Ahamkara - the sense of 'I', often translated as 'ego', considered
the main stumbling block to Self Knowledge. [Sanskrit]
Ajna - the third eye chakra, located mid-forehead [Sanskrit]
Anahata - the heart chakra, root of all emotions [Sanskrit]
Anand - bliss [Sanskrit]
Anapanasati - mindfulness while breathing in and out [Pali]
Atman - individual soul [Sanskrit]
Arahat - a free being, a fully awakened one [Sanskrit]
Ashram - a place where spiritual disciplines are taught and practiced
Aura - a non-physical energy field around living things
Bodhi - supreme wisdom [Sanskrit]
Bodhisattva - someone seeking enlightenment [Sanskrit]
Bardo - 'in-between state' refers to the state between death and rebirth [Tibetan]
Bhakti - A spiritual movement from the 7th to 18th century that maintained
devotion to God was the sole means of salvation. It also called for
the end of the caste system, insisting all people were equal. It became
a popular movement with the common people as it removed a great burden
placed on them by the religious class. The poets of the bhakti movement
wrote in their individual languages, as opposed to Sanskrit, which made
their work more accessible. It had a profound effect on the culture of India.
bodhicitta - the awakened heartmind [Sanskrit]
Buddha - the Enlightened one
chakra - circle, energy center [Sanskrit]
Ch'i - central Taoist idea meaning "breathing, energy". The Ch'i is an individual's
vital force and, at the same time, a universal energy connecting all in one
field of unbroken energy.
Christ - the Anointed one
Chidakasha - (awareness matrix) that which contains all that is, all that has been
and all that ever will be [Sanskrit]
Chit - consciousness [Sanskrit]
Dervish - (poor) someone who lives a life of poverty and tries to minimize
their bodily functions in order to release their souls from the physical
compulsions.
Dharma - spiritual teachings, spiritual path, actions in harmony with truth [Sanskrit]
Dhyana - meditation [Sanskrit]
Divine Mother - God as Mother
Entelechy - the vital force that compels one toward self-fulfillment [Aristotle]
Guru - (darkness to light) spiritual master
Heer and Ranjha is a famous Pakistani love story; it has been compared
to the immortal tragedy of Romeo and Juliet. Their families feuded,
keeping them apart. After many years of heartache they were allowed
to wed, but on their wedding day, the beautiful Heer is poisoned by a
vengeful Uncle. Ranjha holds her in his arms until he dies of a broken heart.
Japa - repeating the name of God [Sanskrit]
Jnana Yoga - the path of wisdom
Kaaba - (cube) the sanctuary in Mecca containing the Black Stone,
where Muslim turn to pray.
kabir - great one [Arabic]
Khamush - (silent) often used by Rumi in his poems; about five hundred
odes end with 'khamush'. It is believed that Rumi is referring to
the silent contemplation that leads to Self Knowledge.
Karma - (action) the law of cause and effect, the consequence of ones
thoughts, words, and deeds [Sanskrit]
Llama - spiritual teacher [Tibetan]
Maitreya - the future Buddha
Mandala - (circle) a geometric design used as an aid to focus the mind
Mantra - a sacred word or phrase repeated to focus the mind [Sanskrit]
Masnavi - a term referring to a rhymed verse couplet. [Persian]
Rumi's work of this title has been referred to as 'the Persian Koran'.
Meditation - focusing one-pointedly on an object
Mevlana - "The Master"
Mindfulness - here-now awareness, purposeful attention
Nama Japa - constantly remembering the true Name of God [Sanskrit]
Namaste - 'I bow to the divine in you' [Sanskrit]
Nirvana - the place beyond suffering [Sanskrit]
Om/Aum - considered a sacred sound, symbolic of God's first thought
Pho wa - the practice of consciously leaving the body at time of death [Tibetan]
Prana - the vital energy [Sanskrit]
Pranayama - focusing on the breath [Sanskrit]
Purusha - the indwelling Spirit, the silent witness [Sanskrit]
Quran - (recitation) the "recitation" of God's word to Muhammad
Raja Yoga - the kingly path
Rigpa - the knowing state, pure awareness [Tibetan]
Samadhi - a deep meditative state with one-pointed mind [Sanskrit]
Sadhana - Spiritual practice, discipline [Sanskrit]
Sahasrara - the crown chakra
Samsara - false understanding, believing the unreal to be real and the real
to be unreal [Sanskrit]
Sat - Truth [Sanskrit]
Shinto - 'the Way of the Gods' (Japan)
sikh - 'disciple'
Siddhi - a special power gained in meditation, considered an obstacle
if indulged [Sanskrit]
Sutra - (thread) rule, guideline of life [Sanskrit]
Tantra - transforming human energy [Sanskrit]
T'ai-chi - literally it means "the beam sustaining the roof". The first
fundamental principle of reality that produced the two opposing
principles and thus all others.
Tao - a basic Taoist concept literally meaning: "the way".
Vedanta - one of six classical systems of Indian philosophy
Vedas - (knowledge) the basic scriptures of the Hindus
Vidya - (view) spiritual vision [Sanskrit]
Wahdat al-Wujud - God is the ground of all being. The only truth within the
universe is God, and that all things exist within God alone. (Sufi)
Zendo - 'ashram' [Japanese]
yang - the masculine aspect of the universe [Chinese]
yin - the feminine aspect of the universe [Chinese]
Yin-yang - opposing principles, a manifestation of tai-chi, that create,
sustain, and dissolve through the power of opposition, interaction,
and attraction.
The FOUR LEVELS OF FRIENDSHIP - there are four levels of friendship: Aashenaa, to know
someone casually. Doost, a close friend. Rafeegh, your best friend. And the
highest form of intimacy is Yaar, meaning ones inseparable lover. A Yaar-
relationship may include physical relations or it may be platonic. For the
mystic, the wish is to have the deepest intimacy with God, the Beloved, the
level of Yaar. [Persian]
