “Chair Pose” are often used in teaching, while their Sanskrit translationsVirabhadrasana, BalasanaandUtkatasanahave meanings that could help us understand and practice the postures in a completely different way.“Virabhadrasana comes from the martial arts of India and also from ancient archery”says Vick. If every yoga practitioner knew this, could it deepen their experience while practicing?

Put into practice

If you want to learn Sanskrit to deepen your yoga and meditation practice or want to familiarize yourself with Eastern traditions, it is useful to start by learning the sounds of the alphabet. There are tons of videos online to learn from but singMantras with a malacan help you practice and absorb the feeling of Sanskrit sounds. Try chanting the mantra'Om' or 'AUM',which is said to be the primordial sound from which the entire universe was created. Singing ‘AUM’ is also invigoratingthe chakra system(subtle energetic points and channels within us) and represents a divine connection to the past, present and future as well as mind, body and soul.

Look for these Sanskrit words in your next yoga class:

Yoga:From the root 'yuj' means 'yoke' or 'to connect'. “Yoga” doesn’t just refer to physical practice. There are many types of yoga such as Karma Yoga (Yoga of Selfless Service), Bhakti Yoga (Yoga of Devotion) and Raja Yoga (Meditation). When the word “yoga” is used, it can refer to any or all aspects of meditation, movement, or mantra.

Asanas:Originally referred to as a “seat” taken for meditation, it is now used as a “posture.”

Pranayama:This is the word used to describe the different breathing techniques used during a yoga practice. The wordpranarefers to “life energy,” similar to the word Qi, while the wordyamameans to direct or control. In this sense, we can understand a pranayama practice to involve directing and controlling energy away from distractions on the body, breath, and mind.

Suryanamaskar:Commonly known as “sun salutation,” this practice is often used at the beginning of a yoga class to warm up the body. The wordsuryameans sun (both the physical sun and the Hindu sun god) andnamaskarmeans “to greet” or “to adore”. There are many different forms of sun salutation; classic, A and B.Ashtanga yoga sequencesoften include them.