June 04, 2011
- yoga (noun)
- \YOH-guh\
- What does it mean?
- 1 capitalized : a Hindu philosophy teaching that by holding back the activity of one's body, mind, and will one can know one's true self and be free2 : a system of exercises for gaining bodily or mental control and well-being
- How do you use it?
- Nichole and her mom practice yoga together every morning before school, starting with breathing exercises and ending with a pose called Savasana, or Corpse Pose.
- Are you a word wiz?
"Yoga" is a word that sounds as if it might come from some exotic language. In fact, English did adopt it from another language. From what language do you think English adopted "yoga"?
You can breathe easy if you chose answer A. The ancient language of Sanskrit was used in the classical literature of Hinduism, and the most ancient forms date back to over 3000 years ago. English words that derive from Sanskrit often have a connection to Hinduism, though they may develop extended senses. An example is "avatar." It first referred to an incarnation of a Hindu deity, then it developed the sense of "a variant phase or version of a continuing basic entity," and it is now used for an electronic image that represents and is manipulated by a computer user.
