Glossary

Key terms across the traditions in Satyori. Click any term for a full definition and related context.

A

Abhyasa (अभ्यास) Practice; repeated effort; discipline Yoga
Active Imagination A meditative technique for consciously engaging with unconscious contents through dialogue, imagery, and creative expression. Jungian psychology
Adam Kadmon (אָדָם קַדְמוֹן) The Primordial Human — the first divine configuration through which Ein Sof's light enters creation Kabbalah
Agni (अग्नि) Fire; the digestive and transformative fire Ayurveda
Ahamkara (अहंकार) I-maker; ego function; the sense of me Shared
Albedo The whitening stage of alchemy — purification of matter and psyche after the darkness of nigredo Alchemy
Ama (आम) Undigested material; metabolic toxins Ayurveda
Anatta (अनात्मन् / अनत्ता) The Buddhist teaching that no permanent, unchanging self can be found in any of the five aggregates that compose a person Buddhism
Angst (Existential Anxiety) (Angst) The fundamental mood that reveals human existence as groundless, finite, and radically free Existentialism
Anicca (अनिच्च (Pali) / अनित्य (Sanskrit: anitya)) Impermanence — the characteristic that all conditioned phenomena arise, change, and cease. Buddhism
Anima The unconscious feminine element in a man's psyche, functioning as a bridge to deeper layers of the self. Jungian psychology
Animism The worldview recognizing all beings — animals, plants, stones, rivers, weather — as possessing spirit, consciousness, and agency Shamanism
Animus The unconscious masculine element in a woman's psyche, manifesting as opinion, conviction, and logos. Jungian psychology
Antahkarana (अन्तःकरण) The fourfold inner instrument of cognition comprising mind, intellect, ego, and memory Yoga
Apatheia (ἀπάθεια) Freedom from destructive passions; rational equanimity in the face of external events. Stoicism
Apophatic Theology (ἀποφατική θεολογία) The theological method of knowing God by negation — defining the Divine by what it is not Christian mysticism
Archetype A universal, inherited pattern in the collective unconscious that shapes human experience, emotion, and behavior. Jungian psychology
As Above, So Below (Quod est superius est sicut quod inferius) Hermetic axiom declaring the structural identity between macrocosm and microcosm across all scales of reality Hermeticism
Asana (आसन) Seat; posture; pose Yoga
Ascendant The zodiac degree crossing the eastern horizon at the exact moment of birth, defining the first house cusp Western astrology
Ashtakavarga (अष्टकवर्ग) An eight-source point system that maps beneficial and detrimental positions for each planet across all twelve signs to predict transit effects Jyotish
Askesis (ἄσκησις) Disciplined training of the mind and character through deliberate philosophical exercises. Stoicism
Asmita (अस्मिता) The mistaken identification of pure witnessing consciousness with the mental apparatus, producing the everyday sense of being a personal self Yoga
Aspect A specific angular relationship between two planets or chart points, measured along the ecliptic in degrees Western astrology
Ataraxia (ἀταραξία) Inner tranquility; freedom from mental disturbance and emotional turbulence. Stoicism
Atmakaraka (आत्मकारक) Soul significator; indicator of the self Jyotish
Atman (आत्मन्) The innermost self or soul in Hindu philosophy, identical to Brahman in Advaita Vedanta Vedanta
Aum / Om (ॐ) The primordial syllable of Vedic tradition — three phonemes mapping to three states of consciousness and the origin of all sound Sound healing
Authenticity (Eigentlichkeit) (Eigentlichkeit) Existing as one's own self rather than conforming to anonymous social defaults Existentialism
Avastha (अवस्था) Classification systems describing a planet's condition or state based on age, alertness, mood, and activity level Jyotish
Avidya (अविद्या) Fundamental ignorance or misapprehension that is the root cause of all suffering in yoga Yoga
Axis Mundi The cosmic center or world pillar connecting heaven, earth, and underworld in mythological cosmology Mythology
Axis Mundi The cosmic pillar or world tree connecting the upper, middle, and lower worlds in shamanic cosmology Shamanism

B

Bad Faith (Mauvaise Foi) (Mauvaise foi) The self-deception of denying one's own freedom by pretending to be determined by external forces Existentialism
Bandha (बन्ध) Muscular locks in Hatha Yoga that redirect prana through the central channel Yoga
Baqa (بَقَاء) Subsistence in God after ego-annihilation — the return to the world with transformed awareness Sufism
Bardo (བར་དོ) An intermediate state between death and rebirth in Tibetan Buddhist cosmology and psychology Buddhism
Being-toward-death (Sein-zum-Tode) (Sein zum Tode) Heidegger's concept of death as the defining possibility that individualizes existence and enables authenticity Existentialism
Bhava (भाव) House; state of being; condition Jyotish
Binaural Beats An auditory illusion where two slightly different frequencies in each ear produce a perceived third tone that entrains brainwaves Sound healing
Bindu (बिन्दु) The dimensionless point of creative potential — seed of manifestation in Tantric cosmology Tantra
Bodhicitta (बोधिचित्त / བྱང་ཆུབ་སེམས) The aspiration to attain complete enlightenment for the benefit of all sentient beings Buddhism
Bodhisattva (बोधिसत्त्व (Sanskrit) / बोधिसत्त (Pali: bodhisatta)) A being dedicated to achieving full buddhahood for the benefit of all sentient beings. Buddhism
Brahman (ब्रह्मन्) The absolute, infinite, unchanging reality underlying all existence in Vedantic philosophy Vedanta
Buddha-Nature (仏性 / तथागतगर्भ) The inherent potential or presence of awakening within all sentient beings Buddhism
Buddhi (बुद्धि) Intelligence; discernment; discriminative faculty Shared

C

Chakra (चक्र) Wheel; turning center; subtle energy hub Shared
Chakra System (चक्र) The seven principal energy centers along the spine, mapping consciousness from survival to transcendence Tantra
Chaldean Numerology An ancient numerological system from Babylonia assigning letter values by vibration rather than sequence, never using the number 9 Numerology
Changing Line (变爻) A line in an I Ching hexagram that transforms from yin to yang or vice versa, generating a second hexagram Iching
Chikitsa (चिकित्सा) The comprehensive system of Ayurvedic therapeutics encompassing purification, pacification, diet, lifestyle, and rejuvenation Ayurveda
Chitta (चित्त) Mind-stuff; consciousness; the field of awareness Yoga
Citta (चित्त) The consciousness-field encompassing all mental activity — thoughts, memories, impressions, and awareness Yoga
Collective Unconscious The deepest layer of the psyche, containing universal archetypal patterns shared by all humanity. Jungian psychology
Conjunction An aspect of 0 degrees where two or more planets occupy the same or very close ecliptic degrees Western astrology
Contemplatio The wordless, imageless resting in God's presence that transcends thought, prayer, and meditation Christian mysticism
Cosmogony A mythological account of the origin and creation of the universe and its fundamental order Mythology
Cymatics The study of visible sound patterns formed when vibration organizes matter into geometric shapes Sound healing

D

Dark Night of the Soul (Noche oscura del alma) A prolonged period of spiritual dryness and felt absence of God that precedes deeper mystical union Christian mysticism
Dasein Heidegger's term for the human being as the entity that questions its own existence Existentialism
Dasha (दशा) Planetary period; state; condition of life Jyotish
Descent to the Underworld The mythological journey to the realm of the dead, undertaken to gain wisdom, retrieve the lost, or undergo transformation Mythology
Devekut (דְּבֵקוּת) Cleaving to God — the state of intimate communion and attachment to the divine Kabbalah
Dharana (धारणा) Concentration; holding; fixing attention Yoga
Dharma (धर्म) Cosmic order, moral law, and sacred duty — the principle that sustains the universe and governs right action Vedanta
Dharma (धर्म) Law; right order; duty; what upholds Shared
Dhatu (धातु) Tissue; that which supports the body Ayurveda
Dhikr (ذِكْر) Remembrance of God through repetition, breath, and presence — Sufism's central devotional practice Sufism
Dhyana (ध्यान) Meditation; continuous flow of attention Yoga
Dinacharya (दिनचर्या) Daily routine; daily regimen Ayurveda
Divine Feminine The archetypal feminine principle embodied in goddesses, earth-mothers, and cosmic creative power across traditions Mythology
Divisional Charts (वर्ग) Charts derived by dividing each zodiac sign into smaller segments, each mapped to a new sign to reveal domain-specific karma Jyotish
Dosha (दोष) That which can go out of balance; the three functional principles Ayurveda
Dravyaguna (द्रव्यगुण) The science of medicinal substances — classifying drugs by taste, quality, potency, post-digestive effect, and specific action Ayurveda
Drishti (दृष्टि) Focused gazing point used in yoga to steady the mind and direct attention inward Yoga
Dui (兌) The trigram of the lake — joy, expression, persuasion, youngest daughter, and the pleasure of open exchange Iching
Dukkha (दुक्ख (Pali) / दुःख (Sanskrit)) Suffering, unsatisfactoriness, or the inherent stress woven through conditioned existence. Buddhism
Dusthana (दुःस्थान) Houses 6, 8, and 12 governing enemies, death, and loss -- positions where planets face obstruction and produce suffering Jyotish

E

Ein Sof (אֵין סוֹף) The Infinite — God as absolutely boundless, unknowable, and prior to all emanation Kabbalah
Emerald Tablet (Tabula Smaragdina) Foundational Hermetic text of thirteen cryptic verses attributed to Hermes Trismegistus, encoding the principles of alchemy Hermeticism
Eternal Return The cyclical pattern of cosmic dissolution and re-creation that structures time in mythological and philosophical thought Mythology
Eudaimonia (εὐδαιμονία) Human flourishing; living well through the exercise of virtue and rational excellence. Stoicism
Existential Crisis A personal confrontation with the fundamental conditions of existence — mortality, freedom, isolation, meaninglessness Existentialism
Expression Number A numerological value derived from the full birth name, revealing innate talents, abilities, and life potential Numerology

F

Fana (فَنَاء) Annihilation of the ego-self in the Divine, the peak experience of Sufi mysticism Sufism
Fibonacci Sequence The number series 1, 1, 2, 3, 5, 8, 13... where each term equals the sum of the two preceding terms Sacred geometry
Flower of Life A geometric pattern of overlapping circles forming a hexagonal flower, found across ancient cultures worldwide Sacred geometry
Fu Xi Sequence (伏羲序卦) The binary-mathematical ordering of 64 hexagrams attributed to the mythical emperor Fu Xi, arranging hexagrams by numerical value Iching

G

Gochara (गोचर) Transit; wandering of planets Jyotish
Golden Ratio The irrational ratio approximately 1.618, found throughout nature, art, and architecture as a principle of proportion Sacred geometry
Graha (ग्रह) That which seizes; planet Jyotish
Graha Yoga (ग्रह योग) Specific planetary combinations in a birth chart that produce defined results ranging from kingship to poverty Jyotish
Gu Qi (谷气) Grain qi — the raw energy extracted from food by the spleen and stomach, the basis for all postnatal qi and blood production Tcm
Guna (गुण) Quality; strand; attribute of nature Yoga

H

Hal (حَال) A transient spiritual state given by God, distinguished from the earned station (maqam) Sufism
Hermes Trismegistus (Ἑρμῆς ὁ Τρισμέγιστος) Legendary author of the Hermetic corpus, a syncretic fusion of Greek Hermes and Egyptian Thoth Hermeticism
Hero's Journey The universal narrative pattern of departure, initiation, and return found across world mythologies Mythology
Hesychasm (ἡσυχασμός) The Eastern Orthodox contemplative tradition of inner stillness, centered on the Jesus Prayer and bodily awareness Christian mysticism
Hexagram (六十四卦) Six-line figures combining two trigrams to represent one of 64 archetypal situations in the I Ching Iching
Hexagram Six-line figure used in the I Ching Iching
Hieros Gamos (Ἱερὸς Γάμος) The sacred marriage of opposites — the alchemical union of masculine and feminine principles into wholeness Alchemy
House System A mathematical method for dividing the natal chart into twelve sectors that map planetary energies to life areas Western astrology

I

Ida and Pingala (इडा पिङ्गला) The lunar and solar channels flanking the central nadi, governing the paired forces of cooling and heating Tantra
Image Text (象辞) The commentarial text interpreting each hexagram's trigram pairing as a natural image with moral counsel for the superior person Iching
Imago Dei The theological doctrine that human beings are created in the image and likeness of God Christian mysticism
Individuation The lifelong psychological process of integrating unconscious contents to become a unified, whole personality. Jungian psychology
Ishq (عِشْق) Divine love — the overwhelming, consuming passion for God that drives the Sufi path Sufism
Ishvara (ईश्वर) Lord; supreme ordering intelligence Shared
Ishvara Pranidhana (ईश्वरप्रणिधान) Surrender or devotional dedication of all actions and their fruits to the divine Yoga

J

Jing (精) Essence — the densest of the three treasures, governing vitality, reproduction, and constitutional strength. Taoism
Jingluo (经络) The meridian network of Chinese medicine — twelve primary channels and eight extraordinary vessels carrying qi and blood throughout the body Tcm
Judgment Text (彖辞) The primary oracular statement attached to each hexagram in the I Ching, attributed to King Wen of Zhou Iching

K

Kapha (कफ) Phlegm; the principle of structure and cohesion Ayurveda
Karaka (कारक) Significator; that which causes Jyotish
Karma (कर्म) The universal law of action and consequence that governs moral causation across lifetimes Vedanta
Karma (कर्म) Action; deed; the law of consequence Shared
Karmic Debt Number The numbers 13, 14, 16, and 19, which indicate unresolved patterns from previous cycles requiring conscious effort to overcome Numerology
Kashf (كَشْف) Mystical unveiling — direct spiritual perception that bypasses ordinary rational cognition Sufism
Katalepsis (κατάληψις) Cognitive grasp or firm comprehension; the Stoic criterion of certain knowledge. Stoicism
Kaya Chikitsa (कायचिकित्सा) The branch of Ayurveda treating internal diseases through digestive fire restoration, purification, herbal medicine, and diet Ayurveda
Kenosis (κένωσις) The radical self-emptying of personal will, modeled on Christ's surrender of divine prerogatives Christian mysticism
King Wen Sequence (文王序卦) The traditional ordering of the 64 hexagrams attributed to King Wen of Zhou, used in all received editions of the I Ching Iching
Klesha (क्लेश) Affliction; cause of suffering; obstacle Yoga
Klippot (קְלִפּוֹת) Shells or husks — the forces of concealment that trap divine sparks in materiality Kabbalah
Koan (公案) A paradoxical statement or question used in Zen training to exhaust conceptual thinking Buddhism
Kosha (कोश) Five concentric sheaths or layers enveloping the atman in Vedantic-Yogic anatomy Yoga
Kundalini (कुण्डलिनी) Coiled serpent energy dormant at the base of the spine, awakened through yogic practice Tantra

L

Lagna (लग्न) Ascendant; rising sign; that which attaches Jyotish
Lapis Philosophorum The Latin name for the Philosopher's Stone — the perfected substance that transmutes, heals, and illuminates Alchemy
Lectio Divina A four-stage monastic practice of sacred reading that moves from text through meditation to prayer and contemplation Christian mysticism
Life Path Number A single-digit or master number derived from the full birth date, indicating life purpose and trajectory Numerology
Liminal Space The transitional zone between states where ordinary structures dissolve and transformation becomes possible Mythology
Logos (λόγος) Universal reason, rational principle pervading and organizing the entire cosmos. Stoicism

M

Maithuna (मैथुन) Ritualized sexual union in Tantric practice, enacting the cosmic merger of Shiva and Shakti Tantra
Mala (मल) The three waste products — urine, feces, and sweat — whose proper formation and elimination sustain health Ayurveda
Manas (मनस्) Mind; sensory mind; coordinating mental faculty Shared
Mantra Science (मन्त्रविज्ञान) The systematic study of how specific sound formulas produce measurable effects on consciousness, physiology, and environment Sound healing
Maqam (مَقَام) A spiritual station earned through sustained effort and discipline on the Sufi path Sufism
Master Number The doubled digits 11, 22, and 33, which are not reduced in numerological calculations due to amplified significance Numerology
Maya (माया) The power of illusion that conceals Brahman and projects the apparent world of multiplicity Vedanta
Medicine Wheel A circular cosmological map organizing the four directions, elements, seasons, and stages of life into sacred relationship Shamanism
Meridian Energetic pathway in Chinese medicine Tcm
Merkaba (מרכבה) Two interpenetrating tetrahedra forming a three-dimensional Star of David, associated with divine chariots and light-body activation Sacred geometry
Metanoia (μετάνοια) A radical transformation of mind, perception, and orientation — far deeper than moral 'repentance' Christian mysticism
Metatron's Cube A sacred geometric figure of 13 circles connected by 78 lines, containing all five Platonic solids Sacred geometry
Metta (मेत्ता (Pali) / मैत्री (Sanskrit: maitrī)) Loving-kindness — the unconditional wish for the happiness and well-being of all beings. Buddhism
Midheaven (Medium Coeli) The ecliptic degree at the highest point of the sky at the moment of birth, marking the tenth house cusp Western astrology
Ming Men (命门) The gate of vitality — the source of yang fire between the kidneys that powers all warming, transforming, and reproductive functions in the body Tcm
Moksha (मोक्ष) Liberation from the cycle of birth, death, and rebirth — the ultimate goal of Hindu spiritual life Vedanta
Muhurta (मुहूर्त) The Jyotish system of selecting auspicious times for important actions by analyzing planetary positions at the proposed moment Jyotish
Muraqaba (مُرَاقَبَة) Contemplative self-watching and meditation — the Sufi practice of vigilant inner observation Sufism
Mystical Union (Unio Mystica) The direct, experiential union of the human soul with God — the goal of the Christian contemplative path Christian mysticism

N

Nada Yoga (नादयोग) The yoga of inner and outer sound, using vibration as a direct path to meditative absorption Sound healing
Nadi (नाडी) Channel; conduit of pranic flow Shared
Nadis (नाडी) The 72,000 subtle channels through which prana and consciousness flow in the Tantric body Tantra
Nafs (نَفْس) The ego-self or soul that must be refined through spiritual discipline and self-knowledge Sufism
Nakshatra (नक्षत्र) Lunar mansion; star; that which does not decay Jyotish
Natal Chart A map of planetary positions projected onto the ecliptic at the exact time and place of birth Western astrology
Navamsha (नवांश) The ninth divisional chart dividing each sign into nine parts of 3 degrees 20 minutes, revealing dharmic pattern and marriage karma Jyotish
Neidan (內丹) Internal alchemy — the Taoist practice of refining jing, qi, and shen within the body to achieve spiritual realization. Taoism
Nidana (निदान) The system of disease causation and diagnostic methodology identifying etiology through five investigative factors Ayurveda
Nigredo The blackening stage of alchemy — decomposition of matter and confrontation with psychic darkness Alchemy
Nirvana (निब्बान (Pali: nibbāna) / निर्वाण (Sanskrit: nirvāṇa)) The cessation of craving, aversion, and delusion — liberation from the cycle of rebirth. Buddhism
Nirvikalpa Samadhi (निर्विकल्प समाधि) Absorption without mental modifications, in which subject-object distinction dissolves and no vritti arises in the mind Yoga
Niyama (नियम) Observance; personal discipline; positive duty Yoga
Numerology Reduction The process of repeatedly summing a number's digits until reaching a single digit (1-9) or a master number (11, 22, 33) Numerology

O

Ohr (אוֹר) Divine light — the primordial emanation from Ein Sof that flows through and animates all creation Kabbalah
Oikeiosis (οἰκείωσις) The natural process of self-affinity expanding outward to encompass family, community, and all rational beings. Stoicism
Ojas (ओजस्) Vital essence; immunity; vigor Ayurveda
Opposition An aspect of 180 degrees where two planets sit directly across the zodiac from each other, creating polarity tension Western astrology
Opus Magnum The complete alchemical process of transmuting base matter into gold and the soul into spiritual perfection Alchemy
Ouroboros (Οὐροβόρος) The serpent or dragon eating its own tail — symbol of cyclical transformation, eternity, and self-renewal Alchemy
Overtone Singing A vocal technique producing two or more simultaneous tones by isolating individual harmonics from a single fundamental pitch Sound healing

P

Panchakarma (पञ्चकर्म) Five actions; the five purification therapies Ayurveda
Panchamahabhuta (पञ्चमहाभूत) The five great elements — ether, air, fire, water, earth — composing all matter and forming the basis of dosha theory Ayurveda
Partzufim (פַּרְצוּפִים) Divine faces or configurations — the relational personas formed when the Sefirot reorganize after the shattering Kabbalah
Persona The social mask or public face adopted to meet the expectations of others and navigate collective life. Jungian psychology
Personal Year A nine-year cyclical number calculated from birth month, birth day, and current calendar year, describing annual themes Numerology
Phenomenology (Phanomenologie) The philosophical method of describing experience as it appears, before theoretical interpretation distorts it Existentialism
Philosopher's Stone The legendary substance capable of transmuting base metals into gold, curing all disease, and granting immortality Alchemy
Pitta (पित्त) Bile; the principle of transformation Ayurveda
Plant Medicine Psychoactive plants used ceremonially in shamanic traditions to access non-ordinary reality and facilitate healing Shamanism
Platonic Solids The five convex regular polyhedra — tetrahedron, cube, octahedron, dodecahedron, icosahedron — the only perfect solids possible Sacred geometry
Pneuma (πνεῦμα) Vital breath or spirit; the active material principle that pervades and structures all bodies in Stoic physics. Stoicism
Power Animal A guardian spirit in animal form that provides protection, wisdom, and spiritual power to a practitioner Shamanism
Prajna (प्रज्ञा) Direct insight into the nature of reality, especially sunyata and dependent origination Buddhism
Prakriti (प्रकृति) Original nature; constitutional type Ayurveda
Prakriti (प्रकृति) Primordial nature or matter — the unconscious, creative principle that generates the entire manifest universe Vedanta
Prakriti (Samkhya) (प्रकृति) Primordial nature; material cause of the universe Yoga
Prana (प्राण) Life force; vital energy; breath Shared
Pranayama (प्राणायाम) Breath control; expansion of vital energy Yoga
Pratityasamutpada (प्रतीत्यसमुत्पाद (Sanskrit) / पटिच्चसमुप्पाद (Pali: paticcasamuppada)) Dependent origination — the principle that all phenomena arise in dependence upon conditions. Buddhism
Pratyahara (प्रत्याहार) Sense withdrawal; drawing inward Yoga
Prima Materia The undifferentiated original substance from which the alchemical Work begins and all things originate Alchemy
Principle of Cause and Effect Hermetic law that every cause has its effect and every effect has its cause, with nothing happening by chance Hermeticism
Principle of Correspondence Hermetic law stating that patterns repeat across all planes of existence — physical, mental, and spiritual Hermeticism
Principle of Gender Hermetic law that gender manifests on every plane — masculine (projective) and feminine (receptive) principles operate in all creation Hermeticism
Principle of Mentalism Hermetic law that the universe is mental — all of existence lives within an infinite living Mind Hermeticism
Principle of Polarity Hermetic law that everything has pairs of opposites which are identical in nature but different in degree Hermeticism
Principle of Rhythm Hermetic law that everything flows in and out, swings back and forth in measured motion between two poles Hermeticism
Principle of Vibration Hermetic law declaring that nothing rests — everything moves, vibrates, and oscillates at varying frequencies Hermeticism
Prohairesis (προαίρεσις) The faculty of moral choice; the rational will that determines one's character and responses. Stoicism
Prokopton (προκόπτων) The 'one who is making progress' — Epictetus's term for the genuine Stoic practitioner who is not yet a sage but is honestly advancing on the path. Stoicism
Prosoche (προσοχή) Sustained self-attention; the Stoic practice of vigilant awareness of one's own judgments and impulses. Stoicism
Psychopomp A practitioner or spirit that guides the souls of the dead from this world to their proper place in the afterlife Shamanism
Purusha (पुरुष) Pure consciousness; the Self; the witness Yoga
Pythagorean Numerology The dominant Western system assigning numbers 1-9 sequentially to the alphabet, based on Pythagorean number philosophy Numerology

Q

Qi (氣) Vital energy or life-breath — the animating substance-force pervading all of existence. Shared
Qian (乾) The trigram of heaven — three unbroken yang lines representing creative power, initiative, strength, and the father principle Iching
Qigong Energy cultivation practice Tcm

R

Radical Freedom (Liberté radicale) Sartre's thesis that humans are inescapably free to choose, with no nature or essence determining their actions Existentialism
Rajas (रजस्) Activity; passion; movement; agitation Shared
Rasa (रस) Taste; essence; plasma Ayurveda
Rasayana (रसायन) Rejuvenation therapy; that which improves rasa Ayurveda
Rashi (राशि) Sign; heap; zodiacal sign Jyotish
Rén (仁) The central Confucian virtue — humaneness expressed in the relation between two people Confucianism
Responsibility The capacity to see a situation completely — every facet, including yourself — until it no longer moves you. Satyori
Retrograde The apparent backward motion of a planet through the zodiac as seen from Earth, caused by orbital mechanics Western astrology
Rigpa (རིག་པ) The intrinsic pure awareness that is the nature of mind in Dzogchen teaching Buddhism
Ritu (ऋतु) The six Ayurvedic seasons whose cyclical dosha effects govern seasonal diet, behavior, and treatment protocols Ayurveda
Ritucharya (ऋतुचर्या) Seasonal routine; seasonal regimen Ayurveda
Rubedo The reddening — alchemy's final stage where purified matter achieves perfection and the soul attains wholeness Alchemy

S

Sacred King The mythological ruler whose body is identified with the land and whose vitality ensures cosmic fertility Mythology
Sacred Number A number imbued with spiritual, cosmological, or ritual significance across one or more cultural traditions worldwide Numerology
Samadhi (समाधि) Absorption; integration; cognitive union Yoga
Samprapti (सम्प्राप्ति) The six-stage pathogenesis model describing how disease develops from initial dosha accumulation to full manifestation Ayurveda
Samsara (संसार (Sanskrit/Pali)) The cycle of birth, death, and rebirth driven by craving, karma, and ignorance. Buddhism
Samskara (संस्कार) Impression; conditioning; mental groove Shared
Samskara (संस्कार) Subconscious impressions formed by past actions and experiences that shape present tendencies and future births Vedanta
San Jiao (三焦) The triple burner — a unique organ of function with no anatomical form, governing the body's waterways and qi transformation across three cavities Tcm
Sangha (सङ्घ (Sanskrit/Pali: saṅgha)) The Buddhist community of practitioners — monastic and lay — who practice and preserve the dharma. Buddhism
Sankalpa (संकल्प) Resolve; sacred intention; chosen inner direction Shared
Sati (स्मृति) The Buddhist faculty of remembering to observe present experience through the lens of impermanence, suffering, and non-self Buddhism
Satori (悟り) Sudden awakening or direct insight into one's true nature in Zen Buddhism Buddhism
Sattva (सत्त्व) Clarity; harmony; balance; luminosity Shared
Sattvic Diet (सात्त्विक आहार) The diet of pure, fresh, life-giving foods that promotes mental clarity, spiritual growth, and balanced health Ayurveda
Seed of Life Seven overlapping circles forming a six-petaled rosette, the foundational stage of the Flower of Life Sacred geometry
Sefirot (סְפִירוֹת) The ten divine emanations through which Ein Sof reveals itself and sustains creation Kabbalah
Self The archetype of wholeness and the organizing center of the total psyche, encompassing both conscious and unconscious. Jungian psychology
Shadbala (षड्बल) A six-component quantitative system measuring planetary strength in rupas, combining positional, directional, temporal, and other factors Jyotish
Shadow The repressed, denied, or unrecognized aspects of the personality hidden from conscious awareness. Jungian psychology
Shakti (शक्ति) The feminine creative power of the cosmos, inseparable from and equal to consciousness (Shiva) Tantra
Shamana (शमन) Palliation; pacification therapy Ayurveda
Shamanic Journeying Deliberate entry into non-ordinary reality through rhythmic drumming to contact spirits and retrieve knowledge Shamanism
Shekhinah (שְׁכִינָה) The indwelling divine presence, identified in Kabbalah with the feminine aspect of God Kabbalah
Shen (神) Spirit — the subtlest of the three treasures, governing consciousness, awareness, and spiritual radiance. Taoism
Shen (TCM) (神) Spirit or consciousness in Chinese medicine — the luminous awareness housed in the heart that governs mental clarity, sleep, and vitality Tcm
Shodhana (शोधन) Purification; cleansing therapy Ayurveda
Singing Bowls Metal or crystal bowls that produce sustained harmonic tones when struck or rubbed, used in meditation and healing Sound healing
Skandha (स्कन्ध / खन्ध) Any of the five aggregates (form, feeling, perception, formations, consciousness) into which Buddhist analysis decomposes the person Buddhism
Solfeggio Frequencies A set of six (later nine) tonal frequencies claimed to carry specific healing and spiritual properties Sound healing
Solve et Coagula The fundamental alchemical operation — dissolve the fixed and solidify the volatile in repeated cycles Alchemy
Soul Retrieval Shamanic healing practice of journeying to locate and return lost parts of a person's soul after trauma Shamanism
Soul Urge Number The numerological value derived from the vowels of the birth name, revealing the heart's deepest motivation and desire Numerology
Sound Bath An immersive listening experience where participants lie down surrounded by resonant instruments played for therapeutic effect Sound healing
Sri Yantra (श्री यन्त्र) Nine interlocking triangles forming 43 sub-triangles within concentric circles — Hinduism's most complex sacred diagram Sacred geometry
Srotas (स्रोतस्) Channels; systems of circulation Ayurveda
Sunyata (शून्यता (Sanskrit) / सुञ्ञता (Pali: suññatā)) Emptiness — the absence of inherent, independent existence in all phenomena. Buddhism
Sushumna (सुषुम्णा) The central subtle channel along the spine through which kundalini ascends to the crown Tantra
Sutra (सूत्र) Thread; aphorism; condensed teaching Yoga
Svadhyaya (स्वाध्याय) Self-study through scriptural recitation and introspective inquiry into one's own nature Yoga
Swasthya (स्वास्थ्य) The Ayurvedic definition of health — being established in one's own nature with balanced doshas, tissues, fire, and elimination Ayurveda
Synastry The comparison of two natal charts to assess the dynamics, compatibility, and challenges of a relationship Western astrology
Synchronicity A meaningful coincidence between an inner psychic state and an outer event with no causal connection between them. Jungian psychology

T

Tamas (तमस्) Inertia; heaviness; obscuration; dullness Shared
Tantra (तन्त्र) A pan-Indian tradition using the body, energy, and ritual to realize non-dual consciousness Tantra
Tao (道) The Way — the nameless origin and sustaining principle of all existence. Taoism
Tapas (तपस्) Disciplined austerity or inner heat generated through sustained yogic effort and self-discipline Yoga
Tariqa (طَرِيقَة) A Sufi spiritual path or order — the organized lineage through which teachings are transmitted Sufism
Tawhid Divine unity; oneness Sufism
Te (德) Virtue, power, or inherent potency — the Tao's expression in individual beings. Taoism
Tejas (तेजस्) Inner radiance; transformative fire Ayurveda
The Absurd (L'Absurde) The fundamental conflict between humanity's demand for meaning and the universe's silent indifference Existentialism
Theosis (θέωσις) The process of becoming divine by participation in God's nature through grace and spiritual practice Christian mysticism
Thrownness (Geworfenheit) (Geworfenheit) The condition of finding oneself already in a situation one did not choose — born, embodied, historical, mortal Existentialism
Tikkun (תִּקּוּן) Repair and restoration — the cosmic and human task of gathering scattered divine sparks Kabbalah
Tonglen (གཏོང་ལེན) A Tibetan Buddhist meditation practice of breathing in suffering and breathing out compassion Buddhism
Torus A doughnut-shaped surface of revolution that models energy flow in magnetic fields, vortices, and living systems Sacred geometry
Trance State A non-ordinary state of consciousness induced through rhythmic stimulation enabling contact with the spirit world Shamanism
Transit (Transitus) The ongoing movement of a planet through the zodiac as it forms aspects to natal chart positions Western astrology
Trickster Archetype The boundary-crossing mythological figure who disrupts order through cunning, humor, and transformation Mythology
Trigram (八卦) Eight three-line figures of broken and unbroken lines forming the structural basis of the I Ching Iching
Triguna (त्रिगुण) The three qualities — sattva, rajas, and tamas — whose dynamic imbalance constitutes the entire manifest world in Samkhya metaphysics Yoga
Tulku (སྤྲུལ་སྐུ) A recognized reincarnate lama in Tibetan Buddhism who has consciously chosen rebirth Buddhism
Turiya (तुरीय) The fourth state of consciousness beyond waking, dreaming, and deep sleep — pure awareness itself Yoga
Tzimtzum (צִמְצוּם) The divine contraction — God's voluntary self-withdrawal to create space for finite existence Kabbalah

U

Upachaya (उपचय) Houses 3, 6, 10, and 11 where malefic planets produce improving results and planets gain strength progressively over time Jyotish
Upaya (उपाय / 方便) Skillful means — the adaptive methods a teacher uses to lead beings toward liberation Buddhism
Upekkha (उपेक्षा) The Buddhist quality of balanced awareness that neither tilts toward craving nor aversion Buddhism

V

Vairagya (वैराग्य) Dispassion toward transient objects and experiences — the freedom from compulsive craving that enables spiritual inquiry Vedanta
Vairagya (वैराग्य) Non-attachment; dispassion; renunciation Yoga
Vata (वात) Wind; the principle of movement Ayurveda
Vesica Piscis The almond-shaped intersection of two overlapping circles, encoding the fundamental ratios of geometry Sacred geometry
Vibrational Healing A therapeutic framework holding that health depends on the coherent vibration of cells, organs, and energy fields — and that specific frequencies can restore balance Sound healing
Vikriti (विकृति) Current imbalance; deviation from nature Ayurveda
Vimshottari Dasha (विंशोत्तरी दशा) A 120-year planetary period system that sequences nine grahas into major, sub, and sub-sub periods for life prediction Jyotish
Vipassana (विपस्सना (Pali) / विपश्यना (Sanskrit: vipaśyanā)) Insight meditation — the direct observation of mental and physical phenomena to see their true nature. Buddhism
Vision Quest A solitary wilderness fast undertaken to receive spiritual vision, power, and life direction from the spirit world Shamanism
Viveka (विवेक) Spiritual discrimination — the capacity to distinguish the real from the unreal, the self from the not-self Vedanta
Vritti (वृत्ति) Fluctuation; modification; mental activity Yoga

W

Wei Qi (卫气) Defensive qi in Chinese medicine — the fierce, yang form of qi that guards the body surface against external pathogens Tcm
World Tree The mythological tree connecting heaven, earth, and underworld that structures the cosmos vertically Mythology
Wu-wei (無為) Non-action or effortless action — acting in spontaneous accord with the natural flow. Taoism
Wuji (無極) The limitless, boundless void — the state of undifferentiated potential prior to yin-yang polarity. Taoism
Wuxing (五行) The five phases — wood, fire, earth, metal, water — governing cycles of generation and control in Chinese medicine Tcm

X

Xue (血) Blood in Chinese medicine — a dense, material form of qi that nourishes tissues, anchors the mind, and moistens the body Tcm

Y

Yama (यम) Restraint; ethical discipline; self-control Yoga
Yang Active, warm, outward, mobilizing principle Tcm
Yantra (यन्त्र) A geometric diagram encoding cosmic and psychological patterns, used as a meditation instrument Tantra
Yarrow Stalk Method (蓍草占法) The traditional I Ching divination procedure using 50 yarrow stalks to generate hexagram lines through four-stage sorting Iching
Yin Receptive, cool, inward, nourishing principle Tcm
Yin-Yang (陰陽) The complementary polarities — dark and light, receptive and active — underlying all change. Taoism
Yoga (योग) Union; to yoke; connection Yoga
Yoga (Jyotish) (योग) Combination; planetary configuration Jyotish

Z

Zang-Fu (脏腑) The paired organ system of Chinese medicine — five yin storage organs and six yang transformation organs Tcm
Zazen (坐禅) Seated meditation as practiced in Zen Buddhism — the core discipline of direct awakening Buddhism
Zheng Qi (正气) Upright qi — the body's total defensive and recuperative capacity, the combined strength of all organ systems resisting disease Tcm
Ziran (自然) Naturalness or 'self-so' — the spontaneous, uncontrived expression of a thing's own nature. Taoism

ʿ

ʿAlam al-Mithal (عالم المثال) The Sufi imaginal realm — an intermediate ontological plane between pure spirit and physical matter Sufism

Ṛ

Ṛta (ऋत) The Vedic principle of cosmic, moral, and ritual order — that which is properly joined Vedanta