Glossary of Common Ayurvedic Terms

Ayurvedic terms are in Sanskrit, the language of the ancient Vedas, written thousands of years ago by the sages (Rishis) of India.

Abhyanga: Full body oil massage that has numerous health benefits. As part of Panchakarma treatment abhyanga is carried out by two therapists in a synchronous manner. For information on home to do Abhyanga ask for our Home Abhyanga information sheet.

Agni: Digestive fire, digestive power. Subdivided into 13 different metabolic actions jataragni, seven dhatu agnis and five bhutagnis.  The seven dhatu agnis are each responsible for converting a precursor material into one of the bodily tissues (dhatus).

Ama: Metabolic waste products and toxins that have accumulated in body and mind and which obstruct the healthy functioning of mind and body.

Asthi Dhatu: bone tissue

Ayurveda: The science of long and healthy life from Ayus* – life span and Veda – knowledge. Ayurveda is a prevention oriented natural system of health care that is the most ancient and most complete in the world. It is the laws of nature as they affect health; therefore properly speaking anything that promotes health is Ayurveda. The goal of Ayurveda is perfect health defined as completely balanced mind and body and blissful awareness. (*Ayu can also be defined as the state where the physical body, senses, mind, and soul are integrated).

Bhasma: A mineral ingredient of Ayurvedic preparations prepared in an often lengthy processes of repeated heating with herbs.

Dal or Dhal: a small, yellow, easily digested pulse from hulled and split green mung (moong) beans.

Dhatu: one of the seven body tissues – chyle (rasa), blood (rakta), muscle (mamsa), fat (meda), bone (asthi), bone marrow (majja), reproductive tissue (shukra).

Dosha: fundamental principle of nature. There are three doshas – Vata, Pitta & Kapha. Vata governs movement, Pitta transformation and Kapha fluid balance and structure. The doshas are found in all aspects of nature as well as our own mind and body in different proportions. When we maintain our own individual balance of the doshas we are healthy.

Garshan: Dry massage using silk gloves. Especially recommended for pacifying Kapha dosha and losing weight.

Ghee: Butter clarified by gentle heating to remove all moisture and milk solids including lactose. Ayurveda considers ghee to be one of the most health promoting of all foods. Used in moderation Ghee is said to balance all three doshas and support mental functioning and longevity.

Kapha: One of the three doshas. Kapha is heavy, sweet, steady, soft and slow.  It governs cohesion and fluid balance and is formed of the earth and water elements

Mala: waste products of the body

Meda: Meda is fatty tissue – one of the seven dhatus (tissues). Meda dhatu.

Meditation: A term widely used for a variety of practices.

Ojas: The most refined product of the digestive process, created only when digestion is perfect and which supports the highest quality of human awareness and perfect health.

Panchakarma: literally “the five actions”. Panchakarma therapy is the subtle purificatory procedures of Ayurveda that dissolve metabolic waste products and environmental toxins from the body's tissues in a gentle and effective way and eliminate them from the physiology and enliven the body’s self-healing mechanisms and rejuvenating the mind and body.

Perfect health: Sushrut Samhita 15.38 says - “Samadoshah samagnish ca samadhatumalakriyah prasannatmendriyamanah svastha ity abhidhiyate”. “He whose doshas (constitution) are in balance, whose appetite is good, whose dhatus (tissue layers) are functioning normally, whose malas (forms of elimination) are in balance, and whose Self, mind, and senses remain full of bliss, is called a healthy person.”  Perfect health is the physical correlate of the highest state of consciousness.

Pitta: One of the three doshas. Pitta is hot, sharp, moist and sour smelling. It governs the metabolic processes and all transformation and is formed of the fire and water elements.

Prana: One of the five subdoshas of Vata, as well as the essence of life. Similar to the Chinese term “Chi” or the Japanese “Ki”.

Rasayana: Special Ayurvedic preparation that enlivens (ayana) the essence (rasa) or innermost intelligence of the mind and body.

Sanskrit: the language of the Vedas.

Sattva: Purity, balance, contentment.

Shirodhara: one of the treatments used in Panchakarma. An exceptionally soothing procedure in which warm oil is poured on the forehead.

Subdosha: each dosha is subdivided into five subdoshas that govern different aspects of the doshas activity.

Vata: One of the three doshas. Vata is dry, cold, mobile, quick, and rough. It governs movement and is formed of the space and air elements

Veda: Knowledge of the universal origin of all order in Nature; the fabric of consciousness; knowledge of the structuring dynamics and mechanics of transformation that maintain the infinite variety of the universe in perfect order. Veda is totality – total silence and total dynamism, complete, infinite knowledge.

Yoga Asana: Asana is defined as "posture;" its literal meaning is "seat." Originally, the asanas served as stable postures for prolonged meditation. More than just stretching, asanas open the energy channels, chakras and psychic centers of the body. Asanas purify and strengthen the body and control and focus the mind. Asana is one of the eight limbs of classical Yoga, which states that asana should be steady and comfortable, firm yet relaxed.