Gheranda Samhita is Attributed to the Sage Gheranda

Gheranda Samhita (घेरंड संहिता) is a Sanskrit text of Yoga in Hinduism. It is one of the three classic texts of hatha yoga (the…

Shiva Samhita is Attributed to the Hindu Deity Shiva

Shiva Samhita (शिव संहिता) is a Sanskrit text on yoga, written by an unknown author. The text consists of five…

Mudra Influences the Mind, Body, and Spirit

A mudra (मुद्रा) is a symbolic or ritual gesture or pose in Hinduism, Jainism and Buddhism. In hatha yoga, mudras are used with pranayama (yogic breathing…

Shatkarma is the Main Work of Yoga Towards Moksha

Shatkarma (षटकर्म), also known as Shatkriya, is a set of Hatha yoga body purifications to prepare for the main work of yoga towards moksha (liberation). These…

Goraksha Shataka is Traditionally Attributed to the Sage Gorakshanath

The Goraksha Shataka (गोरक्ष शतक) is an early text on Haṭha yoga text from the 11th-12th century, attributed to the sage Gorakṣa.…

Ethics is the Philosophical Study of Moral Phenomena

Ethics (नैतिकता) is the philosophical study of moral phenomena. Also called moral philosophy, it investigates normative questions about what people ought to do or…

Hatha Yoga Pradipika is One of the Foundational Texts

The Hatha Yoga Pradipika (हठ योग प्रदीपिका) is a classic fifteenth-century Sanskrit manual on haṭha yoga, written by Swami Swatmarama, who connects the teaching’s lineage to…

Artha is One of the Four Goals of Human Life

Artha (अर्थ) is one of the four goals or objectives of human life in Hindu traditions. It includes career, skills,…

Kama is the Concept of Pleasure, Enjoyment, and Desire

Kama (काम) is the concept of pleasure, enjoyment, and desire in Hinduism, Buddhism, and Jainism. It can refer to “desire,…

Anapanasati Sutta is an Initial Focus for Meditation

The Anapanasati Sutta (अनापानसति सुत्त) or Anapanasati Sutra (अनापानस्मृति सूत्र), “Breath-Mindfulness Discourse,” Majjhima Nikaya 118, is a discourse that details the Buddha’s instruction…