What Is Chitta?

चित्त citta (the mind; thought and emotion) Chitta Definiton In yoga philosophy, ‘chitta’ or ‘citta’ refers to consciousness or the mind. It is one of the four components of the antahkarana, which is the inner instrument or the inner aspect of the mind. The other three components are manas (the thinking mind), buddhi (the intellect … Read more

What Is Klesha?

क्लेश Kelsha (impurity/poison) Klesha Definition Klesha is a term used in both Hinduism and Buddhism. Both traditions use the term to refer to negative mental states that lead to suffering and pain and prevent us from achieving enlightenment. Klesha Deep Dive The Kleshas in Samkhya Purusha & Prakriti Samkhya is a dualistic school of Hindu … Read more

What is Devanagari?

देवनागरी deva (god) nagari (script) = script of the gods Devanagari Definition Devanagari is an ancient script that has been used for writing several Indian languages, including Sanskrit, Hindi, Marathi, Nepali, and others. It is an abugida script, which means that each character represents a consonant sound with an inherent vowel sound, and additional diacritic … Read more

What is Bhumi?

भुमि Bhūmi (‘earth’, also a Hindu goddess – the personification of the earth) Bhumi Definition In the context of yoga, “Bhumi” refers to the concept of grounding or connecting with the earth element. It represents the quality of stability, rootedness, and a sense of being firmly anchored to the ground. In Hindu mythology, Goddess Bhumi … Read more

What Is Ahamkara?

अहंकार Ahaṁkāra – Ahaṁ (I, or self) Kāra (maker, or doer) Ahamkara Definition The philosophical concept of ahamkara refers to the ego or the sense of individual self-identity. It is the aspect of the mind that creates a subjective and separate identity, leading individuals to perceive themselves as distinct from the interconnectedness of all existence. … Read more