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Yoga Dictionary of Quotes ©
Compiled by R. John Allcorn


F - I

Fainting breath/pranayama:
See "Murcha Pranayama"

Female accomplished Pose or Adept’s Pose:
See "Siddha yoni asana"

Fish Pose:
See "Matsyasana"

Food:
See “Eating”

Forward bend:
See "Pada hastasana"

Gana:
“Sense organ” which may have “unwholesome attachments to external objects.” (13, 72)

God:
"To know God, you need only to renounce one thing — your sense of division from God." (33,192)
The fourth level of human consciousness, turiya, "simply God, [may] report your dreams back to you.... And if you can move into that state of witness consciousness, then you can be present with God all the time." (33,196)

Greed:
See “Raga” and “Aprigraha”

Gross Body:
See “The three Bodies” at top

Gunas:
Sri Krishna: “When sattwa prevails; Over rajas, tamas,; Man feels sattwa:; When rajas prevails; Over sattwa, tamas,; Man is seized by that rajas:; When tamas prevails; Over rajas, sattwa,; Man yields to that tamas.; When understanding; Shines in through the senses,; The doors of the body:; Know sattwa is present.; In greed, in the heat of action,; In eager enterprise,; In restlessness, in all desire,; Know rajas the ruler.” (2, p108)
Sri Krishna: “But when a man performs an action which is sanctioned by the scriptures, and does it for duty’s sake only, renouncing all attachment and desire for its fruits, then his renunciation is inspired by sattwa.” (2, p120)
“But when the conscience cannot distinguish truly between right and wrong, or know what should and what should not be done, then it has the nature of rajas.” (2, p124)
“Prakriti is said to be composed of 3 gunas: sattwa (the pure and fine), rajas (action) and tamas (solidity/resistance). In the mind of man, sattwa expresses itself psychologically as tranquility, purity and calmness; rajas as passion, restlessness, aggressive activity; tamas as stupidity, laziness, inertia. The ultimate ideal is to transcend all gunas and reach the Atman, which is above and beyond the gunas.” (2, pp133-4.)
“Within the causal body, the three gunas (qualities)–sattva (purity, wisdom, peace), rajas (activity, passion), and tamas (inertia, lethargy)–exist in a harmonious state of perfect equilibrium. However, in the astral and physical bodies, this balance among the gunas is lost.” (6, p132)
“The best metaphor for gunas is gardening. The way you increase sattvic is by feeding the satvic state: Sattvic food, soft speech, routine, calm mind, calm people, positive thinking, friendliness, compassion, joy in the joy of others, indifference to evil, avoid tamasic and rajasic food and people. (L.M., 1/8/05)
Guna Food: Sattvic: yoga tea, small and sprouted beans, well-cooked rice, wheat, 2% milk, yogurt, all fresh vegetables and fruits.
Tamasic: red meats, fried foods, alcohol, oily food, onion, garlic, canned fruits and vegetables, spicy foods, coffee. Avoid excessive amounts of food.
Rajasic: chicken, fish, whole milk, medium to large beans, medium to hard to digest foods, slightly excessive amounts, frozen vegetables and fruits. (L.M., 1/8/05)

Guru:
"A great Yogi is anyone who has achieved the permanent state of enlightened bliss. A Guru is a great Yogi who can actually pass that state on to others. The word Guru is composed of two Sanskrit syllables. The first means ‘darkness,’ the second means ‘light’. Out of the darkness and into the light." (33, 123)

Gurugita:
"An excerpt from a holy ancient scripture of Yoga called the Skanda Purana. The Gurugita is 182 verses long... [and] takes about an hour and a half to perform." (33, 161)

Halasana (Plow/Plough Pose):
A variation is to move arms overhead from basic pose and clasp toes, then return to basic pose. “Concentrate on the vishuddhi [#5 throat] or manipura [#3 navel] chakra.” “Halasana regulates the functioning of the abdominal organs, especially the kidneys , liver, and pancreas, and activates digestion. It can alleviate constipation and also slim the waist area.” (6, pp63-64)

Ham-sa:
"In Sanskrit means ‘I am that.’ The Yogis say Ham-sa is the most natural mantra, the one we are all given by God before birth. It is the sound of our own breath. Ham on the inhale, sa on the exhale." (33, 141)

Hasta uttanasana (Back bend):
“Concentrate on the vishuddhi chakra for one or two seconds, then go into pada hastasana.” (6, p55)

Ida (cf. Pingala and sushumna):
“The ida and pingala start at the muladhara ad spiral about the sushumna up to the ajna, intersecting at each chakra along the way.... The ida is said to start from the left side of the muladhara, passing through the left nostril on its way to ajna.” (6, 143)

Indra:
In the Vedas, Indra is described as “the king of the gods...the blond-haired celestial warrior who sends rain and controls the lightning and thunder.” (18, p62)

Indriyas:
“The five senses.” (18, p66)

Ishwara (Isvara)[cf. “Javaveda” and “Deva”]:
When Brahman is considered in relation to this universe, He is regarded as a personal God, Ishwara. Ishwara is God with attributes. Ishwara is Brahman united with His power. Ishwara creates this universe as Brahma, preserves it as Vishnu and destroys it as Shiva. (2, pp 131-133)
Isvara is “the highest divine being.” (1, p129)
Isvara is “God or Lord.” (1, p239)
“Yielding to [Isvara] is an expression of a belief that something exists that is higher than ourselves.” (1, p130)
“Whenever we say OM, we mean Isvara.” (1, p131)
“If you want to have a special relationship with [Isvara], you a special symbol that represents him. This symbol is the sound OM. The more we recite OM, ... the more we will come to know Isvara.” (1, p129)
“Hinduism has further personified the three functions or aspects of Ishwara as Brahma, Vishnu, and Shiva. Brahma represents the divine unction of creation, Vishnu preservation, and Shiva dissolution.” (2, p 132)
“Ishvara means one who is capable of doing what it plans to do, one who cannot be manipulated into doing that which has already been done. Such an unrestricted power of action is called God.” (27, 30)

Isvarapranidhana:
“Turning to Isvara for help is called isvarapranidhana.” (1, p130)


CONTACT: R. John Allcorn, M.A., E-RYT
727-463-5975
allcorn@tampabay.rr.com

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