Ritual

PARA, last stage of consciousness.
PARAM, the supreme.
PARAMANU, a gross atom.
PARATPARA, supreme of the supreme.
PARA VAK, the unmanifest vibratory
movement of cosmic
ideation.
PASHYANTI, literally, 'seeing';
sound emerging towards the
visible.
PASU, one who is bound, the
individual soul.
PATANJALI, author of the systematized
treatise on Yoga-Sutra (c.
100 BC-AD 300).
PRAJNA, wisdom, First Principle.
PRAKRITI, counterpart of Purusha;
creative energy the
source of objectivity referred
to as the primeval female or
Nature.
PRALAYA, the end or dissolution
of a cycle of aeons.
PRANA, life-force, the vital energy
of the cosmos.
PRANAVA, the primal sound.
PRANAYAMA, yogic breathcontrol.
PREMA, love, wherein there is no
longer a distinction between
the lover and the beloved.
PRITHVI, earth principle.
PUJA, ritual worship.
PURANAS, 'old'; 'ancient' Hindu
scriptures expounding in
legendary form the powers
and deeds of gods and
goddesses.
PURUSHA, Pure Consciousness,
counterpart of Nature or
Prakriti.
PURUSHA-PRAKRITI, Consciousness
in its relation to Nature,
male-female, static-kinetic.
RAJAS, the principle of motion, a
constituent of Prakriti.
RAJAS, female seed, menstrual
flow.
RAJASIKA, active quality of the
mind.
RAKINI, the sakti dominating the
svadhishthana chakra, at the
base of the genitals.
RASA, essence of a thing, aesthetic
delight, the substance of
aesthetic experience, pleasure
in the pure source of feeling.
RECHAKA, exhalation.
RETAS, physical substance.
RISHI, an inspired seer or sage.
RUDRA, originally a Vedic deity
of many aspects; later
mythology associates Rudra
with Siva.
RUDRAGRANTHI, one of the knots
that Kundalini has to pierce in
its ascent.
SABDA, sound, cosmic sound.
SABDABRAHMAN, the Brahman as
the primal sound energy.
SABDA-TANMATRA, infra-atomic
sound potential.
SAD-GURU, a teacher of spiritual
wisdom.
SADHAKA, seeker; one who is
disciplined.
SADHANA, spiritual discipline.
SADHU, holy man.
SAHAJA, spontaneous, inborn,
innate; a minor sect influenced
by tantrism.
SAHAJOLI, one of the mudras by
which to reverse the downward
tendency of seminal
energy.
SAHASRARA CHAKRA, the psychic
centre above the head,
symbolized by the thousandpetalled
lotus above the head
where the Kundalini Sakti
unites with Siva.
SAIVA, votary of Siva.
SAKINI, the sakti presiding over
the visuddha chakra located in
the subtle body.
SAKTI, kinetic aspect of the
Ultimate Principle; the power
that permeates all creation;
also the divine consort of Siva.
SAMADHI, the deep meditation,
trance, superconscious state in
which identification is realized;
the final goal of yoga.
SAMKHYA, one of the major
systems of Indian philosophy
founded by the sage Kapila (c.
500 BC), which influenced
tantrism.
SAMYAVASTHA, state of equilibrium,
undifferentiated condition.
SANKALPA, personal determination,
resolution or will
to achieve the desired goal.
SANDHABHASA, esoteric terminology
of tantrism.
SANNYASA, the final stage in the
pilgrimage of life which cuts
the thread of all bondage.
SANSKARA, an imprinted impression
or memory-trace,
fruit of karmic action.
SANTI, spiritual peace.
SARIRA, the material body, substance.
SASTRAS, sacred books of divine
authority, scriptures.
SAT, Being, Pure Existence.
SAT-CHIT-ANANDA, Being Consciousness,
Bliss, as a unity; the
peak stage of realization.
SATTVA, the highest of the gunas,
principle of equilibrium, truth,
purity.
SAVASANA, the 'corpse' - like yogic
posture for complete relaxation.
SIDDHASANA, one of the most
important yogic postures.
SIDDHI, acquisition of paranormal
powers, fruits of yogic practices
but not their ultimate
aim.
SIVA, the third god of the Hindu
Trinity, the Destroyer; in tantrism,
Pure Consciousness
manifesting in creative union
with Sakti or Prakriti.
SOMA, a certain type of vine from
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