159. Suggested for Further Reading

• Guaranteed Solutions
• Don't Worry Be Happy
• Nithyananda Vol. 1
• Instant Tools for Blissful Living
• You Can Heal
• Follow Me In!
• The Door to Enlightenment
• Songs of Eternity
• You are No Sinner
• So You Want to Know The Truth?
• Uncommon answers to Common Questions

Over 500 FREE discourses of Nithyananda available at http://www.youtube.com/ lifeblissfoundation

GLOSSARY

Abdulla	Abdullah Ansari of Herat, a Sufi master.
Abhisheka	A ceremonial bath performed in the worship of a deity.
Adhomukha	shvanasana
	The downward-dog posture in yoga.
Adi Shankara	Enlightened master from India who lived only 32 years in the eighth century CE. Greatest exponent of the doctrine of or non-dualism, Advaita Vedanta whose movement restored glory to the declining tradition and Hinduism vedic during that period. Shankara established the Hindu order of monks which continues unbroken till today.
Agamya	The actions one constantly does out of free will after taking birth on planet Earth. These are not born out of true desires but from desires borrowed from society, by looking at others.
Aham Brahmasmi
	Literally means 'I am god.' means 'I am'; means 'god' or 'supreme Aham Brahman being'. The statement refers to the essence of the soul which is ever identical to god.
Ahankar	The false identification of the pure inner self with the outer world; a form of ego that makes you project a false identity of you to the outer world.
Ajapa japa	Chanting a sacred chant involuntarily.
Ajna chakra	The sixth energy center located between the eyebrows. Means 'command' or 'will' in Sanskrit. This is blocked by one's own ego. chakra
Akbar	Moghul emperor
Albert Einstein	Scientist and Nobel laureate.
Allopathy	Generally refers to western medicine.
Amrutasya putraha	Sons of Immortality.
Anahata chakra	Subtle energy center in the heart region related to love.

Anahata Dhvani The primordial sound of creation Om.

Anal-Haq	I am the Truth. Said to have been constantly uttered by the Sufi master Mansur, who was hanged to death for this sacrilege.
Ananda	Literally means 'that which cannot be reduced'.
Ananda Ashtanga	Eight fold path of bliss, referring to eight practices each of which leads to awareness
Ananda darshan	Ananda Darshan or Energy Darshan refers to the blessing given by a master imparting his energy to the recipient.
Ananda Gandha	chakra Situated in between the navel or and heart or , manipuraka chakra chakra anahata Ananda Gandha is the point where all collapse into one. Nithyananda's chakras healing initiation to a disciple energizes the and initiates the Ananda Gandha disciple into Nithya Spiritual Healing.
Ananda Sankalpa
	Blissful Affirmation is the second step in the process. Ananda Ashtanga
Anandamaya	kosha Bliss Sheath is the fifth and final energy layer in the five layers known as koshas. A meditative journey through the five is the essence of Nithyananda's koshas Atma Spurana Program.
Anima	is one of the eight powers, referring to the power of Anima siddhi yogic decreasing one's body size to that of a minute particle.
Annamacharya	Mystic saint composer of South India.
Annamalai Swamigal	Disciple of Ramana Maharishi in the temple town of Tiruvannamalai, whose teachings led to Nithyananda's deep spiritual experience at the age of 12.
kosha Annamaya	Food or Physical sheath, the first of the five or energy sheaths. koshas
Annie Besant	Theosophist and Indian freedom fighter, writer and orator.
Anubhava	Experience, especially knowledge born out of repetitive experiences.
Appar	Tamil poet saint and author of Thevaram, devotional songs in praise of enlightened master Shiva. One of the most prominent of the 63 Nayanmars, Tamil saints who were devotees of Shiva.

Arati	Fire ritual performed at the end of most worship done with lighted vedic lamps or camphor, accompanied often by devotional songs.
Arihanta	Term used for , spiritual leaders of the Jain religion. Tirthankars
Arjuna	Warrior prince and the third of the five brothers of the Pandava family in the great Indian epic Mahabharata. He was a disciple of enlightened master Krishna who received the wisdom in the Bhagavad Gita from Krishna.
Arunachala	Literally the unmoving red mountain in Tiruvannamalai in Tamilnadu in South India, this mystical hill is considered a representation of lord Shiva.
Arunagiri Yogeeshwara
	The temple of Arunachaleswara in Tiruvannamalai is built on the living energy tomb of Arunagiri Yogeeshwara, who is considered an incarnation of enlightened master Shiva.
Asana	Physical posture and one of the eight paths of yoga in Patanjali's Ashtanga Yoga. must be stable and comfortable. Asana
Ashram	A monastery for Hindu or Buddhist monks.
Ashrama	The four stages in one's life: as a student, as a married brahmacharya grihastha householder, at the end of a productive married life and as vanaprastha sannyasi a person who renounces all material aspects in life.
Ashramite	Resident of ashram.
Ashtanga namaskar
	Prostrating to a deity or master by lying on the floor with all eight limbs of the body touching the earth.
Ashtanga yoga	Eight limbs or paths of Patanjali's Yoga: (discipline) (rules), niyama yama asana , (body postures), (breath control), (withdrawal of senses), pratyahara pranayama (concentration), (meditation) and (bliss). dharana dhyana samadhi
Ashtavakra	An enlightened sage who was born with eight crooked limbs. He is the vedic author of the Ashtavakra Gita.
deepo Atma bhava
	Buddha's message to his disciples exhorting them: 'Be a lamp unto your Self '.
Atma gnana	Self Realization.
Atma sharanagati	Surrender of the Self.

Atman	Soul, spirit, consciousness etc as referring to the individual imperishable energy that is a holographic image of the Cosmic Consciousness or Brahman
Atmano mokshartham	jagat hitaya cha 'For one's own salvation and for the welfare of the world', this is the motto of the Ramakrishna Order coined by Swami Vivekananda.
Ayurvaidyans	Practitioners of the traditional Indian medicinal system of ayurveda.
Ayurveda	Traditional Indian system of medicine, literally means knowledge of Ayurveda life.
Ayurvedic	Related to , the traditional Indian system of medicine. ayurveda
Bardos	Literally 'interval between two things' as in the Tibetan Book of the Dead, referring to different phases of the passage of the spirit.
Bayazid	A 9th century Persian Sufi saint.
Bhagavad Gita	Ancient Indian scripture, delivered by enlightened master Krishna, and considered the essence of the Upanishads or scriptures.
Bhagavan	Used as a title of veneration with great masters, literally meaning 'prosperous'.
Bhagavan Mahavir
	Vardhamana Mahavira was the 24th and last Jain or enlightened tirthankara one, and established the tenets of the religion of Jainism, founded in India and now practiced by millions worldwide.
Bhagavatam	The foremost epic of Hindu religion describing the incarnations of Vishnu, especially his incarnation as Krishna. It was written by Vyasa, who was also the author of the or epic Mahabharata. itihasa
Bhaja Govindam	Collection of 32 (sometimes 34) devotional verses composed by enlightened master Adi Shankara. This is considered to be the essence of and Vedanta non duality. Advaita,
Bhakti	Devotion.
Bhakti yogi	A person who follows the path of devotion, , as a means to bhakti yoga enlightenment.
Bharatanatyam	Classical South Indian dance form.
Bhava	Emotional mood, referring here to the five emotional ways in which a disciple can interact with the master.

Bhujangasana	Cobra posture in Yoga, in which the head is raised while lying down.
Bidadi ashram	Nithyananda's spiritual headquarters in Bidadi township, about 30 km from Bangalore city.
Big Bang	Cosmological model of the universe where the universe is considered to have originated from a highly dense initial state at some time in the past, and continues to expand to this day.
Bija	Seed.
Bija mantra	Seed or an energized chant that is specific to a deity or master. mantra
Birbal	Advisor to Moghul emperor Akbar.
Black hole	A theoretical region of space in which the gravitational field is so powerful that nothing, not even light can escape from it.
Bodhidharma	A disciple of Buddha and mainly responsible for spreading Buddhism as Zen Buddhism.
Brahma	The Creator amongst the Hindu Trinity of Gods.
Brahmaanda	Cosmos or macrocosm as opposed to the individual microcosm. pindanda,
Brahmachari	A student, usually referring to a young celibate monk. vedic
Brahmacharinis	A female usually referring to a young celibate monk vedic student,
Brahmagnana	Knowledge of the Absolute.
Brahman	Absolute, Cosmic Consciousness, Formless god etc all referring to the Universal Energy source of which the individual energy of the soul is a holographic part.
Brahmanda Purana
	A collection of 12,000 verses in what is usually considered the last and eighteenth Hindu or epic This is the story of the creation of the universe purana purana by Brahma.
Buddha	Enlightened master and founder of the religion of Buddhism.
Buddhi	Intelligence.
Buddhism	Religion founded by enlightened master Buddha.
Carl Jung	Renowned 20th Century Swiss psychiatrist and contemporary of Sigmund Freud. He was renowned for his work on the 'collective unconscious'.

Chaitanya Mahaprabhu

A 15th century mystic from Bengal, India steeped in devotion to enlightened master Krishna. His followers are known as Gaudiya Vaishnavas.

• Chakras Energy centers in the body. Literally means 'wheel' based on the experience of mystics who perceived these energy centers as whirlpools of energy. There are seven major chakras along the spine: muladhara, swadhishthana, manipuraka, anahata, vishuddhi, ajna and sahasrara.
• ChakshuEnergy behind the power of sight.

Chandogya Upanishad

One of the oldest and primary Upanishads or scriptures.

Charles Leadbeater Theosophist..

Chidambaram	A place in South India famous for its ancient temple dedicated to enlightened master Shiva in his dancing form as Nataraja and where he is represented as the space energy.
Chin mudra	Palms upraised with thumb and forefinger forming a circle and other three fingers outstretched.
Chitta	Memory.
Chittakasha	The middle part of the three space or definitions. First is or akasha ghatakasha the physical space. is the third infinite space of Consciousness. Mahakasha
Christianity	Religion based on teachings of Jesus Christ.
Cleve Backster	A polygraph expert who studied behavior of plants subjected to threats and affection using the lie detector equipment.
Dakshinamurthy Swamigal	Enlightened master from South India.
Darshan	Literally 'sight', referring to the vision of the divine, a deity or master.
dasa bhava	One of the five forms of relationships between master and disciple. Dasa refers to the emotional mood of the disciple as a servant in surrender to bhava the master, exemplified by Hanuman's relationship with Rama.
Dasoham'	Means 'I am the servant' signifying surrender to master.
Dattatreya	Representation of the Hindu Trinity of Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva in one incarnation.

Deepak Chopra	A medical doctor who writes and teaches spirituality in USA. His works on wellness related to mind-body integration have been bestsellers.
Devi	Supreme goddess in Hinduism, Cosmic Mother.
Dhamma	Representing the teachings of the enlightened master. Buddha spoke of the three elements of his mission, Buddha the master, his teachings and dhamma his community. sangha
Dhammapada	Teachings of Buddha in scriptural form.
Dharana	Concentration. The sixth limb of Patanjali's Ashtanga Yoga.
Dharma	Sanskrit equivalent of the Pali word used by Buddha. Also translated dhamma as 'righteous behavior'.
Dharmo rakshati	rakshitaha A scriptural statement that means: protects those who protect it. vedic Dharma
Dhauti	A practice of cleansing intestines. yogic
Dheera	Courageous person. Term used by Swami Vivekananda in exhorting his followers.
Dhyana	Meditation. Seventh of the eight limbs of Patanjali's Ashtanga Yoga.
DNA	Deoxyribonucleic acid, the building block of all living beings containing the genetic code.
Dr Charles Townes
	Nobel laureate in physics for work related to maser and laser.
Dr. Bruce Lipton	Molecular cellular biologist and author of 'The Biology of Belief ', renowned for his seminal work in relating genetics to conditioning.
	Dr. Masaru Emoto Japanese scientist and author of 'The Hidden Messages in Water' showing the effects of one's thoughts and words on water and therefore on living beings.
Draupadi	Princess in the Hindu epic Mahabharata who was married to all five warrior brothers of the Pandava family.
Dukkha ateeta	Beyond sorrow and pain.
Dukkha Harana	'Removal of sorrows' meditation that is part of Nithyananda's Life Bliss Programs. Addresses the root energy center muladhara
Dvija	Twice born. Refers to the state of awakening of Consciousness.

Electroencephalograph

		Machine which uses electrodes attached to the scalp to measure brain wave
activity.

• Engram Shortened form for engraved memories, referring to value systems, beliefs and conditioning memories that are stored in our unconscious mind, which drive us in our thoughts and actions.
• Freudian Referring to teachings of Austrian psychologist and father of modern psychiatry Sigmund Freud.
• Gananaatha Refers to Hindu god Ganesha.

GanasDevotees of enlightened master Shiva.

• Ganga The most celebrated river in India, considered holy by all Hindus.
• Gayatri mantra Considered to be one of the most powerful mantras in the vedic tradition, Gayatri was the initiation mantrafor all young students.

Generalized Anxiety Disorder

Psychological condition of constant worry leading to stress and fatigue.

• George Gurdjieff Greek Armenian mystic and spiritual teacher famous for his principle of Fourth Way, corresponding to the turiya state in vedictradition. GnanaKnowledge.

• Gnana shaktiEnergy of knowledge.

• Gnana yogiOne who follows the path of knowledge for Self Realization.

• Goddess Saraswati Hindu goddess of learning

• Gomukh Source of river Ganga.

GopisWomen who tended cows who were devotees of enlightened master Krishna.

GuruSpiritual master.

Guru Granth Sahib Scripture of the Sikh religion.

• Guru KrupaCompassion of the master.
• Guru Nanak Founder of Sikh religion.
• Guru pujaRitual worship of the master.
• Gurukul Vedic educational institution.

Gurus	Spiritual masters.
Haasya Dhyana	Laughter meditation.
Hamsa Mantra	Also called it is practised by intoning 'hmmm' while inhaling and soham mantra, 'sssooo' while exhaling.
Hanuman	The monkey god revered by Hindus and a disciple of Rama.
Hara	Seat of the soul in Japanese tradition, corresponds to or swadhishthana chakra subtle energy center related to fear
Hatha Yoga	A form of Yoga developed by Yogi Swatmarama focusing on the physical aspects of Patanjali's ashtanga yoga
Himalayas	The mountain range that separates Indian sub continent from Tibetan plateau and home of the tallest peak Mount Everest. In Sanskrit means the temple of snow.
Hinduism	Religion of most Indians. Developed from the principles of vedic sanatana , the eternal law, that gave rise to other religions such as Buddhism, dharma Jainism, Sikhism etc.
Hindus	Followers of Hindu religion, estimated at over a billion people.
Homas	rituals to connect to the elemental energy of fire. Vedic
Hoo kara	sound produced from the mouth during exhalation in meditation. Hoo
Hreem	or seed relating to feminine energy. Bija mantra
Iccha shakti	Energy of desire. The other two are , energy of action and kriya shakti gnana , energy of knowledge. shakti
Ida nadi	is one of the three major energy pathways in the body. Arises from Ida nadis, the root energy center. is the left nadi, ends at the left nostril, is muladhara, Ida feminine, cool, represents the moon.
Idli	South Indian delicacy, a rice lentil steamed dish.
Issac Newton	Physicist and mathematician, pioneer of classical physics.
Institute of HeartMath

A not for profit organization promoting heart based living.

Isa vasya Upanishad

One of the major and oldest vedicscriptures.

Ishwara	Supreme.
J. Krishnamurthi	Renowned Indian philosopher.
Jagat	Universe.
Jain	Follower of the religion of Jainism.
Jain sutras	Scriptures of Jainism, mainly teachings of Mahavira.
Jalaluddin Rumi	13th century Persian Sufi poet
marana chakra Janma	Cycle of birth and death.
Japa	Repetition of a or sacred syllable either silently or loudly. mantra
Jataraagni	Inner fire that sustains life.
Jeeva	Usually the imperishable spirit that dwells in all living beings.
Jeevan mukta	A person who achieves liberation from the cycle of birth and death during one's lifetime.
Jeevan mukti	The state of or who achieves liberation from the cycle of birth mukta jeevan and death during one's lifetime.
Jesus Christ	Founder of Christianity.
John C Maxwell	Leadership expert and writer.
John Gardner	Author of many leadership books.
Juliet	Female lead character in English poet Shakespeare's play 'Romeo and Juliet'.
Junaid	9th century Sufi master.
Karana sharira	Causal layer, the fifth energy layer in us, corresponding to deep sleep. The source of conditioned memories or engrams.
Kabir	Mystic devotional poet of India.
Kalpataru	Boon-giving tree.
Kalpataru darshan	A meditation darshan program of Nithyananda.
Kamandalu	Water pot carried by Hindu monks.
Kapha	One of the three or attributes of the body in Energy related doshas Ayurveda. to the elements of water and earth. is structure and lubrication. Kapha

Kapilavastu	Kingdom where enlightened master Buddha was born.
Karma	The concept of one's freewill actions deciding one's destiny. vedic
Karma bandha	Bound by one's actions, since they are performed with vested interests.
Karma mukta	Free of one's actions, because they are performed without attachment.
Karma yoga	The path of Self Realization by fulfilling one's responsibilities without attachment.
Karmic	Referring to karma.
Karurar	South Indian mystic saint upon whose immortal remains, the temple at Tanjore is believed to have been built.
Kathopanishad	One of the major or scriptures that features the interaction between Upanishad Yama, Hindu god of death and a young boy Nachiketa.
Kayakalpa	Body rejuvenation and anti ageing technique of , traditional Indian ayurveda system of medicine.
Keertans	Devotional songs.
Khalil Gibran	20th Century Lebanese American poet best known for his 'The Prophet'.
King Harishchandra
	Legendary Indian ruler who was renowned for keeping his word at whatever cost.
King Janaka	Indian king of the kingdom of Videha with the capital of Mithila, well-known for his righteousness.
Kirlian photography
	High voltage photograms used to record auras of living beings.
Konganavar	Hindu saint and disciple of Bogar, upon whose immortal remains, Tirupati temple is said to have been built.
Koshas	Five energy sheaths around the physical body. Described in detail in the vedic text, Taittreya Upanishad.
Krishna	Enlightened master from India who delivered the Truths of the Bhagavad Gita.
Kriya	Action.
Kriya shakti	Energy of action. Other two energies are energy of desire and energy of knowledge.

Kshana	Interval between two thoughts.
Kuchela	Childhood friend of enlightened master Krishna who exemplifies the relationship of friendship between master and disciple.
Tantra Kulaarnava
	Ancient literature said to be authored by enlightened master Shiva.
Kumbh Mela	Spiritual gathering which happens once in three years in India at one of the four places of Prayag, Hardwar, Ujjain and Nasik on the banks of sacred rivers.
Kundalini shakti	Extraordinary potential energy which is hidden inside every human body. If it is awakened, it will take you to a different plane of consciousness or existence.
Kunti	In the Hindu epic Mahabharata, the mother of the five Pandava brothers who stood for righteousness.
Lamas	Buddhist monks.
Leela	Divine play, especially that of Krishna.
Rama	Prince of the kingdom of Ayodhya in the Indian epic Ramayana.
Madhura bhava	The relationship of beloved between master and disciple.
Madhyapantha	'Middle Path' prescribed by enlightened master Buddha. It represents the power of witnessing that causes one to be in moderation without being pushed and pulled into extremes of emotions.
Madurai	Temple town in south India. A major pilgrim center with the temple to Meenakshi and her consort Sundareshwara, an aspect of enlightened master Shiva.
Magnetic Resonance Imaging
	Equipment and technique for body imaging providing greater contrast to soft tissues than X rays.
Maha bhava	The ultimate expression in master disciple relationship transcending all ordinary relationships.
Mahabharata	The Hindu or epic whose central characters are the five Pandava princes, itihasa their hundred Kaurava cousins and enlightened master Krishna.
Mahakaasha	The third space of the infinite beyond.

Mahamantra	Humming meditation that energizes the and taught as part of anahata chakra Nithyananda's Life Bliss Programs.
Maharishi Mahesh Yogi	20th Century Indian spiritual teacher and promoter of transcendental meditation TM.
Mahavakya	Great sayings from the Upanishads. There are four: , Aham Brahmasmi Tat Tvam , and . All four mean that You are the Asi Ayam Atma Brahma Prajnanam Brahma Divine.
Mahavira	Vardhamana Mahavira was the 24th and last or enlightened one, tirthankara and established the tenets of the religion of Jainism, founded in India and now practiced by millions worldwide.
Mamakar	Inner ego that constantly says that you are smaller than what you think you are.
Manas	Mind.
Manasa sharira	Mental layer of energy.
Manickavasagar	One of the 63 Nayanmars, devotees of enlightened master Shiva from Tamilnadu.
Manipuraka chakra	Subtle energy center located near the navel region, related to the emotion of worry.
kosha Manomaya	The third mental energy sheath in the five or energy sheaths. koshas
Mantra	Literally means 'that which shows the way'. Sacred syllables that have a powerful positive vibrational effect.
Mara	The demon of evil in Buddhist tradition.
Maslow	American psychologist famous for his concept of the five layered hierarchy of needs.
Matru bhava	The relationship of a child to a mother in the context of master disciple relationship.
Maya	Literally 'That which is not'. The concept that life is but a dream, however real it may seem while being experienced.
Meenakshi	The goddess at Madurai in south India. She is said to be a saint upon whose immortal remains, the temple has been built.

Meerabai	Princess of Chittor, a devotee of Krishna, mystical poetess and singer, who was ill-treated by her husband for her devotion to Krishna.
Milarepa	Tibetan Yogi and disciple of Tibetan Buddhist teacher Marpa.
Mithyam	Impermanent, opposite of which is eternal. nithyam
Mithyananda	Someone who represents and teaches impermanent happiness.
Moksha	Liberation through Self Realization.
Mrutyunjaya	Chant for victory over death.
Mudra	Signs formed with hands during yoga practices, especially meditation, to distribute and seal energy within the body.
Mukti	Liberation through Self Realization
Muladhara chakra	Subtle energy center at the root of the spine, related to the emotions of greed and lust.
Muruganar	A disciple of enlightened master Ramana Maharishi and Tamil poet who composed many verses about Ramana.
Na maha	'I am not' or 'I surrender'. Most Hindu ritual end with this statement. mantras
Nalanda	A great Buddhist center of learning in modern day Bihar in India comprising a university and library.
Namaskar	Hindu custom of greeting. Means 'I bow to you'.
Namo	Homage, refers to masters and deities as in , with reference Om namo narayanaya to Vishnu.
Namo Arihanta	I bow down to Arihanta, the Jain master and deity.
Narmada	Fifth largest Indian river starting from Vindhya Hills in central India flowing east to west joining the Arabian Sea.
Nataraja	Enlightened master Shiva in the dancing form in the temple of Chidambaram in south India.
Nawab	A noble of the Mogul empire.
Nayanmars	Tamil devotee saints of enlightened master Shiva, 63 in number, whose life stories are told in the book Periya Puranam.
Neti	Nasal cleansing technique of yoga.

Changes in brain structure based on experiences.
Goddess of sleep.
The longest river in the world flowing through Sudan, Egypt etc in Africa.
Liberation through Self Realization.
Nirvana Shatakam A collection of six verses sung by enlightened master Adi Shankara at the age of eight to introduce himself to his master, Govindapada.
Connected to The layer is the seventh and final energy layer in nirvana. nirvanic our body mind.
Eternal Bliss.
Meditation developed by Nithyananda as the daily meditation for his followers.
Eternally liberated person.
Namaskar
One of the techniques taught in Nithya Yoga, taught by teachers ordained by Nithyananda
Nithyananda's teachings of yoga based on the body language of Patanjali, taught by his teachers.
Eternal.
Spurana Eternal flowering of bliss.
The second limb of Patanjali Ashtanga Yoga, concerning codes of behavior.
Oedipus and Electra complexes Sexual desire of father to daughter and mother to son as defined by Freud.
The sacred syllable and symbol that represents creation in Hinduism.
The sound of Om.
Russian philosopher, mathematician and student of enlightened master George Gurdjieff.
The five activities of a divine being: creation, sustenance, rejuvenation, creating illusion, removing illusion.
The five princes in the Hindu epic Mahabharata. Their father was Pandu.

Parabrahma	Supreme Being.
Parama Shiva	Supreme.
Paramahamsa	Literally means Supreme Swan. Title bestowed on enlightened beings.
Paramahamsa Yogananda	An enlightened master well known for his book 'Autobiography of a Yogi'. He founded Self Realization Fellowship movement in USA in 1920.
Paramasthiti	Supreme state.
Patanjali	A sage of ancient India and author of Yoga Sutras, which is considered the foundation of the system of yoga.
Periya Puranam	A Tamil classic by Sekkizhar on the lives of the 63 Nayanmars, the devotee saints of enlightened master Shiva.
Peter Drucker	Management guru considered to be the father of modern management
Pindanda	Individual microcosm as against or universe. brahmanda
Pingala nadi	is one of the three major energy pathways in the body. nadis, Pingala Pingala ends in the right nostril, is hot and masculine, represents the sun.
Pitta	One of the three or attributes of the body in . Energy created doshas Ayurveda by the dynamic interplay of water and fire. They cannot change into each other, but they modulate or control each other and are vitally required for the life processes to occur.
Placebo	A substance given as medicine but without any verified therapeutic effect.
Placebo effect	Effect of placebos in curing people of illnesses.
Polygraph	Lie detector machine.
Pondicherry	A state in South India neighboring Tamilnadu.
Poornima	Fullmoon day.
Prana	Life energy or life force.
prana sharira	The second layer of energy body in the seven layer system.
The second sheath of energy in the 5 layer system. Pranamaya kosha kosha
Pranayama	Breath control, one of the eight limbs of the Ashtanga yoga of Patanjali.
Pranic	Related to or life energy. prana

Prarabdha	Mindset and desires that we bring into this world when we are born.
Pratyahara	Fifth limb of Patanjali's Ashtanga Yoga referring to turning away from sensory inputs.
Puja	Hindu ritual worship.
Purashcharanam	Repetition of mantra.
Purusha	In Sankhya philosophy it is the male principle pure passive consciousness, as different from the active female principle Prakriti
Purusha Suktam	A chant dedicated to or the Supreme. vedic Purusha
Quantitative Electro	Encephalography Study of brain waves.
Radha	Chief among the or cowherd women devotees of enlightened master gopis Krishna.
Raja sannyasi	King amongst monks.
Rajas	One of the three or attributes of nature. Attribute of aggression. gunas
Rama	Prince of the kingdom of Ayodhya in the Indian epic Ramayana.
Ramakrishna Paramahamsa	Enlightened master from West Bengal in India. His chief disciple was Swami Vivekananda.
Ramana Maharishi
	Enlightened master, based in Tiruvannamalai in South India. He taught the method of Self-inquiry, asking oneself, 'Who am I?', as the path to Self realization.
Ramana Purana	Stories about enlightened master Ramana Maharishi.
Ramanuja	Founder of the or modified duality principle. Along with Adi Vishishtadvaita Shankara and Madhva, considered to be one of the three great teachers of Hindu philosophy.
Ramayana	Hindu or epic about prince Rama. The original version was written by itihasa poet sage Valmiki.
Ras Leela	The spiritual interaction of enlightened master Krishna with the or cowherd gopis women devotees.
Rene Descartes	French philosopher scientist famous for his saying 'I think, therefore I am'.

Rishis	sages Vedic
Romeo	Male lead character in English poet Shakespeare's play 'Romeo and Juliet'.
Rudraksh	Seed of a tree used for Hindu rituals and for wearing. Retains energy of meditation.
Sadashiva Brahmendra
	18th century Tamil saint and music composer.
Sadasoham	I am always Brahman. I am always conscious.
Sadhana	Spiritual practice.
Sahaja	Spontaneous divine joy.
The seventh and final energy center at the crown of the head. Considered to Sahasrara chakra be a gateway rather than an energy center.
Sakha bhava	Mode of friendship between master and disciple as with that of Arjuna and Kuchela with Krishna.
Sakshi	Witness.
Salem	A city in Tamilnadu.
Samadhi	The eighth and final limb of , refers to the uniting of the individual Ashtanga Yoga consciousness with the universal consciousness. Same as , moksha, mukti nirvana etc.
Samhara	Dissolution.
Samsara	Cycle of birth and death.
Samsara sagara	Ocean of birth and death.
Samsari	One who is caught in or cycle of birth and death. samsara
Samskara	Engrams or deeply engraved memories.
Sanchita	Bank of accumulated from which we choose to bring into this birth a karmas few as prarabdha karma
Sangha	Community.
Sankalpa	Vow or promise.
Sannyas	Renunciation.
Sannyasi	One who has renounced, a monk.

Saris	One piece garment worn by Indian women.
Satan	Representation of evil.
Satori	High state of consciousness.
Satsangs	Gatherings for prayer, meditation and spiritual purpose.
Sattva	One of the three or attributes of nature. Attribute of passive action. gunas
Self	Individual spirit, that which is imperishable when body and mind perish.
Self-Realization	Awareness that one is the Cosmic energy.
Shaastra	Scriptures.
Shaastra-shastras	Scriptures as tools.
shakti	Energy.
Shakti	The supreme female principle, Cosmic Mother.
Shakti Dharana	A meditation taught by Nithyananda to all Nithya Spiritual Healers.
Shanmukhi Mudra	A in which eyes, ears, nose and mouth are covered while meditating. mudra
Shastra	Weapon
Shirdi Sai Baba	An enlightened master worshipped by Hindus and Muslims alike. Lived in Shirdi near Nasik in India.
Shiva	Enlightened master from India. The word literally means 'causeless shiva auspiciousness'.
Shiva lingas	Representation of enlightened master Shiva as a symbol of rejuvenation combining male and female principles.
Shiva Sutras	A collection of teachings of Shiva in epigram form as techniques. Includes Vignana Bhairava Tantra, Guru Gita, Tiru Mandiram etc.
Shiva Tandava	Cosmic dance of Shiva as Nataraja, seen in Chidambaram.
Shraddha Saburi	Sincere commitment and perseverance. The essence of Shirdi Sai Baba's teachings.
Siddha	One who is a practitioner of the spiritual techniques.
Siddhis	Yogic powers that arise during spiritual journey.
Sister Nivedita	Anglo Irish disciple of Swami Vivekananda.
Socrates	Greek Philosopher. Contemporary of Plato

Same as Hamsa
Mystical dimension of Islam.
Followers of Sufism, a mystical dimension of Islam.
Mystical dimension of Islam.
is one of the three major energy pathways in the body. Arises Sushumna nadis, from the root energy center. is the central pathway of the muladhara, Sushumna energy and ends in the at the crown of the head. kundalini sahasrara
Deep sleep.
Spiritual techniques offered in epigram form.
One's right path.
Swadhishthana chakra
Spleen energy center between base of spine and navel. Blocked by fear.
A honorific term used for a sannyasi, a monk.
Swami Sri Yukteshwar Giri Master of enlightened master Paramahamsa Yogananda.
Dream.
Taittreya Upanishad
One of the major or scriptures that explains the concepts of the Upanishads five elements and five or energy sheaths. koshas
A center of learning mentioned in the Hindu epics of Ramayana and Mahabharata, now a world UN heritage site in North eastern Pakistan.
One of the three or attributes of nature. Attribute of inaction. gunas
Tanjore art paintings Devotional paintings from South India that use semi- precious stones and gold as adornment.
Technique. A form of spiritual teaching that predates Vedas.
Ancient tradition of achieving enlightenment through spiritual techniques vedic
or practices, meditations and ritual worship.

Tat tvam asi	One of the great Truths meaning 'That Art Thou'.
Tathata	Suchness.
Thanjavur	Town in South India famous for its massive temple and learning and cultural heritage.
Pratyakatma	chaitanya jagrat Awakening of the Consciousness and inner Self.
Tirupati	Famous temple to Vishnu as Venkateshwara or Balaji in Andhra Pradesh, South India.
Tiruvannamalai	Temple town where Nithyananda was born and raised.
Transcendental Meditation-Sidhi	Yogic powers said to occur upon practice of advanced TM techniques.
Transcendental Meditation™
	Meditation technique popularized by Mahesh Yogi.
Turiya	Fourth state of consciousness in which there are no thoughts and only awareness.
Tyagaraja	18th century south Indian Carnatic music composer.
Upanishad	Scriptures that form the essence of the ancient texts of the Vedas. Literally means 'sitting with the master'. There are eleven main that have Upanishads been commented on by enlightened master Adi Shankara.
Vaastu Shastra	science of space, how we interact with the space around us. Vedic
Vajrasana	A Yoga posture of sitting with the knees folded and your feet tucked asana under, with the bottom resting on the heels.
Vak	Energy behind speech.
Vakya	Statement.
Vali	Monkey King in the Hindu epic Ramayana who is killed by prince Rama.
Vanaprastha	sannyas The third stage of life according to the tradition, where the wife and vedic husband lead the rest of their married life in spiritual activities in pursuit of the ultimate Truth.
Vasana	Mindset.

Vasudeva Kutumbaha

Statement of Krishna meaning 'The world is my family.'

• Vatha One of the three doshas or attributes of the body in Ayurveda. Energy conceptually made up of the elements ether and air. The proportions of ether and air determine how active vathais.
• Vatsalya bhava Master disciple relationship in which the disciple sees the master as a child, as with mother Yashoda and child Krishna.
• Vedas Ancient scriptural texts explaining the deep spiritual Truths. There are four main Vedas – Rigveda, Yajurveda, Samaveda and Atharvaveda. These texts explain about the performance of sacrifice and consist of stories and chants. The Vedas are considered to be revelations of the Truths that happened to the mystics and seers.

VedicReferring to Veda or ancient scriptures.

• VeeraBravery.
• Vijnanamaya kosha

Visualization sheath, the fourth kosha or energy sheath.

• VipassanaTeaching of enlightened master Buddha to look inwards by observing breath.
• Vishnu Sustainer in the Hindu Trinity of gods.
• Vishuddhi chakra Chakra or subtle energy center in the throat region. Locked by comparing ourselves with others.

Vivekachoodamani Enlightened master Adi Shankara's philosophical work.

Vivekananda	Primary disciple of Ramakrishna Paramahamsa and Founder of the Ramakrishna Order. 19th century Eastern mystic considered a key figure in spreading awareness of Hinduism and Yoga in Europe and America.
Warren Bennis	Management and leadership consultant.
Yaksha	Demigod who according to Hindu mythology guards wealth.
Yama	Hindu god of death and justice.
yama	The first limb of Ashtanga Yoga comprising observance of the five principles of (truth), (non-violence), (non-stealing), (minimal ahimsa aparigraha satya asteya possessions) and (celibacy). brahmacharya
Yamuna	A holy Indian river associated with enlightened master Krishna.

Yantra	A device, usually a metal plate that is energized, used in spiritual practices.
Yashoda	Foster mother of enlightened master Krishna.
Yoga	Literally means 'uniting' of body-mind-spirit.
Yoga Sutras	The book on yoga authored by enlightened master Patanjali.
Yogaha chitta	vritti nirodhaha The second verse of Yoga Sutra: Yoga is stopping of the mind.
Yudhishtra	The eldest of the five princes of the Pandava family in the Indian epic Mahabharata.
Yukti	Clarity to know what needs to change and what needs to be accepted.
Zazen	Sitting meditation in Zen.
Zen	Japanese Buddhist practice. Derived from , meditation. dhyana
Zen koans	Riddles given as techniques in Zen to aid Self Realization.

Nithyananda was intense in his spiritual quest right from a very young age. As a young boy, he did various spiritual practices in the energy field of Arunachala.

Nithyananda as a young intense seeker

AddressingtheMadrasManagementAsscoiation,Chennai,Indiaon'EnlightenedManagement- Lord Krishna's way'

Nithyananda personally conducts meditation programs from basic to advanced levels, attended by thousands worldwide

Nithyananda has delivered many breakthrough messages giving solutions for the issues faced by the corporate world. These corporate programs have been conducted in corporate organizations like Microsoft, AT&T, Qualcomm, JP Morgan, Petrobras, Pepsi, Oracle, etc

Nithyananda personally conducting a meditation program.

Ordained teachers also conduct yoga and meditation programs. These have touched over 2 million people to date including children, youth, those in rural areas, prison inmates, etc.

Nithyanandam, an advanced meditation program, at the Bidadi ashram in India, in December 2005

Life Bliss Meditation Program Level 2 attended by thousands of students at a college in South India

Kalpataru program in Malaysia, 20 November 2008

Addressing a large satsang in Tiruvannamalai, India, 21 December 2008 Satsangs are blissful gatherings of people to help them grow on the spiritual path.

Nithya Dhyaan, a 3-day meditation program in Bengaluru, India, December 20-22, 2007

Nithya Dhyaan or Life Bliss Meditation is a powerful and universal meditation working on the body-mind-spirit leading one straight to the experience of living enlightenment.

The first Inner Awakening program, a 21-day program giving the keys to live enlightenment, held in Bidadi ashram from December 1-21, 2008

First introductory talk on Nithya Yoga delivered to the yoga community in Los Angeles, USA in September 2006

Nithya Yoga is the original Patanjali Yoga re-presented for the modern man. It is not just yoga for physical exercise, but a deep science of preparing the body-mind to hold the experience of living enlightenment.

Teachers' training program, Buckhorn, USA

Nithyananda personally trains and ordains teachers who conduct meditation and yoga programs worldwide

Nithyananda conducts powerful meditation programs which provide both intellectual as well as experiential understandings of the ultimate Truths.

Delivering discourses on the Bhagavad Gita at the Malibu Hindu Temple in Los Angeles, USA, from 4-21 September, 2005

Nithyananda delivered discourses on Shiva Sutras in various locations worldwide in 2007 and at the Bidadi ashram, India in March 2008

Nithyananda has delivered a wide range of discourses from life solutions to the essence of scriptures. His discourses so far include Bhagavad Gita, Shiva Sutras, Jain Sutras, Ashtavakra Gita as well as the deeper truths in the epics of Ramayana and Mahabharata.

Delivering discourses on Ashtavakra Gita in Bengaluru, India in November 2005

Delivering discourses on Jain Sutras at the Jain Temple & Cultural Center in Beuna Park, California, USA, March 6 and 7, 2007

Delivering discourses on Shiva Sutras at the Bidadi ashram, India, March 2008

Dhyana Spurana Program session in progress

Nithyananda conducts various specialized and advanced meditation programs for seekers worldwide. These programs not only offer an intellectual understanding but also an experiential understanding as well.

Participating in a book fair in Chennai, India, January 2008

Nithyananda Publishers have published over 200 books in 30 languages, which carry the timeless truths and universal messages being delivered by Nithyananda.

online and in mobile vans) providing products of Nithyananda Mission – discourses in the form of books and DVDs (over 4700 hours of discourses transcribed, edited and published in-house and made available in stores), lifestyle products, ayurvedic and herbal products.

Free weekly medical camp, Bidadi, India

Nithyananda Mission conducts various service activities for the welfare of people like meditation programs in schools, villages, prison programs, health and awareness camps, general and specialized medical camps, inhouse and mobile dispensaries, food donation camps etc.

LBT class in progress, Bidadi ashram, India

Life Bliss Technology (LBT) is a unique free two year residential program for youth teaching Life Engineering and the science of enlightenment, helping them grow into responsible and fulfilled individuals.

Meditation programs in prisons

Powerful free discourse clips online for free, watched by 8000 people per day from 120 countries. Over 500,000 views on www.youtube.com/LifeBlissFoundation have resulted in Nithyananda becoming #1 watched spiritual leader.

The Mission activities can be seen across over 18 websites featuring meditation programs, yoga, education, sacred arts, online shopping and humanitarian services. Main website: www.dhyanapeetam.org

Encouraging a green Mother Earth

The sacred ancient healing banyan tree in Bidadi, the spiritual headquarters of the Mission, represents the enlightened energy and is a mystical energy hub in the Bidadi ashram.

Accommodation for participants of meditation programs, Bidadi ashram, India

Participants of various residential meditation programs are provided comfortable accommodation in the energy field of the ashram. Dormitory accommodation is also available for program participants and for those who wish to stay in the healing energy field

Vedic temple, Ohio Over 1200 full-time volunteers run the various ashrams, Vedic temples and mission activities worldwide.

Vedic Temple, Montclair, USA

Hyderabad ashram, India

Nithyananda mission includes numerous ashrams and hundreds of centers worldwide which are 100 percent volunteer based and stand to serve society by providing meditation programs and social services in fields like health and education.

Nithyananda Mission in St. Louis, USA

Nithya Yoga classes are conducted in over 10 countries to date in various places like yoga studios, colleges, bookstores, prisons etc

Free food serving Nithyananda Food Temples worldwide serve an estimated average of 20,000 meals are served daily.

Common utility items for orphanages

Over 100 service activities have been conducted by the Nithyananda Youth Foundation. These include bread distribution in hospitals, donation of bicycles, school books, bags and footwear as well as scholarships for students, meditation classes, food, rice and clothing distribution, donation of road safety barricades, blood donation camps, donation of artificial limbs, prayer and worship for prosperity, donating household items to orphanages, free counseling, free saplings to encourage the green drive and support to old age homes.

Free bicycles for rural students

Blissful gathering (satsang) of the Nithyananda family in Brazil

An estimated 5000 satsangs have been conducted across 50 countries. The satsangs include free Nithya Spiritual Healing services, discourses, group meditations and counseling.

Blissful meditation group, London

Life Bliss Program Level 3, Guadeloupe led by a senior swami of Nithyananda order

Over 300 ordained meditation and yoga teachers worldwide conduct basic to advanced levels of courses in meditation and yoga.

Life Bliss Program Level 1, New Zealand

Life Bliss Program Level 1, Dubai

Nithyananda addresses various forums to create awareness of and spread the message of global peace and religious harmony.

Second Kumbh Mela, held in Los Angeles on 9 September, 2007

Nithyananda Mission centers participate in the unique spiritual gathering of Kumbh Mela conducted currently in various locations in India and USA to raise the collective positivity of planet earth.

Yearly Himalayas Yatra

Nithyananda leads people on yatras or spiritual journeys to energy fields like Himalayas, Varanasi, Angkor Wat and so on.

Varanasi yatra, June 2008

Free healing darshan, Bidadi, India, March 1-31, 2008

Nithya Spiritual Healing is a unique science of healing through the cosmic energy. Nithyananda personally heals people and has initiated over 5000 Nithya Spiritual Healers providing free healing service to an estimated 20,000 people worldwide per day.

Addressing a healers' meet at the Bidadi ashram, India Nithyananda regularly meets various groups of people - volunteers, ordained healers, teachers and devotees at large.

Thousands at the Life Bliss Program Level 2 at an engineering college in India

Mass meditation program, Pondicherry, India

Meditation programs have been conducted in about 30 countries by 300 ordained teachers

Sitting with a group of ashramites in front of the 'Laughing Temple' in Bidadi ashram, India, 2006.

This is the rare gift of upanishad – sitting with the master which can directly lead one to live enlightenment.

Taking classes for the gurukul students

Nithyananda Gurukul revives the unique vedic tradition of gurukul education. It is a modern scientific approach to education combined with the vedic system of learning – protecting and developing the innate intelligence of the child who flowers without repression, fear or peer pressure, into a confident, responsible and fulfilled individual.

Meditation programs in schools and for youth

Thousands of students have benefitted from the specially designed meditation, yoga and memory programs.